National Pepperoni Pizza Day – September 20, 2022, history, significance why we celebrate
Pepperoni and pizza, a deliciously mouth-watering, gooey combo right out of pizza heaven! It’s something to consider on National Pepperoni Pizza Day, which is tossed up every September 20. Pizza might be most heavily associated with Italy, but the pepperoni pizza is purely American. Served on more than a third of American pizza orders, it’s safe to say that pepperoni is the U.S.’s favorite topping, and that’s a reason to celebrate. So, today, get up to your local slice shop and get down with National Pepperoni Pizza Day!
History of National Pepperoni Pizza Day
Pepperoni pizza has become the standard pizza for people all over the world. In fact, it stands apart as the singularly most ordered type of pizza on the entire planet. Whether buying pizza for a birthday party or a day at the office, pretty much everyone knows that they can be guaranteed a positive response by buying one topped with pepperoni!
The pizza is believed to have first been developed in Italy in 1889 by Raffaele Esposito, though others claim that the first one was sold in 1738 in Naples, Italy.
Pepperoni is one of many cased meats (like salami, but spicier) that likely traces its origins back to Italian immigrants to New York City in the early 1900s. At least, the first known mention of pepperoni is when they began appearing in delis and at pizzerias all throughout the city, made from a mix of beef and pork and some added spices (specifically peppers–which is where the name was derived from).
With a finer grain than most Italian meats, pepperoni is softer, which makes it a favorite for putting on top of pizza!
It wasn’t until the 1950s that pizza became a widespread dish in the United States. The first mention of pizza in the US was in a New York Times article that called it “a pie popular in Southern Italy”. And, even then, it was continuing to develop flavor over time. One of the best developments, of course, was the addition of pepperoni. And it has grown into an American icon ever since.
Now it’s time to celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day!
NATIONAL PEPPERONI PIZZA DAY ACTIVITIES
Find a pizza museum near you
The U.S. Pizza Museum operates out of Chicago and there’s another pizza museum, Pizza Brain, in Philadelphia. Pizza Brain holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of pizza memorabilia.
Hunt down the best pepperoni slice
They all might be good, but one of them has to be the best. Use Yelp as your guide to find the best slice of pepperoni heaven near you. Better yet, ask your friends because they always know where to find the most out-of-this-world pepperoni pizza slice in town!
Have a pizza party
In this crazy world, if one thing is certain, it’s that everyone loves pizza. Invite some of your friends over in observation of this special holiday. Get different types of pepperoni pizza, from thick crust to thin, then decide which slice tastes best.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL PEPPERONI PIZZA DAY
It’s not good for you — but we love it anyway
We’re living in a time when health-conscious food options become more accessible by the day. That’s great — nutritious foods certainly have their place at the table — but sometimes you just want to chow down on something greasy. Hello pepperoni pizza!
It’s universal
Pepperonis are the indisputable king of the pizza topping world, and for good reason — everyone likes pepperoni pizza! Better yet, every neighborhood has pepperoni pizza in a tiny shop, at a gas station store or online. You can get your pepperoni pizza fix, anywhere and anytime.
It’s got all the food groups
We can’t argue that pepperoni pizza is healthy for you (see point “A”), but if you’re trying to convince yourself, remember that pizza has all of the important food groups: fruits, veggies, meat, dairy and grain.
How to Celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day
Celebrating and enjoying National Pepperoni Pizza Day comes with all kinds of delightful–and delicious–opportunities! Try these ideas or come up with a few other creative ones to enjoy the day:
Eat Pepperoni Pizza All Day Long
Pizza can certainly be consumed at every point in the day, piping hot for dinner and lunch, and cold in the morning. Some people even profess that pizza tastes far better cold than it does hot from the oven, though it seems that would be largely dependent on the type of pizza.
People who want to go all out for celebrating this day can enjoy starting National Pepperoni Pizza Day by popping a pepperoni pizza Hot Pocket into the microwave for breakfast. They are simply delicious and a great (even if not so healthy) way to start the day.
Then, of course, there is the pepperoni with pineapple for lunch and pepperoni with olives and mushrooms for dinner. No matter what is added to a pizza, as long as it starts with pepperoni, it is guaranteed to be absolutely delicious.
Learn Fun Facts About Pizza
Family, friends and coworkers will enjoy the fun of National Pepperoni Pizza Day much more when they hear these interesting and fun facts about the day! Try these trivia facts to share or search online for others:
- Pepperoni is considered to be the most popular pizza topping in the United States, with a majority of at least 66%. Even though people get more and more creative with pizza toppings each year, pepperoni continues to hold its own as the favorite.
- In August of 1994, the first ever physical good to be purchased on the internet was a pepperoni and mushroom pizza. It was purchased through Pizza Hut’s website, at the time called “PizzaNet”. The company’s record for the most pizza sold online in one day was set on Super Bowl 2021, where more than $10 million in digital sales were made even before halftime hit.
- Americans consume more than 250 million pounds of pepperoni on their pizza slices each year. Now that’s a lot of delicious pizza!
- The first pizzeria to open in America was Lombardi’s in New York City, New York. Originally a grocery store, it started selling pizzas in 1905.
Host a National Pepperoni Pizza Day Party
Get together with friends for a pizza party, and share what everyone’s favorite additions are to a standard pepperoni pizza. It’s easy to pick up some cheap pepperoni pizza at a local pizza joint, or throw some frozen pizzas in the oven.
For a fun National Pepperoni Pizza Day Party activity, try making individual pizzas and letting everyone top add their own toppings. Buying premade refrigerated pizza dough makes a super easy base to start with. Then supply tomato sauce (better when doctored with spices), grated cheese and, of course, ample amounts of pepperoni. Bake them and serve them hot to each individual guest. This is a party activity that is loads of fun and also delicious!
Get Deals and Discounts on Pepperoni Pizza
This is a day when many restaurants and pizza places like to celebrate with their guests by offering their customers a super cheap deal on pizza, side dishes or drinks. Each restaurant is different, of course, so it’s best to check with local places to see what they have on offer. But here are some pizza chains that have been known in the past to offer sweet deals in celebration of the day:
- Papa John’s Pizza. With stores located all over the world, Papa John’s is famous for their takeout pizza. Special deals are usually decided locally, so pop into the restaurant or call and ask what their National Pepperoni Pizza Day specials are!
- BJs Brewhouse. This is an American restaurant with more than 200 locations. In the past, they have been known to offer half off of a large pepperoni pizza in honor of the day (online only).
- Pizza Hut. One of the original pizza chains, this company has stores in several international locations as well as all over the United States. Celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day here with various discounts such as 20% off or two medium pizzas for $12.99. Check the local store for details about current deals.
