This State Orders the Most Pizza — and It's Not New York

Everyone loves pizza. Or at least, almost everyone.

In a 2023 survey of 2,000 people by The Harris Poll, a whopping 21% of Americans listed pizza as their favorite food. And new research is revealing that once Americans find their favorite style of pie, they tend to stick to it.

According to a recent study by Talker Research, which surveyed 5,000 people across the United States, one in seven Americans have been eating pizza the exact same way without changing their order for over five years. However, the same survey also found that 57% of respondents are open to trying new pizza combinations, but just don't know where to start. And the analysis uncovered some other pizza truths about each state that might inspire your next order.

Related: 27 Pizza Recipes to Perfect

Per the findings, nearly half (49%) of those polled said that spice makes pizza taste better. Anyone looking for more heat should head to New Mexico, Hawaii, California, or Texas, where the poll says people are statistically shown to add the most spice to their pizza.

On the opposite end of the heat spectrum, the findings demonstrate that Michigan and South Carolina are both the least likely states to spice up their pizza, with just 31% of people from either state saying they add a little hot sauce on top of a slice.

Not only are Michiganders the most reluctant to add heat to their pizza, but the state also had the highest percentage of respondents who said they’d never tried a new pizza at all (11% to be exact). In a similar vein of loyalty, the residents of Indiana and Vermont proved to be the most likely to stick to the same pizza toppings forever, so it may be tough to convince them to try sprinkling a few anchovies on top of a pie.

As for the way people eat pizza, the study found that 40% of those in Georgia eat the crust first, while more than half (53%) of Illinois respondents prefer to use a fork and knife instead of picking up a piece with their hands. A whopping 66% of Minnesotans said they'd never fold their pizza slices, which might ruffle the feathers of quite a few New Yorkers.

Related: See Which Hot Sauce Is the Most Popular in Your State

The survey also dug into how often people are indulging in a slice and found that the state-by-state results varied greatly. Data analysis revealed that Iowans eat the most pizza per month with an average of five times, followed by North Dakota (4.9 times), and Alaska (4.7 times). And while Louisianians don't eat pizza as often, when they do, it's always with family and friends. Residents of Louisiana host the most "pizza nights," at 3.5 times per month, followed by Connecticut (3.4) and Iowa (3.3). Rather surprisingly, New Yorkers only reported having an average of 2.8 pizza nights in a month.

But when were all these pies purchased? Naturally Friday night was unanimously voted the most popular day of the week to order pizza in every state.

“It’s no surprise to us that Americans love pizza and eat it multiple times a month,” Kate Neuhaus, the director of global marketing communications at McIlhenny Company, shared. “Whether you’re a fan of Hawaiian or meat lover’s, New York-style, or Chicago deep dish, a dash of hot sauce is the best way to make your pizza more exciting.”

Want even more state-by-state data? Keep scrolling to learn the most popular pizza type in every state.

The most popular type of pizza in every state

• Alabama - Supreme

• Alaska - Pepperoni

• Arizona - Meat lover's

• Arkansas - Supreme

• California - Pepperoni

• Colorado - Pepperoni

• Connecticut - Pepperoni

• Delaware - Pepperoni

• Florida - Pepperoni

• Georgia - Supreme

• Hawaii - Supreme

• Idaho - Meat lover’s

• Illinois - Meat lover’s

• Indiana - Supreme

• Iowa - Supreme and Meat lover’s

• Kansas - Supreme

• Kentucky - Meat lover’s

• Louisiana - Meat lover’s

• Maine - Meat lover’s

• Maryland - Pepperoni

• Massachusetts - Veggie

• Michigan - Meat lover’s

• Minnesota - Pepperoni

• Mississippi - Meat lover’s

• Missouri - Meat lover’s

• Montana - Supreme

• Nebraska - Meat lover’s

• Nevada - Meat lover’s

• New Hampshire - Pepperoni

• New Jersey - Pepperoni

• New Mexico - Pepperoni

• New York - Pepperoni

• North Carolina - Meat lover’s

• North Dakota - Supreme and Pepperoni

• Ohio - Pepperoni

• Oklahoma - Supreme

• Oregon - Meat lover’s

• Pennsylvania - Pepperoni

• Rhode Island - Pepperoni

• South Carolina - Pepperoni

• South Dakota - Supreme and Pepperoni

• Tennessee - Pepperoni

• Texas - Pepperoni

• Utah - Meat lover’s

• Vermont - Pepperoni

• Virginia - Pepperoni

• Washington - Meat lover’s

• West Virginia - Meat lover’s

• Wisconsin - Meat lover’s

• Wyoming - Meat lover’s
  

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