Fun Frozen Pizza Facts and Statistics

Here at Dogtown Pizza, the only thing we love more than pizza is pizza trivia. Here are frozen pizza facts and statistics to look at while you enjoy a slice of our ooey gooey St. Louis-style pizza!

History

All frozen pizza uses a technique called flash-freezing, this was originally developed by Clarence Birdseye in 1923. The first frozen pizza was nationally available in 1950 and was created by the Celentano Brothers.

Up until the 1980s, frozen pizzas were still considered a last resort option for when fresh pizza wasn’t available or was too expensive. Modern processes used to make and freeze pizzas made with high-quality ingredients changed all of that.

Rising crust frozen pizzas were first perfected and made available in the 1990s (but we think the crust was already perfect back when it was just thin and crispy).

Pizza has adapted to different tastes around the world over the years. Americans prefer classic pepperoni; the French like to add a fried egg; Russians add sardines, tuna, herring, and mackerel; and the Japanese enjoy a topping combination of mayo, corn, bacon, potatoes, and onion called “mayo jaga.”

Statistics

• Americans spend approximately $4.4 billion on frozen pizza each year, and 2 out of every 3 households eat frozen pizza regularly.
• Americans also eat about 3 billion pizzas every year—that’s one-third of the pizzas eaten across the entire world and 23 pounds of pizza per person.
• The top five pizza sales days are Super Bowl Sunday, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, the night before Thanksgiving, and New Years Day.
• 59% of adults prefer to eat pizza for dinner, 46% prefer to eat it for lunch, 11% prefer to eat it as a snack, and only 2% prefer to eat pizza for breakfast.
• Thin crust is the most popular crust in America, being preferred by 61% of people, 14% prefer deep-dish, 11% prefer cracker thin crust (especially in St. Louis).
• 36% of Americans prefer pepperoni, with sausage as a runner-up at 14%, and only 8% prefer plain cheese pizza.

Food Safety

Frozen pizza maintains its best quality for 1 to 2 months after being made, but it’s safe to eat beyond that (check the “best by” date if you are unsure about the freshness of your frozen pizza).

Refrigerated pizza, or leftover pizza that’s refrigerated, will last for 3 to 4 days before it may be unsafe to eat.

Pizza at room temperature should be thrown away after sitting out for more than 2 hours. Bacteria grow rapidly in environments that exceed 40° F. While we all have fond memories of eating unattended leftover pizza slices off the kitchen counter in high school or college, it’s best not to risk it—just pop a new Dogtown pizza in the oven and enjoy a fresh slice!

Too Cool To Not Mention

In 2001, a space-consumable pizza was delivered to cosmonauts on the International Space Station. It cost $1 million to have it delivered, which is more than any delivery fee we’ve ever paid, but from the perspective of being in space for months with no access to a delicious, fresh pizza? We can’t say we wouldn’t be tempted to make the same call.

Did we miss your favorite pizza fact? Did any of these frozen pizza facts surprise you? Let us know in the comments!