America's pizza obsession: By the numbers

The quintessential American food may be apple pie, but its popularity pales beside our national love affair with pizza pies. The Daily reports that Americans consume a staggering 100 acres of pizza a day, according to data from the National Association of Pizza Operators (NAPO). Here's a by-the-numbers look at our compulsion:

$38 billion

Annual pizza sales in America, according to Pizza Today

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

3 billion

Number of pizzas sold in the U.S. each year, according to NAPO

350

Slices of pizza sold every second, according to NAPO

46

Slices of pizza the average American eats each year, according to Packaged Facts

23

Pounds of pizza the average American eats each year

93

Percent of Americans who eat pizza at least once a month

70

Percent of Super Bowl viewers who eat at least one slice during the game

251.7 million

Pounds of pepperoni Americans consume each year

36

Percent of pizza orders that specify pepperoni as a topping

70,000

Number of pizzerias in the U.S., according to Pizza Today

24

Percent of those pizzerias owned by Pizza Hut, Domino's, or Papa John's

9,000

Number of pizzerias in New York

17

Percent of restaurants in America that are pizzerias, according to Food Industry News

40,010

Number of subscribers to Pizza Today, the leading pizza industry magazine

5,441

Number of books about pizza listed on Amazon.com

Sources: Atlantic Wire, The Daily, Food Industry News,, GE, National Association of Pizza Operators, Pizza Today, Packaged Facts