Whether you prefer deep dish, thin crust or something in between, there’s no question

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that pizza is an American favorite. If you are looking for a reason not to cook on Saturday, we have the perfect excuse – National Pizza Day.

To commemorate the unofficial holiday, we’ve compiled a list of pizza-related trivia that are sure to get your mouth-watering:

• The first mention of the word, “pizza” was found in a manuscript in Gaeta, a small Italian town, in 997 AD. Talk about history!
• The first documented pizzeria was opened in Naples in the late 1800s.
• Although the term dates back centuries, pizza didn’t become popular in the United States until after WWII. Stories say that soldiers stationed in Italy took to liking pizza and brought the idea back home to make it one of the most popular dishes.
• The first American Pizzeria was Lombardi’s in New York City. The company started as a grocery store but started selling pizzas in 1905. This introduction led to an explosion of pizzerias around New York City.
• Currently, there are over 9,000 pizzerias in the state of New York alone.
• According to the USDA, a majority of Americans consume at least one slice of pizza each month.
• Most people eat pizza on Saturday night.
• Pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping, followed by sausage.
• Pizza delivery increase by approximately 39 percent on Super Bowl
• According to Pizza Connoisseur Craig Priebe, 69 percent of Americans prefer thin crust pizza.
• The world’s largest pizza was 122 feet long and 22 feet in diameter.
• Pizzerias make up about 17 percent of all US restaurants.

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend this Saturday night, consider throwing a pizza party and making homemade pizzas, or take a trip to your favorite local pizzeria. We can almost guarantee that no one will decline your invitation to celebrate.

Happy National Pizza Day from Lions Pride!