Scary Pizza Facts That Will Slice You To Pieces In Fear

If you ask me what my favorite food is, my answer will be unequivocal: Pizza. So it’s true we don’t consider pizza the healthiest food in the world, and indeed not a gourmet dish, but who can say no to a hot pizza with your favorite toppings that you can nibble on three or four slices without noticing?

With all due respect to pizza, we are not here to talk about its advantages or disadvantages but rather to present a side that the average diner is not necessarily familiar with, even in the case of one of the world’s favorite foods.

We have collected creepy facts about pizza for you, including some that show that the connection between the Italian dish and horror movies may be much closer than you think.

What is Pizza?

As is tradition, we will start with some facts about pizza that are more general and less scary to whet your appetite. According to the straightforward definition, pizza is a yeast pastry, which is most often covered with a layer of tomato sauce and cheese and baked at a very high temperature.

This “recipe” is, of course, the basis because a thousand and one toppings can be added to pizza, from the usual ones like green and black olives, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, corn, and other types of cheese to meats like pepperoni or ham, to more creative toppings, according to the best imagination of pizza experts (or, if you prefer, Instagram enthusiasts) around the world.

Who invented Pizza?

The following fact is also unlikely to surprise you: the origin of pizza, as we know it today, is in Italy, but even before that, there were very early (and quite basic) versions worldwide. It started in ancient times when different cultures prepared flatbread with various toppings. For example, Persian soldiers from the army of Darius the Great baked flatbreads and topped them with cheese and dates, as early as the 6th century BC.

Another example is the ancient Greeks, who prepared their version of flatbread (“Placenta cake”) with various toppings such as onions, herbs, and dates. In some cases, they also incorporated cheese.

When Was Modern Pizza Invented?

According to its familiar version, pizza was invented in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Flatbread-based pastries had been around for centuries, but the main innovation that began in those years was the addition of tomato sauce.

After the Spanish brought tomatoes to Europe from the United States and Europeans realized that tomatoes were not as poisonous as they had thought, the poor in Naples (Pizza in its early version was a dish of the lower class) began to pamper their pastries with tomato sauce. Dozens of pizzerias soon opened in and around Naples, and the rest is history.

From Italy, pizza has spread to all parts of the world. Italian immigrants brought Pizza to Italy in the 19th century, but it was mainly associated with immigrants for a long time. That changed during World War II when American soldiers stationed in Italy discovered the wonders of the local cuisine. After local bakers could barely follow their orders, the American soldiers returned the “news” to their homeland.

What Does The Word Pizza Mean?

Most of us think that the origin of the word “Pizza” is Italian, but it is a bit more complicated. The word means “cake” or “pie.” In late Latin, the word “pizza” means “flatbread,” perhaps following the Greek word “Pitta,” which refers to a local pastry.

Some believe that the origin of the name “Pizza” is in the Germanic language (a secret Indo-European language), from the word “Bezzo,” which means “bite.” There are several other versions of the name Midrash, such as the word “Pinza,” which is one of the forms of “to press” or “to crush,” which perhaps refers to the method of preparation of the beloved pastry.

Pizza Is A Matter Of Geography

There are several very well-known versions of Italian pizzas. Pizza Margherita is named after Princess Margherita of Savoy, who was once the Queen of Italy. Its various ingredients, as trivia lovers know, are in the colors of the Italian flag: red tomato sauce, white mozzarella cheese, and green basil leaves, sometimes with olive oil and ricotta cheese. It is a different version of Neapolitan pizza, based mainly on tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, according to the familiar version of Italian tradition.

In different parts of the world, other pizzas have developed over the years, sometimes in the form of preparation and sometimes in terms of additions or upgrades:

🍕 Pizza Bianca (“white pizza”) – a pizza without tomato sauce, which is replaced with another sauce: ricotta, pesto, cream, and more, or even without sauce. It is less common in Italy for obvious reasons.

🍕 Four-cheese Pizza – a pizza loaded (very much!) with cheeses, such as mozzarella, feta, parmesan, gorgonzola, or pecorino. It can be with red or white sauce.

🍕 Hawaiian Pizza – a pizza whose most prominent ingredient is pineapple, alongside toppings like tomato sauce, cheese, and sometimes ham. The Hawaiian Pizza is controversial in Italy due to the combination of sweet and savory.

🍕New York Pizza – a thin pizza reminiscent of the classic Italian style.

Countries have different preferences regarding pizza, which can seem strange to outsiders. For example, in Japan, they like mayonnaise on their Pizza; In India, the most popular topping on pizza is tofu; in South Korea, you will find a pizza topped with apples, berries, and pistachios.

How Big Is The World’s Largest Pizza?

If you feel guilty about devouring half a pizza plate, the following paragraph may encourage you. Over the years, there have been many attempts to break the Guinness World Record for the largest pizza in the world.

One of the most famous cases was in 2012 when pizza experts (known as “Pizzaiolo”) gathered in Rome, the capital of Italy, and worked for two days to make a round pizza that reached a diameter of over 40 meters, an area of ​​about 1,261 square meters and a weight exceeding 23 tons. To make the bombastic pizza, they used, for example, almost 9,000 kg of tomato sauce, about 3,500 kg of mozzarella cheese, and about 635 kg of yeast. Making the pizza was part of a charity project, and it is also considered groundbreaking because it showed that with a little effort, it is possible to create gluten-free dishes on a vast scale.

The current Guinness World Record for the world’s largest pizza (round) was set on January 19, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. A very popular YouTuber named “Airrack” and “Pizza Hut” collaborated to celebrate two achievements: On the one hand, Pizza Hut wanted to celebrate the return of the Big New Yorker, one of the brand’s iconic and beloved pizzas, to the ovens. On the other hand, Airrack wanted to celebrate that his YouTube channel had reached 10 million subscribers. The pizza measured exactly 1,296.72 square meters, including 6,193 kilograms of dough, 2,244 kilograms of sauce, 3,992 kilograms of cheese, and 630,496 slices of pepperoni. All proceeds from the high-profile event went to charities in Los Angeles.

There are also other records, such as the world’s longest pizza. In this case, the Guinness World Record is held by a pizza created by 250 chefs from Naples in May 2016, which reached a length of 18,53.88 meters. This giant pizza required about 2,000 kilograms of dough, about 1,600 kilograms of tomatoes, about 2,000 kilograms of cheese, and about 200 liters of olive oil.

How Popular Is Pizza In The World?

Pizza is considered one of the most beloved foods in the world, and the data shows this in a big way. The numbers say 350 pizzas are sold every second in the United States, and something like 21,000 slices are eaten across the continent every minute. On a given day, about 13% of the United States population eats pizza, that is, one in about eight Americans. On average, an American eats something like 46 pizza triangles each year.

Beyond these data, almost everyone loves pizza to some extent. According to estimations, of Americans who eat pizza, about 93% do so at least once a month.

Is Pizza A Vegetable? According To The US Congress, That’s About Right

There are different opinions on whether pizza is healthy, with studies showing facts here and there. For example, a study was published in Italy that claimed that eating pizza at least once a week may reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer, such as colon cancer, esophageal cancer, and oral cancer.

Interestingly, in 2011, the US Congress defined pizza as a vegetable, at least in school cafeterias. In other words, the tomato sauce on the pizza (which, by the way, is botanically defined as a fruit) is what gives it the definition of a fruit serving when large and disproportionate amounts were needed for pizza to be described as a vegetable serving, even under these conditions, according to the definition of the US Department of Agriculture.

Since that day, American Schools can serve pizza as an integral dish, and parents must decide whether this is the vegetable dish they want for their children.

How Many Calories Are In A Pizza Slice?

The million-dollar question for many people, and fortunately, not the million-calorie question, is the connection between pizza and calories. The answer here is complex and depends on several variables, such as the type of pizza, its size, the nature of the dough, the toppings, and so on.

In a very rough estimate, we can claim that a “skinny” pizza with thin crust and standard toppings can contain only about 150-200 calories, which is not that much. You will find thick-crust pizzas on the other side of the scale, reaching about 350-400 calories.

Adding vegetables will lead to a relatively minor increase in calories, while “indulgent” toppings such as tuna, double cheese, or other types of fruit would probably increase the calorie levels.

Technology Is Coming To The Art Of Pizza Making

Suppose there are some of the most prominent and famous pizzerias in the world. In that case, it may point to a traditional preparation technique passed down in the family for several generations and, of course, secret ingredients.

If we focus, for example, on the rotation of the pizza in the air, which looks like one big show-off, this technique is supposed to make the parts of the pizza the same thickness. In Italy, some laws define precisely how to make a traditional pizza, and those who fail to comply cannot call themselves a “pizzeria.”

Nevertheless, this is where technology has entered the picture, mainly in advanced ovens and hobs, with their monstrous work rate. In 2013, an American startup developed an advanced method for 3D printing pizzas. The project received funding of about $125,000 from NASA, which was desperately looking for ways to prepare delicious food even in the difficult conditions of space. In this case, the vision was for a robot to make a pizza in just 70 seconds using edible ink, even if it was space-time.

And speaking of space, it is said that in 2001, the Russian Space Agency received more than a million dollars to make a pizza delivery to the International Space Station.

Pizza In The Service Of Security Forces

Throughout history, there have been several cases in which Pizza has proven that it can play a key role in eradicating crime, if you can call it that. In the 1960s, the US military used pizza deliveries as an effective tactic for gathering information and intelligence in a way that would not seem suspicious. In 2010, pizza helped find a serial killer for the apparent reason that the remains of a slice he ate were taken for DNA testing.

In several cases, some intelligent people (primarily women, to be honest) have used the excuse of ordering pizza to call the police. They were at home with a man who obviously wouldn’t let them call the police. So they called the police and pretended “to order a Pizza’, while the clever dispatcher on the other end of the line figured out the direction and asked leading “yes” and “no” questions to figure out what was going on.

Here’s a famous case from Ohio a few years ago, about a woman who calls 911 to order a pizza, that rightly made news worldwide.

There Was A Movie With Pizza Flavor

If you also like to watch your movie with pizza – that is, assuming it’s not a movie like “Terrifier 3” or “The Human Centipede” that will murder your appetite – you might be happy to hear that in 2013, Domino’s Pizza tried to take this combination a few steps further. A collaboration with movie rental stores in Brazil gave rise to movie CDs. When you played the movie, it released ink that gave off a scent reminiscent of pizza.

After the customers had played the movie, they also encountered a subtitle saying that their next film would be much better if they ordered pizza, etc.

What Are The Most Expensive Pizza In The World?

The price range for pizzas is extensive: from pizzas priced at a few dollars (a natural choice for children’s birthday parties, who tend not to be too picky about their pizza) through more luxurious pizzas that approach a hundred dollars to pizzas with a price tag of at least several thousand dollars.

In 2023, we heard about a pizzeria that charged thousands of dollars for a unique pizza tray, which includes 24-karat pure gold crumbs and relatively expensive ingredients such as red taramosalata, blue cheese, and Caciocavallo. In New York, where pizza prices have been tied to subway fares for years, you can find a pizza for around $1,000, with toppings like caviar and lobster, which you must order a day in advance.

In Italy, another example is that a pizza costs around $12,000. This scarry pizza (at least in terms of price), made from perfectly aged dough, will be prepared by a chef in your home kitchen. It includes, among other things, three types of caviar, lobster from Norway, grains of Australian sea salt, and other surprises.

One of the strangest cases in this context occurred in 2010, giving rise to Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated every year on May 22. On that day, when Bitcoin was still in its infancy, some guy offered to pay 10,000 Bitcoin for two pizzas. Aside from the fact that the guy probably stung himself, if you consider the value of Bitcoin today, this is the first time that Bitcoin has been used to buy a physical product.

There Are Multiple Pizza Days

Almost every food item these days has its special day. In many cases, this choice is mainly arbitrary, and, let’s face it, it is designed primarily to increase sales: how can you celebrate International Strudel Day without ordering a strudel?

In the case of pizza, we’re not talking about a day but an entire month. International Pizza Month is celebrated every year in October. Pizzerias and well-known chains naturally line up, launching special editions, promotions, and so on in honor of the occasion.

If you prefer your celebrations to be less lengthy, we’ve marked February 9 in your calendar. This is the date of International Pizza Day every year.

The Appearance Of Pizza In Horror Movies

Horror movies have a knack for taking things we love and abusing them. Over the years, we’ve seen some famous pizza scenes in movies we like, with villains turning into “pizzas” or something along those lines.

Freddy Krueger Pizza Scene

“A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Matcher” is, according to this writer, one of the weakest in the franchise, even if it has quite a few fans. One reason for this may be one particular moment, known as the Nightmare on Elm Street 4 pizza scene.

In the scene, Alice enters a nightmare where she sees herself working at the same diner, even at an advanced age. Then Freddy arrives, sits beside her, tells a joke, and accepts the pizza he ordered. The slice looks terrific, except for one fact: on top of the pizza, which has been nicknamed “Soul Pizza,” there are “meatballs” that are actually… well, you can see and hear for yourself.

House 4 Pizza Face

Continuing with “House 4”, the fourth part of the series of beloved horror films that emerged between 1985 and 1992, and which is supposed to return very soon with a fifth episode.

In “House 4,” you will see the familiar characteristics of haunted house films, with ghosts and unexplained phenomena seasoned with a lot of humor. In one memorable scene, the widow Laurel and her daughter order a pizza, which arrives with a delivery man who sings something catchy. After the pizza man leaves, the tray itself sings the same song. A few seconds later, we discover a pizza with a scary face on top of one of the trays, spitting something pizza-like at Laurel, who tries to do a Torture Porn in the sink in response.

Slumber Party Massacre Pizza Delivery Scene

Continuing with an iconic slasher series called “Slumber Party Massacre,” the first film included a booming and quotable scene incorporating pizza ordering. Not only because of the poor fate of the delivery man but thanks to a brilliant line of dialogue in which one of the characters eats a hot pizza on the cold body of the deceased, boasting that pizza always cheers her up in difficult situations like this.

Killer Klowns From Outer Space Pizza Box

In the 1988 cult film “Killer Klowns from Outer Space,” the pizza is delivered by three scary-looking clowns. However, what is on the trays is not pizza but the clown Shorty, who shoots the unfortunate woman with the clown’s gun and turns her into something else.

When Pizza Delivery Turns Into Horror

When you order pizza, you don’t know what to expect. Horror films have shown us that the delivery man can also be menacing. In other cases, you can find several horror films in which the hero is a pizza delivery person who arrives in some terrible place and has to fight for their life against various threats.

Pizza Delivery Horror Stories

On the other hand, people who deliver pizza can encounter equally severe cases. In reality, you can hear quite a few scary pizza delivery stories (true or not), whether on blogs, podcasts, or YouTube videos. Some of the better stories have turned into short animated versions.

Horror Movies About Delivery Men

In the 2019 “Satanic Panic,” a lovable pizza delivery girl (Hayley Griffith) discovers that her last delivery of the night happens to be to the site of a gathering of some satanic cult led by a fake guru (Rebecca Romijn). Unfortunately, the cult is looking for a virgin to sacrifice.

In 2018’s “Slice,” the frame story is the murder of a delivery driver, and the people of the peaceful town try to figure out precisely what’s behind it.

In 2014, we got an Indian film called “Pizza” which featured a delivery boy who arrives at a family’s house with some dark secret, while in 2021’s “Super Hot” there’s a delivery girl who discovers that her cute neighbor is moving into a vampire sorority. She tries to stop him from being sacrificed at midnight for some fake cause.

There Is A Pizza Museum

Nowadays, you can find a museum on almost any subject, so the fact that there are pizza museums shouldn’t come as a surprise. “Pizza Brain” in Pennsylvania once housed the world’s most extensive collection of pizza memorabilia, according to Guinness World Records, which certified the place in 2011 as “the world’s largest collection of pizza-related items,” with 561 items collected since 2010. Unfortunately, the museum was closed in 2024.

You’ll find museums dedicated to pizza in different locations. In 2018, the New York Pizza Museum, MoPi, hosted a pop-up pizza art exhibition that welcomed over 25,000 visitors. The museum featured pizza-related artwork from more than 25 artists, giant installations, a fascinating “Psychedelic Pizza” exhibit, a custom pizza guitar, and dozens of pizza boxes, which were part of the Guinness World Records’ most extensive pizza box collection. As far as we know, the museum is closed, but plans are underway to reopen.

You Can Find A Horror Pizza Places

As a horror movie fan, I love places that give the proper respect to our favorite movie genre. Luckily, there are a few horror-themed pizzerias around the world.

Lost Souls Pizza In London

In London, for example, you will find “Lost Souls Pizza,” decorated in a vampire style or even horror: the decor includes skeletons and skulls, scary Geeky Tikis mugs, and more. At the “First Vampire Pizzeria,” you will find unique pizzas with a frightening design, cocktails, and other surprises.

If you are planning an event and have a few hundred extra pounds to spend, you can hold events in “Lost Sould Pizza” in one of two themed rooms: the indoor “Cabin in the Woods” with candlelight and the “Crypt” complex with a coffin, which is very suitable for those who want to hold a “funeral” to mark a specific event, say the end of a decade in life or a romantic breakup.

The 4th Horseman In Long Beach

Another great example is “The 4th Horseman,” located in Long Beach in the United States. The menu here includes beer, wine, and “apocalyptic pizza,” named after the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

The decoration of this place is fantastic, with posters and other items related to horror movies, including arcade games from the 90s (with an emphasis on monster games), tables decorated with comic book clippings, bathrooms with scary red lights, genuine stuffed animals, and more.

Scary Pizza Art: You Can Create Your Halloween Pizza

You don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to find places that associate pizza with horror. With a little effort and creativity, you can create your versions of truly scary pizzas (at least in appearance).

A quick search on the Internet showed us quite a few guides for creating truly scary pizzas, including:

🍕 A recipe for a scary Halloween pizza

🍕 A “haunted” pizza, with ghosts made of mozzarella cheese, bats made of salami, and spiders from black olives

🍕 A monster pizza with eyes, which will be very suitable for those who liked our article about a similar version of pasta.

🍕 “Mummy Pizza,” or at least one with cheese that looks like a mummy and eyes

🍕 Green “Frankenstein” Pizza

🍕 A miniature and particularly exciting Halloween pizza

Pizza As A Cultural Icon

You can also express your love for pizza of all types through your consumer choices. We don’t just mean ordering pizza trays here – because almost everyone does that occasionally – nor pizza workshops, teaching you how to make a pizza like a professional, which are an excellent choice in various situations.

We mainly mean products inspired by pizza. You can find different pizza costumes for all target audiences, including pizza costumes for children, dogs, or couples. Another option is to dress up as a pizza delivery man, hoping your fate will be different from that of delivery men in horror movies. Here is the pizza “menu” of Halloween Costumes, perhaps the largest costume website in the world today.

Other products we found in a quick search:

🍕 Kitchen products, such as a nutcracker and, of course, a pizza cutter

🍕 Collectibles, such as pop dolls (for example, there is a version of Thor eating pizza)

🍕 Dolls, including pizza plush toy

🍕 Pizza blankets and bedding, especially for children

🍕 Fashion products with pizzas on them, such as socks or shirts

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