Pizza Hut teamed up with the research firm OnePoll to look more closely at some category trends, including the question every pizzeria operator asks at some point: How many gallons of pizza does the average American eat?
The report found that 47% of Americans prefer large pizzas, contributing to an annual consumption of 288 slices per person. “[That’s] equivalent to 480 gallons of pizza,” the study noted, “or a large, six-person hot tub filled to the brim.”
The survey also looked at which states consume the most pizza. People in North Dakota, according to Pizza Hut, consume pizza 3.5 times per month. North Dakota led the country in that regard, eating about eight slices per month. New York, Minnesota and Wisconsin consumed the next-most amount of pizza.
Related: Did Pizza Hut Steal the Recipe for Stuffed Crust Pizza?
The report also helped Pizza Hut uncover an industry-wide flavor trend: “Sweet and spicy pairings on menus are up 38% in the last year, and hot honey is projected to outpace nearly all other culinary and beverage flavors by 2027.” Pizza Hut noted that the second statistic was via Datassential’s four-year outlook projections.
Pizza Hut announced that it will be launching hot-honey offerings nationwide at the end of January for a limited time at participating locations. “The Hot Honey Pizza starts with your choice of crust, topped with marinara sauce, cheese, classic pepperonis and crispy cupped pepperonis with a drizzle of sweet sauce infused with red habaneros and a touch of honey,” Pizza Hut said in the statement. The pizza will start at $11.99.
The brand will also launch Hot Honey Wings—available both bone-in and boneless—starting at $5.99 for six wings.
Here are some other key findings from Pizza Hut and OnePoll’s study:
- The most popular types of pizza crust are thin crust (28%), stuffed crust (20%) and thick-crust (14%).
- In what would be considered a surprise, more people in New Mexico prefer deep dish than in Illinois (21%, compared to 17%). Yet, a map produced by Pizza Hut and OnePoll seemed to say that New Mexico still favored New York-style pizza most of all:
- Hawaii was also found to be more fond of pa pizza than Michigan (24%, compared to 7%).
- Ranch is the most popular dipping sauce (38%), followed by garlic sauce (27%), hot sauce (8%), and others. Some states, like New York, stand out for preferring hot sauce.
- New York-style pizza (35%) topped the charts as the most popular pizza style. Parmesan (55%) is the preferred seasoning except in New York, where garlic salt is favored (29%).
- Toppings that respondents thought should be banned include: fish (23%), beets (21%), blueberries (15%), plums (14%) and kiwis (14%). 10% wouldn’t ban anything.
- Peppers overall are “in,” according to Pizza Hut, from roasted sweet peppers to bold, spicy peppers.
- Surprisingly, Pizza Hut reported, 25% are open to trying a pizza-flavored cocktail.
- Fridays (47%) emerge as the most popular day for pizza orders, while 52% believe pizza is better as a meal than a snack. (Why not both?)
- Cold leftover pizza is a popular choice for 74% of people.
The report was achieved via a double-opt-in survey of 5,000 American adults and conducted between December 22 and January 5. OnePoll, a market research company, conducted the survey.