Survey determines Americans' least favorite pizza topping and it isn't pineapple.
· Feb 19, 2021 · NottheBee.com

And no, it wasn't the favorite, either, so calm down pineapple pizza lovers, your dreams of pineapple hegemony will have to wait.

Number one most disliked topping was our friend the anchovy, the much maligned extra-salty aquatic-dwelling delight that's as bold as it is small.

I have to admit, while I enjoy the occasional anchovy, they tend to completely overwhelm a pizza, like a drunk uncle at Thanksgiving, or Donald Trump at a... well, anywhere.

The second most disliked topping was eggplant of all things, which I get, it sounds like an odd topping for a pizza, but it's kind of like eating eggplant Parmesan with garlic bread, only all at once.

Artichokes come in at #3 while broccoli clocked in at #4.

Broccoli? That's a thing? I like broccoli and all, but I like apple turnovers, too, that doesn't mean I'm putting them on my pizza.

The ever-controversial pineapple registers at #5 with 35% of respondents saying it was their least favorite.

Interestingly, 26% called it their most favorite.

And so it looks like the pineapple pizza wars will be with us for a while as a divided nation clashes over the fundamental question of whether or not fruit belongs on a pizza.

The most liked toppings were, in order, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, extra cheese, and onions.

While 52% cited extra cheese as their favorite, 9% cited it as their least favorite.

Not having any cheese at all was not an option.

Is it weird that as a child I didn't like cheese on my pizza, just dough and tomato sauce? Because if it is, I did not do that.

Only 2% to 3% of respondents preferred pizza with no toppings, which surprised me. Our family often goes with the "cheese pizza" option. I feel it's pizza in its purest form, unadulterated with extraneous flavors. If I'm trying a new pizza place I almost always go with the plain cheese. If that's not any good, they're just covering up their mediocre pizza with toppings.

"Specialty" or novelty pizzas are particularly suspect. While some can be quite good, if you want a Philly cheesesteak, get a Philly cheesesteak, don't try to toss some beef and Velveeta on a pizza and make believe that's anything resembling a good idea.

1% to 2% "didn't know" what toppings were their most or least favorites.

Those are the people who order the "everything" pizza, or as I like to call it, the "garbage pail pizza."

You can't even pick those up to eat them. It's not a pizza. It's a pile of meat and vegetables on an edible plate.

Survey participants were also asked which was there favorite style of pizza.

Thin crust and regular crust were neck and neck at 31% and 29% respectively, with deep dish and pan following far behind at 18% and 9%.

2% liked French Bread, clearly suggesting they grew up during the Stouffer's era. If you never had one, prepare to completely lacerate the roof of your mouth.

A couple other things to note:

Bacon and peppers were tied for 6th place for most liked topping at 42%.

However 15% of people chose bacon as their least favorite.

One glaring omission: Jalapenos were not a choice. "Peppers" were a choice, but that could be anything.

That's unfortunate as one of my favorite combos is bacon and jalapenos.

Meatballs were also missing, another personal favorite.

What about pizza seasonings?

Let's do our own survey!

If "other," let us know in the comments.

And no, pineapple is not a "seasoning."


Ready to join the conversation? Subscribe today.

Access comments and our fully-featured social platform.

Sign up Now
App screenshot

You must signup or login to view or post comments on this article.