What’s a good way to celebrate the one-year anniversary of a stellar review from Dave Portnoy? For its cheese pizza, Sexton’s Pizza in Columbus, Ohio, has set a one-day-only price that looks a lot like Portnoy’s score—just add a zero at the end.
Sexton’s Pizza, owned by brothers Joey and Jamey Sexton, saw their business explode a year ago after Portnoy toured Columbus’ pizza scene and gave their cheese pie a score of 8.1. It reportedly tied with The Stubborn Brothers Pizza Bar in Toledo for the highest score Portnoy has ever awarded to a pizzeria in Ohio.
It’s never a bad idea to remind Portnoy’s loyal followers about a review like that. So, on March 21 Sexton’s Pizza will treat customers to the same cheese pizza that Portnoy scored 8.1—for a price of $8.10.
The owners revealed the promotion on social media three days in advance. They noted that many of their fans recommended Sexton’s Pizza to Portnoy when he announced he was coming to Columbus this time last year. “Thanks to the amazing support, he visited our spot in Hilliard and gave us a fantastic 8.1 rating (tied for the best in Ohio),” the post read. “This experience has truly changed our lives and to commemorate the famous cheese pizza, we’re offering $8.10 cheese pizzas!”
In the same post, Sexton’s Pizza invited followers to tag a friend in the comments. Altogether, that post garnered 933 likes and 68 comments.
The $8.10 pizzas will be offered at all three locations and can only be ordered in person; online orders won’t be accepted.
Buoyed by Portnoy’s strong rating, the Sexton brothers opened a new location—their third—on West 3rd Avenue last May. “Everything has changed for us since the One Bite Review,” Joey told 614Now in April 2023.
As demand for its New York-style pizzas went through the roof, Sexton’s couldn’t keep up. “We don’t have conveyor belt ovens or freezers,” Joey said at the time. “Everything is handmade. A lot of people think we can just make more dough, but that’s just not how it works. When you’re artisanal, when you grow your dough for two days and have to babysit it at times, there’s a lot more to consider.”
Sexton’s Pizza also had to switch from a slice shop to whole pies only.
