Food

Pizza Pie Day 2024: History, Activities and Pizza Facts

On Pizza Pie Day, Americans in the United States celebrate the beloved food, a staple from the Middle East, influenced by Italians during World War II.

(Credit: BBC Good Food)

Pizza Pie Day 2024: It’s Pizza Pie Day on February 9. It’s one of the many delectable food holidays observed in the United States. Pizza Pie Day is a celebration of one of the most beloved foods in America: pizza. 36% of Americans eat pizza for breakfast. Did you know that? Although historians assert that pizza-like foods were a regular staple in the ancient Middle East, the recipe’s perfectionism and popularization are attributed to the Italians. Due to the soldiers’ growing love for pizza during their time in Italy during World War II, pizzerias began to appear in the United States in response to their requests.

The background of Pizza Pie Day

Some sources and culinary historians argue that locals in ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, Israel, and other parts of the Mediterranean region consumed pizza-like flatbreads baked in mud ovens, even though the true inventor of pizza is unknown. Nonetheless, the city of Naples in eighteenth-century Italy is where the modern culinary style originated.

Pizza was once thought of as food for the underprivileged, who were forced to eat cheap food from roadside eateries and street vendors because they couldn’t afford wholesome, high-quality meals. The peasants back then consumed pizza for every meal, which was made up of flatbread topped with a variety of ingredients, including cheese, garlic, tomatoes, oil, and anchovies.

Modern pizza’s recipe and fame are primarily attributed to Naples baker Raffaele Esposito. To commemorate the royal visit of Italian King Umberto I and his wife in 1889, Esposito’s restaurant, Pizzeria di Pietro, made a special pie topped with tomato sauce, basil, and mozzarella. Before World War II, most Italian immigrants in the United States consumed and sold pizza locally.

But after the Allied Forces occupied Italy, soldiers turned to eating regional Italian food, and they soon developed such a strong appetite for pizza that the neighborhood bakers found it difficult to meet the soldiers’ demands. The idea of the Italian delicacy gained popularity in America partly due to the war veterans who took their love of it back to their home country.

Lombardi’s was a grocery store in New York City that Gennaro Lombardi originally owned and which later gained notoriety as the top pizzeria in North America. As a result, in succeeding years, pizza shops proliferated in New York City and across the United States.

Pizza Pie Day Activities

Go to the pizzeria in your neighborhood.

Visit your neighborhood pizzeria to celebrate Pizza Pie Day, or purchase online. On this day, a lot of pizzerias frequently provide fantastic deals and special discounts, so you never know—you might get fortunate. In this manner, you’ll support neighborhood businesses while simultaneously indulging on your favorite snack. Remember to mention your preferred pizza on your social media accounts.

Have a pizza-themed gathering.

Of course, if you’d rather eat your pizza by yourself, we won’t hold it against you. Actually, though, how about you invite your pals over, have some games, and split a pizza? Sharing makes it more enjoyable, we assure you.

Create your pizza.

Are you in the mood for adventure? Why not make your pizza to commemorate Pizza Pie Day uniquely? The internet has a ton of amazing recipes, particularly on YouTube.

Five Interesting Pizza Facts

Over three billion of the five billion pizzas sold worldwide each year are sold in the United States.
The world’s first pizza, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, debuted in Naples, Italy, in 1830.
With more than 61,000 locations nationwide, pizzerias make up roughly 17% of all eateries.
In the United States and the United Kingdom, pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping; in Japan, squid is the most popular choice.
In the United States, Super Bowl Sunday, Halloween, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and Thanksgiving Eve are the days most people order and consume pizza.

Reasons why Pizza Pie Day is fun

One of America’s favorite dishes is honored.

According to statistics, Americans love pizza so much that they eat approximately 350 slices of it every second. Pizza Pie Day is a culinary celebration dedicated to this beloved flatbread that originated in Naples, Italy, and has since become well-known worldwide.

It honors the modest beginnings of pizza.

Pizza Pie Day is more than simply an excuse to eat pizza for lunch. It’s also a day to commemorate the cuisine’s lengthy history, which dates back to the ancient Middle East, Italy, and finally the United States, home to the majority of the food’s current customers.

It’s a day to honor neighborhood pizzerias.

In the United States, pizzerias provide a significant portion of local restaurants. Many of them provide delicious bargains for pizza lovers on Pizza Pie Day, which is also a terrific way to support local companies.

PIZZA PIE DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2024	February 9	Friday
2025	February 9	Sunday
2026	February 9	Monday
2027	February 9	Tuesday
2028	February 9	Wednesday

Farheen Ashraf

Farheen Ashraf is a content writer and editor at Eduvast, where she has been contributing since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in History and has developed extensive experience in researching, writing, and editing content across a wide range of subjects. Over the years, Farheen has written on business, entertainment, law, travel, lifestyle, education, culture, poetry, and human-interest topics. Her work focuses on transforming complex information into clear, accurate, and reader-friendly content that helps audiences make informed decisions. At Eduvast, she works closely with the editorial team to ensure content quality, factual accuracy, and adherence to editorial standards. Her passion for storytelling and research continues to drive her exploration of diverse subjects and emerging trends.