National Pizza Party Day 2021: 17 Crazy Facts You Didn't Know About Pizza

Everybody loves pizza, so it's no surprise there are several days of the year dedicated to this American favorite. One pizza celebration falls on the third Friday of May each year: National Pizza Party Day.

This National Pizza Party Day, celebrate your love for pizza by checking out these interesting facts you may not know about this dish, courtesy of Mental Floss and Pizza Need:

More than half of Brits like pineapple on their pizza

In a survey conducted in 2017 by YouGov, about 53% of U.K. respondents believe pineapples belong on pizza.

First pizza delivery in space

Pizza Hut delivered a six-inch salami pizza to the International Space Station in 2001, making it the first company to send pizza to outer space. The pizza was sent aboard a Russian rocket used to supply the ISS.

There's a term for that gooey layer between a pizza's base and toppings

That term is "gum line," and it's the tasty layer between the base and the toppings on a slice of pizza.

Thin crust or deep dish?

In the U.S., regular thin crust is popular and is preferred by 61% of the population, according to a survey. Around 14% like deep-dish, while 11% prefer extra thin crust.

Domino's guarantee led to unsafe driving conditions

The pizza place once had a "30 minutes or less" guarantee on their delivery service but had to drop it in 1993 after a series of lawsuits claiming the company promoted unsafe driving.

The U.S. military invented a pizza that can last up to three years

The military's laboratory was able to invent a pizza that could last up to three years. It was intended to be given to soldiers at war who were craving for a slice.

The Hawaiian pizza was invented in Canada by a native of Greece

Sam Panopoulos, a Greek-born Canadian, created the Hawaiian pizza in 1962 and served it at his pizza place, Satellite Restaurant, in Chatham, Ontario.

Saturday night is the most popular night to eat pizza

Surveys found that Saturday pizza nights are a common thing across the U.S.

There's a bill about pizza in Italy

To ensure that the traditional Italian pizza is preserved, a bill was passed to safeguard the said pizza, specifying the ingredients, recipe and methods that constitute a true Italian pizza.

Pizza has played a role in preventing several crimes

When a pizza delivery man was confronted by robbers, he threw the hot pizza at them and was able to escape safely.

Pizza chefs have their own lingo

There is such thing as pizza lingo, and chefs use it every day. These words include skin, screamers, flyers and a lot more.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles didn't originally love pizza

When the famous turtles first launched as a comic book series in 1984, the four buddies weren't really big fans of pizza. It wasn't until its cartoon series launched in 1987 when the superheroes began eating pizza.

Philadelphia is home to a pizza museum

A museum called Pizza Brain is located in Philadelphia and houses the world's largest collection of pizza memorabilia.

NASA-funded scientists invented a 3D-printed pizza

A group of scientists invented a 3D printer specifically for the use of "cooking" pizza in just 70 seconds.

Pizza Margherita takes its name from Queen Margherita

Legend has claimed that the pizza Margherita was actually named after the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. It is believed that in 1889, she sampled three pizza flavors made by master chef Raffaele Esposito.

America's first pizza parlor is still operating today

Lombardi's is the first pizza place in America and is still open for business today.

Pizza's popularity in the U.S. began with Italian immigrants

Italian immigrants are to thank for the pizza Americans enjoy today. During the early 20th century, pizza was predominantly eaten and sold only by Italians in America.