Welcome to a journey that’s ten seriously scrumptious, packed with pizza lore you probably never heard. From ancient flatbreads to golden extravaganzas, we’re serving up a full‑course list that will make your mouth water and your brain buzz with tasty facts.

Ten Seriously Scrumptious Secrets of the World’s Favorite Pie

10 Pizza’s Proud Origins

The earliest documented pizza appeared almost three centuries ago, in 1738, when Naples’ famed Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba rolled out a simple flatbread topped with tomato sauce and cheese. This humble creation sparked a culinary tradition that still fuels Italian pride today.

Fast forward to 1889, when Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito allegedly crafted the Margherita pizza for Queen Margherita of Savoy. He paired tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil—red, white, and green—to mirror the Italian flag, offering a patriotic bite.

While some modern scholars question the veracity of the royal tale, the Margherita remains a staple on menus across Italy and the United States, beloved whether or not the queen truly inspired it.

Regardless of the mythic embellishments, that original 1738 slice set the stage for centuries of pizza evolution, proving that a simple combination of dough, sauce, and cheese can become a cultural icon.

So next time you bite into a classic Margherita, remember you’re tasting a story that’s over 200 years old—still as vibrant as the flag it was meant to represent.

9 America Did It First! Sort of…

While Neapolitans invented the pizza we know, the dish didn’t catch fire in Italy for ages. It was the wave of Italian immigrants who arrived in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s that turned pizza into a mainstream American favorite.

These newcomers settled along the Eastern seaboard—in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey—and farther inland in cities like Chicago and St. Louis, bringing their pizza know‑how with them.

Back home in Italy, pizza was still a modest, regional fare, but in immigrant neighborhoods across America, pizza’s simplicity, inexpensive ingredients, and ability to feed many made it a perfect staple.

In 1905, Gennaro Lombardi opened the first licensed pizzeria on Spring Street in Manhattan. Lombardi’s still operates today—though not at the original spot, it retains the original oven and serves pies just as they did over a century ago.

Thus, while Italy birthed pizza, the United States helped it grow into the beloved, ubiquitous dish we know today.

8 But the Greeks and Egyptians Did, Too

Italy may have refined pizza, but the concept of topping flatbread predates it by millennia. Ancient Egyptians baked flatbreads topped with a variety of natural ingredients, creating a proto‑pizza that resembled today’s pies.

Meanwhile, ancient Greeks enjoyed a dish called “plakous,” a flatbread base crowned with herbs, onions, and garlic—essentially a seasoned, early‑style pizza.

Although these ancient preparations lacked the iconic tomato‑sauce and cheese combo, they shared the core idea: a simple bread canvas adorned with flavorful toppings.

Thus, the Greeks and Egyptians deserve a nod for laying the groundwork that later cultures would refine into the modern pizza we adore.

7 Soldiers Spread the Meal

Even after Italian‑American communities embraced pizza, the broader U.S. public didn’t catch on until after World War II. Returning American servicemen who had been stationed in Italy fell in love with the slice.

These soldiers, craving the taste of Italy, sought out Italian‑American neighborhoods in cities like New York and Chicago, introducing their fellow citizens to the pizza experience.

Word spread quickly, and pizza transitioned from an ethnic specialty to a national comfort food, thanks largely to the post‑war boom and the soldiers’ enthusiastic recommendations.

In short, the GI’s palate helped catapult pizza into mainstream American culture.

6 The World’s Largest Pizza

Italy once held the record for the biggest pizza. On December 13, 2012, Roman pizzaiolos baked “Ottavia,” a 13,580‑square‑foot masterpiece honoring Emperor Octavian Augustus.

That record stood until 2023, when YouTube star Airrack teamed up with Pizza Hut to create an even larger pie at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The gargantuan creation required over 13,000 pounds of dough, nearly 600 gallons of sauce, and 8,800 pounds of cheese, topped with a staggering 630,000 pepperoni slices.

Guinness World Records certified the LA pizza as the new champion, and Pizza Hut’s CEO David Graves announced that the excess slices—about 68,000—were donated to food banks and shelters.

Both feats showcase pizza’s ability to bring people together, whether for record‑breaking glory or charitable generosity.

5 Pineapple Pioneers

The pineapple‑on‑pizza debate still rages, but the “Hawaiian” style didn’t originate in Hawaii at all. In 1962, Greek‑Canadian Sam Panopoulos, running a few Ontario pizzerias, decided to experiment.

Seeking a fresh draw for customers, Sam tossed canned pineapple and ham onto a pie, instantly splitting opinions—some loved the sweet‑savory combo, others recoiled.

Despite the controversy, the topping endured, and Sam’s creation became a permanent fixture on menus worldwide, even after his passing in 2017.

So the next time you bite into a slice of Hawaiian pizza, remember it’s the brainchild of a Greek immigrant, not a Hawaiian chef.

4 Pizza on the Brain

If you find yourself day‑dreaming about pizza, a pilgrimage to Philadelphia’s Pizza Brain museum might be just the cure. This quirky venue claims the title of the world’s first and largest pizza‑themed museum.

Inside, you’ll encounter walls lined with pizza‑related vinyl records, historic pizza boxes, vintage pizza‑making tools, and even action figures of pop‑culture icons—like Homer Simpson and Spider‑Man—holding slices.

From nostalgic memorabilia to modern art, Pizza Brain celebrates every facet of pizza culture, making it a must‑visit for any true enthusiast.

3 Pizza, but Make It Japanese

Japan puts its own spin on pizza, swapping traditional tomato sauce for unconventional bases like mayonnaise and miso. Common toppings include squid ink, eel, and even mayo drizzles.

Squid‑ink pizza, known as “ikasumi,” uses the black ink as a sauce, often topped with fresh squid pieces, creating a striking black‑and‑white pie that’s as daring visually as it is flavorful.

While the concept may seem avant‑garde, Japanese pizza lovers swear by these inventive combos, and adventurous tourists are increasingly giving them a try.

2 A REALLY Expensive Pie

While most pies are budget‑friendly, New York City’s Industry Kitchen stunned diners in 2016 with a $2,000 “golden pizza.” The lavish creation featured foie gras, Ossetra caviar, and 24‑karat gold leaf.

Each bite was literally gilded, with edible gold flakes coating the entire surface, turning a simple slice into a high‑end luxury experience.

Despite the steep price, the golden pizza attracted food‑ies from across the boroughs, eager to taste the opulent blend of truffles, caviar, and pure gold.

1 Pizza in Space!

In 2001, Pizza Hut made history by delivering the first pizza to outer space. Partnering with a Russian space agency, they launched a pizza‑laden rocket that docked with the International Space Station.

Astronauts aboard the ISS retrieved the pie, marking the first successful extraterrestrial pizza delivery. The stunt cost roughly $1 million, but it cemented Pizza Hut’s place in space‑age marketing lore.

While the mission’s price tag was astronomical, the real question remains: how much did the delivery driver tip?

When you hear the phrase “10 strange tales” about pizza, you might expect a cheesy joke, but the reality is far more twisted. From FDA‑approved fly eggs to a bomb strapped to a delivery driver’s neck, the world of pizza is riddled with oddities that make the dough rise in more ways than one.

10 Strange Tales About Pizza

10 Minutes or Less

Domino’s began its journey in Ann Arbor, Michigan, back in 1960, eventually growing into a multibillion‑dollar empire now owned by Bain Capital, the firm co‑founded by former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. While Pizza Hut chased flashy stunts, Domino’s stuck to a straightforward promise: deliver your pie within 30 minutes, or it’s on the house.

That bold guarantee, however, landed the chain in a legal quagmire. Drivers were accused of racing recklessly to meet the deadline, leading to high‑profile lawsuits. In 1992, Domino’s paid $2.8 million after an Illinois woman’s van was hit by a pizza‑delivery vehicle. The following year, a Missouri jury awarded $78,750,000 to a woman injured in a 1989 crash; the company later settled for roughly $15 million, and the 30‑minute promise was finally abandoned.

9 Contaminants

Given pizza’s global popularity, you’d think regulators would keep a tight leash on its safety, yet the FDA’s tolerances are surprisingly lax. The agency allows up to 30 fly eggs per 100 grams of tomato paste or sauce, and if you exceed 15 eggs, a single maggot is also permissible. Beyond that, the crust and toppings can legally contain mold, mildew, insect fragments, aphid parts, rodent hair, and even what the FDA euphemistically terms “mammalian excreta.”

8 The Moon

Pizza Hut’s imagination has often reached for the stars—literally. In 1998, the chain toyed with the idea of etching its logo onto the lunar surface using powerful lasers. Experts quickly warned that the technology was still years away, and that for Earth‑bound eyes to spot a logo, it would need to be the size of Texas. Undeterred, Pizza Hut later partnered with a cash‑strapped Russian space program, putting its emblem on a rocket and even sending a pizza to the International Space Station.

7 Nguyen Ngoc Loan

On February 1, 1968, photographer Eddie Adams captured a harrowing image of South Vietnamese police commander Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing an unidentified Viet Cong prisoner on a Saigon street—a picture that would later win the Pulitzer Prize. The photo, showing a bullet exiting the victim’s skull, fueled anti‑war sentiment worldwide. After being wounded in action and temporarily placed in Australia, Loan was eventually allowed to settle in the United States.

Post‑war, Loan opened a pizzeria called “Les Trois Continents” in a Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C. For about 15 years the restaurant thrived, until his past caught up with him. Business dwindled, threatening graffiti appeared in the restroom, and by 1991 he was forced out. He died of cancer on July 14, 1998, at age 67.

6 Bulletproof

In 1969, former Marine Richard Davis was delivering pizzas in Detroit when he was ambushed. After a shootout left him shot twice, Davis conceived a new kind of body armor. While bullet‑resistant gear had existed for centuries, it was clunky and heavy. Davis engineered a concealed vest made of nylon, branding it “Second Chance.” He demonstrated its efficacy by letting police officers fire at him while he wore the prototype.

By the mid‑1970s, the nylon was swapped for Kevlar, a synthetic fiber originally developed for tire reinforcement. Today, it’s estimated that modern bullet‑proof vests have saved the lives of over 2,000 U.S. police officers.

5 Danger

Richard Davis survived his mugging thanks to his military training, but many pizza couriers face far graver hazards. Teenagers and adults alike are lured by bogus orders to remote locations, where they become victims of robbery, assault, and even sexual violence. Some drivers have been raped or murdered, and major chains typically forbid them from carrying concealed weapons. In 2004, a Pizza Hut driver who shot and killed a robber on the job was terminated.

4 The Noid

Domino’s introduced the Noid—a gremlin‑like mascot in a red rabbit suit—designed to embody the obstacles that could delay a pizza’s arrival within the famed 30‑minute window. The Noid would sabotage deliveries by freezing pies with a gun or otherwise causing chaos, only to be outwitted by the delivery driver, much like the Trix rabbit.

On January 30, 1989, a disturbed customer named Kenneth Lamar Noid stormed a Domino’s in Atlanta, taking two employees hostage. Believing the ads targeted him, he demanded $100,000 and a getaway car, forcing the staff to bake a pizza for him. After a five‑hour standoff, Noid surrendered and faced a slew of felony charges, ultimately being found not guilty by reason of insanity.

3 Philip Workman

While high on cocaine, Philip Workman robbed a Wendy’s, triggering a silent alarm. As police converged, Workman claimed he tried to surrender his firearm, but a flashlight strike caused it to discharge. Officers returned fire, wounding him, and Lieutenant Ronald Oliver was killed in the crossfire.

The trial, widely criticized as a sham, resulted in a death sentence for Workman. Some evidence suggested Oliver may have died from friendly fire, and Workman briefly received a stay of execution before a judge ruled the proof insufficient for a new trial.

In a final, poignant gesture, Workman requested that a vegetarian pizza be delivered to any homeless person near the prison as his last meal. The request was denied, yet the story spurred a wave of support, prompting hundreds of pizzas to be donated to shelters across the nation.

2 OJ Simpson

Super Bowl Sunday tops the chart for pizza sales in America, but the O.J. Simpson saga created its own spikes. On June 17, 1994, as the former football star fled in a white Bronco with friend Al Cowlings, Domino’s reported a massive surge in orders while the chase unfolded on television.

Months later, as the trial reached its verdict, Domino’s again saw sales soar in the moments leading up to the decision. According to spokesman Tim McIntyre, there was a five‑minute lull—no pizza orders at all—between 1:00 p.m. and 1:05 p.m. when the jury read the verdict.

1 The Pizza Bomber

On August 28, 2003, pizza deliveryman Brian Wells stormed a bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, brandishing a shotgun and a bomb strapped to his neck. Demanding $250,000, he received only $8,702 before police intercepted him in the parking lot. Wells claimed he was coerced into wearing the device while delivering pizza; if he didn’t complete the robbery, the bomb would detonate.

Negotiations dragged on, and moments before the bomb squad could neutralize the device, it exploded, killing Wells. The case lingered in mystery until 2007, when a conspiracy was uncovered. Investigators concluded that Wells likely participated knowingly but was unaware the bomb was live. When he realized the danger, his accomplices forced him at gunpoint to strap it on.

The stolen money was intended to fund a hitman for prostitute Marjorie Diehl‑Armstrong, who wanted to eliminate her wealthy father. Diehl‑Armstrong received a life sentence plus 30 years, while co‑conspirator Kenneth Barnes was sentenced to 45 years. The bizarre saga inspired multiple TV shows and served as the premise for the forgettable comedy 30 Minutes or Less. As critic Roger Ebert quipped, “Moral of the story: If you occupy the demographic that this film is aimed at, Hollywood doesn’t have a very high opinion of you.”

Although Naples, Italy, was a bustling city in the 1700s and 1800s, its cramped, one‑room homes forced the poor to seek cheap, fast food, leading them to a simple flatbread topped with cheese, tomatoes, oil, anchovies and garlic. Immigrants carried this staple across the Atlantic, and the first U.S. pizzeria opened in Manhattan in 1905.^[1] Today pizza enjoys global fame, with each region putting its own spin on the dish. These 10 tantalizing facts illustrate how pizza inspires cutting‑edge technology, scientific study, artistic expression, and even animal antics.

10 Robot Pizza Employees

Zume Pizza blends human talent with robotic precision. Human staff handle recipe development, taste‑testing, and overall quality control, while the mechanical arms take on the messier, repeatable tasks such as squirting sauce, spreading it evenly, and shoving the pies into ovens. Based out of Mountain View, California, the venture, led by CEO Julia Collins, announced an ambition to cover the entire San Francisco Bay Area by the close of 2018.^[2]

9 Pizza Pizza Box

Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, turned the humble pizza box into a bite‑sized treat. Co‑owner Sean Berthiaume, inspired by piles of discarded boxes littering the streets, set out to craft an edible container made entirely of pizza dough. After a period of experimentation during a slow business spell, the concept materialized: for $40, diners can order a pizza that arrives nested inside a fully edible pizza‑shaped box, both wrapped in foil and placed in a traditional pizza bag (the bag itself, of course, is not made of pizza). “I like to experiment,” Berthiaume admits, noting that one of his earlier trials even produced a pizza topped with miniature pizza slices.^[3]

8 Mathematical Pies And Slices

Mathematician Eugenia Cheng has turned pizza into a laboratory for geometry. In 2013 she devised a formula to pinpoint the ideal pizza size, arguing that crust thickness dictates the perfect bite. Her theory rests on the observation that smaller slices tend to carry proportionally more toppings, delivering a richer flavor, while larger slices can feel sparse. Cheng also noted that a thinner crust yields a superior bread‑to‑topping ratio, avoiding sogginess. The UK chain PizzaExpress commissioned her research to understand why patrons favored 36‑centimetre (14‑inch) pies over 28‑centimetre (11‑inch) versions. The findings confirmed a preference for crispier crusts and balanced topping distribution, prompting PizzaExpress to add 15 grams of dough to each base.^[4] Meanwhile, researchers Joel Haddley and Stephen Worsley at the University of Liverpool uncovered a method for slicing curvy shapes into an almost infinite number of odd‑sided sections, then halving each piece for even finer geometry. Their work produced intricate wedge‑shaped slices that push the boundaries of traditional pizza cutting.

7 Self‑Driving Pizza Delivery Vehicle

Domino’s has teamed up with Ford Motor Company to experiment with a simulated autonomous‑vehicle delivery experience, using a hybrid Ford Fusion as the test platform. During a live demonstration in Ann Arbor, city council member Sumi Kailasapathy asked whether the driverless car could recognize and stop for a pedestrian waiting at an unmarked crosswalk. Engineers explained that the vehicle can detect rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons, the signals used at equipped crosswalks, and would halt for pedestrians even without such beacons. Ford spokesperson Alan Hale reassured officials that the system’s suite of sensors—including radar, lidar, 360‑degree cameras, and a 200‑metre depth perception array—allows it to identify pedestrians at any crossing, obey traffic rules, and navigate using detailed 3‑D maps of roads, sidewalks, and signage. The company projected a rollout of fully autonomous delivery vehicles by 2021, promising faster, hands‑free pizza transport.^[5]

6 Subconscious Menu

Pizza Hut has been experimenting with a “subconscious menu” powered by Swedish eye‑tracking firm Tobii Technology. The system watches a shopper’s gaze as they scan a digital menu of toppings, then suggests a combination from among 4,896 possible pies that aligns with the subconscious preferences revealed by the eye movements. After a six‑month development period, trials in the United Kingdom showed a 98 percent success rate in matching customers to pizzas they would love. If the technology proves popular across the pond, Pizza Hut plans to roll it out to its American locations as well.^[6]

5 Floating Pizzeria

Sasha and Tara Bouis have turned their 11‑metre (37‑foot) aluminum‑hull boat into a mobile pizzeria cruising the Virgin Islands. After leaving Wall Street and a career in special‑education, the duo now serves gluten‑free, slow‑fermented New York‑style crust pizza to locals and tourists alike. Tara personally designed, renovated, and built the vessel, which is powered by a Perkins 4.236 engine. The boat never docks; instead, a small window allows customers on nearby vessels to order and receive pies, which are wrapped in foil and delivered in a traditional pizza bag. Their menu features items such as the Plain Jane, Mad Shroom, and Sweet Home, alongside made‑to‑order options. The concept sparked when the couple, lounging in Christmas Cove, grew hungry and imagined a pizza‑laden boat. Over time, they have sold up to 70 pies in a single busy day, with Tara kneeling in the cramped galley to toss dough and their 22‑month‑old daughter Fiona serving as the unofficial PR ambassador, affectionately dubbed “Pizza Baby.”^[7]

4 Animal Pizza Lovers

Four‑legged pizza enthusiasts have made headlines of their own. In New York City, a rat dubbed “Pizza Rat” was captured on subway video dragging a slice down stairwells and defending it against rival rodents in a tense tug‑of‑war. Chicago’s “Pizza Squirrel” was photographed perched on a tree branch, munching on a discarded slice it had scavenged from the Ukrainian Village’s trash. The latter image, taken by Andrew Goodman, quickly spread on Twitter after his friend Melissa McEwan posted it. Even a crafty fox earned the moniker “Pizza Fox” after slipping into an unattended van, snatching a slice from the passenger side, and sprinting away with its loot.

3 Pizza Farm

In Saskatchewan’s Yorkton region, Naomi Paley and Rachel Kraynick launched a circular “pizza farm” designed to grow every ingredient that traditionally tops a pizza. The field is sliced into ten wedges, each dedicated to a specific crop: tomatoes, basil, oregano, peppers, garlic, onions, and even a pasture slice for dairy cows producing cheese, plus a slice for hogs raising ham. The farm serves as a hands‑on classroom for third‑ and fourth‑grade students, teaching soil health, plant nutrition, and responsible agricultural practices. While the project raises questions about herbicide and fertilizer use, its side‑by‑side layout visually demonstrates how technology can boost yields. Additionally, the farm provides community‑service work for local residents with criminal records, who help water and weed the designated slices each summer.

2 Pizza Art Exhibit

Manhattan’s Marlborough Broome Street Gallery recently hosted “PIZZA TIME!,” an exhibition featuring over 25 works inspired by the iconic slice. Artists such as Oto Gillen crafted a three‑dimensional pizza from UV glass, mahogany, and screws, while John Freeman and Justin Lowe built papier‑mâché pies that celebrated the medium’s tactile qualities. Curator Vera Neykov described pizza as a “metaphor for community,” noting its unpretentious nature that brings people together. Among the highlights was John Riepenhoff’s “Physical Pizza Networking Theory,” a 97‑centimetre (38‑inch) pie topped with miniature pizzas, which was baked by a local pizzeria and consumed by visitors during the opening night. Other pieces included Michelle Devereux’s “Caveman on Pizza,” Andrew Kuo’s “Slice 8/23/13” and “Piece/Peace,” and Will Boone’s “Brothers Pizza,” a photocopied rendition of a slice that explored repetition and perception.^[10]

1 Gigantic Pizza

The Dirt Road Cookers, an eight‑person catering crew based in San Antonio, Texas, set out to create a pizza of monumental proportions. Their effort produced a 4.3‑square‑meter (46.6 ft²) pie weighing roughly 45 kilograms (100 lb) with a diameter of 235 centimetres (92.5 in). Head chef Kurt Oefinger described the bake as a true team‑sport: he oversaw the operation while teammates tended the fire, prepared toppings, rolled the dough, and supplied water to keep everyone hydrated. The massive pie required an hour and forty‑five minutes to bake, and a full year of planning went into fabricating the custom oven and equipment needed for the job. Although Guinness World Records lists a larger 1,261.7‑square‑meter pizza baked in Rome in 2012 as the official record holder, the Texas team’s achievement remains an awe‑inspiring feat for any competitive eater. The project even inspired novelist Gary Pullman of UNLV, who referenced the giant pizza in his 2016 urban‑fantasy novel “A Whole World Full of Hurt.”^[11]

10 Tantalizing Facts About Pizza

From robot‑assisted ovens to floating kitchens, from mathematical slice theory to animal‑sized cravings, these ten tantalizing facts prove that pizza is far more than a simple comfort food—it’s a catalyst for innovation, creativity, and unexpected wonder.

You don’t have to be bitten by a radioactive spider, have super speed or strength, or have the ability to fly in order to be a hero. Being a hero simply means putting the needs of others before your own and relying on your own inner strength and courage, even in the face of danger or uncertainty.

Being a “hero” can span a variety of situations from paying for a person’s groceries when they come up short at the register, helping a new mother who’s struggling, granting a last wish to someone with a terminal illness, or just leaving a larger-than-usual tip for an employee in the service industry.

The ten pizza delivery drivers on this list had no idea the circumstances they were about to encounter as they made seemingly normal deliveries. However, rather than ignoring the situation or assuming they could not help, they heard the calls of those in need and chose to answer, ultimately saving the day and in some cases, the lives of their customers.

Related: 10 Times A Homeless Person Was A Hero (For Real)

10 Anson Lemmer

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Nineteen-year-old Anson Lemmer, a pizza delivery driver for Uncle Pizza in Denver, Colorado, headed out for his last delivery on June 15, 2015. However, when a standard pizza delivery quickly became a medical emergency, Lemmer sprang into action.

When Lemmer arrived at his destination, he saw a man on the ground turning blue and in need of help. While there were other bystanders at the residence, they did not know CPR. However, Lemmer had received CPR training as a pre-teen and put that training to good use until first responders could arrive. By that time, the unnamed man was in stable condition and transported to the hospital, where he was later released. While Lemmer doesn’t consider himself a “hero,” he was honored by The American Red Cross on July 17, 2015, and presented with the Lifesaver Award.^[1]

9 Sofia Furtado

Caryn Sullivan of West Island Fairhaven, Massachusetts, placed a pizza order on February 11, 2022, but because her husband was asleep, she decided to wait outside her home for the delivery. Unfortunately, while waiting, Sullivan’s knee gave out, causing her to fall down a set of stairs and injure her head on the way down.

When Sophia Furtdao, the DoorDash delivery driver, arrived and saw Sullivan bleeding and unresponsive, she immediately went inside to notify Sullivan’s husband and call 911. Thankfully, Furtado also had previous EMT training, so she wasn’t afraid to assist and could follow the dispatcher’s instructions until medics arrived at the home.

While Sullivan underwent emergency surgery and months of recovery, doctors stated that had it not been for Furtado arriving when she did and assisting dispatchers, Sullivan would not have made it. The Fairhaven Police Department honored Furtado with a lifesaving award, and DoorDash also granted her a $1,000 educational grant to help her pursue her dreams of becoming an EMT.^[2]

8 Alou Bathily

In March 2019, twenty-one-year-old Alou Bathily, a native of West Africa, had only been a resident of the United States for two months. However, on the evening of March 29, not only was Bathily on a mission to serve pizza to a New York customer, but he also served up some much-needed justice.

While en route to a delivery, Bathily witnessed a police chase. Manhattan police were in pursuit of a suspect who previously had been harassing a woman and stole her headphones. When the suspect, 17-year-old Lovell Ambrister, took off on foot, Bathily refused to let him get away and chased after the young man on his bicycle. Bathily was able to tackle him to the ground and then stated he “sat on him for good measure” until the police arrived.

On April 23, 2019, the New York Police Department presented Bathily with an award for being a “local neighborhood superhero.” Not only was Bathily able to assist police in apprehending the suspect and saving the day, but he was also able to deliver the customer’s pizza in well under 30 minutes.^[3]

7 Nicholas Bostic

When 25-year-old pizza delivery driver Nicholas Bostic of Lafayette, Indiana, noticed a house engulfed in flames on the evening of July 11, 2022, he jumped into action without any second thoughts or hesitation. Thankfully, Bostic was able to enter the residence through an unlocked back door, where he began calling out to anyone who might have been inside.

Bostic found four children upstairs; however, once he had gotten them to safety, he was told a six-year-old girl was still inside the home. He ran back into the flames and was able to locate the child. Unfortunately, due to the intense amount of smoke, Bostic couldn’t find his way back out, so he took the little girl and jumped out of the second-story window, landing on his side to ensure she wasn’t injured during the escape.

Four of the children Bostic rescued lived in the home; one was a friend staying the night. The parents of the four children, David and Tiera Barrett, had gone out for a date night, and the fire later was deemed to have started due to a bucket of ashes on the porch that had not been fully extinguished.

Bostic suffered from severe smoke inhalation, deep cuts on his arms, and blisters on his hands but was released from the hospital a few days later. He was simply happy to know all of the children were okay. Needless to say, the Barretts are incredibly grateful for Bostic’s quick thinking and heroic actions, and they now consider him family.^[4]

6 Gilad Zargari

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Seventeen-year-old Gilad Zargari is a pizza delivery driver in Be’er Sheeva, Israel. However, when he arrived to make a delivery on February 5, 2022, he was met by a young father in desperate need of help.

The father, Ran, told Zargari that his daughter was suffering from a febrile convulsion, a seizure that is brought on when a child’s temperature gets too high. The family was waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Thankfully, aside from delivering pizzas, Zargari was also a Magen David Adom (MDA) volunteer, which provides training in first-aid and emergency care.

Zargari immediately began doing what he had been trained to do. He called for a MICU, a mobile intensive care unit ambulance specifically equipped to care for those requiring immediate, high-level treatment, and wrapped the baby in a damp towel to bring her temperature down. Thanks to Zargari’s actions, the little girl had been stabilized by the time medics arrived. The little girl’s parents were extremely grateful that Zargari was the one who arrived on the scene and when he did, saying, “We received a pizza with a life-saving side order.”^[5]

5 Oregon Domino’s

Forty-eight-year-old Kirk Alexander of Salem, Oregon, had been a loyal Domino’s customer for over 10 years, ordering almost every single day. However, never could he have imagined that his love for pizza would ultimately save his life.

When 11 days had passed without a single incoming order from Alexander, general manager Sarah Fuller knew something had to be wrong and sent driver Tracey Hamblen to Alexander’s home to check on him. Hamblen had become well acquainted with Alexander and knew of his medical conditions. However, when Hamblen arrived, the lights and TV were on, but he was unable to get Alexander to answer the door or his phone.

Hamblen returned to the Domino’s store, where he and Fuller then called 911. First responders arrived and were able to rescue Alexander, who was believed to have had a stroke, although no specific details were released regarding his medical condition. However, the care of the Domino’s staff didn’t end after Alexander was transported to the hospital. They continued to make visits to check on him during his recovery.^[6]

4 Brad Lane

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

When pizza delivery driver Brad Lane received a phone call at Toppers Pizza in Clifton, Ohio, at 3:00 am on March 28, 2011, for a large order, something didn’t quite seem right. So rather than simply hanging up after the customer had finished his order, Lane continued to quietly listen to the man on the other end of the line. That’s when he overheard the plan to rob him during the delivery.

Lane and his manager then called 911. Between the efforts of 911 dispatchers and local police, they were able to set up a sting operation. They sent an undercover officer dressed as a pizza delivery man in Lane’s place. The criminals went through with their plan and attempted to grab the pizzas and flee, but the police already had the area surrounded and were waiting for them. Police arrested 19-year-old Kevon Whitfield and another 14-year-old who had also tried to rob a Pizza Hut the previous evening.^[7]

3 Karen Vogt

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Karen Vogt was a pizza delivery driver for Mezzaluna Pizzeria in Ormond Beach, Florida, and also a favorite among its customers. However, on August 4, 2016, when Vogt attempted to deliver an order to an elderly customer who frequently ordered, and there was no answer at the door or by phone, she knew something was amiss.

After Vogt heard what she believed was a crash, she was determined to check on the customer and found a way to access the home through a door next to the garage. That’s when she saw that the customer had fallen trying to answer the door and was unable to get up. Vogt then alerted the pizzeria, who called for an ambulance while she waited with the elderly woman.

While the customer was able to come back home the next day, Vogt still felt bad that she never got to enjoy her pizza, so she paid for another one and delivered it to the woman personally.^[8]

2 Kaylene White

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

When a pizza order was made incorrectly on the evening of August 31, 2016, Domino’s driver Kaylene White was sent to deliver the corrected order to the Northside Senior Apartments in Angleton, Texas. However, little did she know that she was meant to be the one making the delivery that night.

Martha Norman, a resident at the complex, has a skin condition that often caused her to scratch herself, sometimes leading to bleeding. So when she called her daughter, Cheryl Stahl, saying she was bleeding, Stahl came to the complex to assess the situation. However, when she arrived, she saw her mother as well as the apartment covered in blood. After Norman was unable to explain what happened, Stahl panicked and was so hysterical she could not unlock her phone to call for assistance. That’s when she began screaming for help, and thankfully, White came running.

White had previous experience working in the medical field and immediately took charge of the situation by grabbing towels to form a tourniquet around Norman’s legs to stop the bleeding. When paramedics arrived on the scene, they confirmed that had it not been for White’s actions, Norman may have had a much different outcome.

Additionally, given her heroic efforts, one of the paramedics on call, Jason Albert, later went into the Domino’s store to inform White’s manager what had happened to ensure she did not face any consequences for returning late from the delivery. While White doesn’t consider herself a hero, both Norman and Stahl say that they will never forget her, and they consider her a “lifelong friend.”^[9]

1 Joey Grundl

Dean Hoffman forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s home on the afternoon of September 27, 2018, where he proceeded to physically assault and hogtie her, holding her against her will. The woman naturally assumed she was going to die by Hoffman’s hand. However, Hoffman’s sinister plans were foiled when he made the mistake of ordering a pizza, which would be delivered by a very observant driver.

When Domino’s driver Joey Grundl arrived with the delivery order, the woman alerted Grundl to her black eye and mouthed the words “help me” and “call police.” Grundl kept his composure to not alert Hoffman that he knew something was wrong, and once he was back in his car, he called 911. Hoffman was arrested and charged with suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, strangulation and suffocation, felony intimidation of a victim, and burglary.

Grundl was honored by Domino’s CEO and presented with the “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” award. Additionally, when Grundl was spotted wearing a Taylor Swift sweatshirt during an interview, word spread to the pop star, and Swift invited him to meet her backstage after her concert in Arlington, Texas.^[10]

Long before DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub, pizza chains were the pioneers of delivery service. On hot days when you had no desire to fire up the oven, or on Fridays when the hustle and bustle of the week had brought you to exhaustion, you didn’t need an app or even internet access. All it took was a phone call to have a hot pepperoni, combination, or—dare we say—Hawaiian pizza delivered straight to your door.

While the ten stories on this list are a mix of tragedy, misfortune, and a bit of humor, they all have one thing in common. They are 10 examples of pizza deliveries gone terribly wrong.

Related: 10 Catastrophes Caused By Food

10 William Fields

Forty-five-year-old William Fields, or “Billy,” as he was better known, was well-known within the community of Connersville, Indiana, where he lived. He was also a favorite delivery driver for Pizza King, the company he worked at for almost 30 years. However, Fields could never have imagined that the seemingly routine delivery he would make on November 27, 2021, would also be his last.

As Fields approached the home and stepped onto the porch to make his delivery, the porch collapsed, leaving him unconscious and trapped by debris. Emergency responders were dispatched to the residence, and despite their best efforts to revive Fields, it was sadly too late. He was later pronounced dead at Reid-Health Connersville Hospital. While the exact circumstances surrounding what caused the porch to collapse are unknown, the authorities ruled Fields’s death an accident, and no criminal charges were filed.^[1]

9 Joshua Ungersma

Thirty-seven-year-old Joshua Ungersma of Lafayette, Indiana, was a hard-working, dedicated father. He was employed by Payless Supermarkets for over 10 years and took on a second-shift job with Domino’s, delivering pizza to support his wife and children during the pandemic. Sadly, his strong work ethic and willingness to support his family would cost him his life.

When Ungersma attempted to make a pizza delivery on August 31, 2020, to 17-year-old Jaelynn Billups and her 19-year-old boyfriend Alberto Vanmeter, things took a turn for the worst, and Ungersma was shot to death. However, when police arrived on the scene, they found both Ungersman and Vanmeter dead and Billups with a 9mm in her hands.

While Billups originally claimed the two men had shot each other, two other witnesses later testified that they saw Billups shoot Ungersman after he stated the couple had tried to rob him and asked the witnesses to call for help. Vanmeter had already been shot at this time. Billups later changed her story and stated she shot Ungersman “in the heat of the moment” after he killed her boyfriend. Billups was sentenced to 50 years in prison, and while we may never know the exact details that led up to the two men’s deaths, one fact remains—an innocent husband and father lost his life much too soon and over something as simple as a pizza order.^[2]

8 Kyle Hinkle

Eighteen-year-old Kyle Hinkle of Orange Park, Florida, was a delivery driver for Five Star Pizza and finished his scheduled delivery on the afternoon of September 5, 2015. While this seemed like any other day at work, the events that would ensue on his commute afterward are ones he will surely never forget.

After leaving the customer, Hinkle was hit by an 86-year-old man who turned directly in his path. Hinkle tried to avoid the elderly driver but was unable to, and his car was sent into flight, where he later landed on top of two other vehicles parked across the street at a Texas Roadhouse. As scary as the incident was, thankfully, neither driver was hurt.^[3]

7 Eryx Lynch

Twenty-year-old Eryx Lynch of Murray, Utah, was a shy young man who had endured a rough childhood. However, despite his circumstances, Lynch had big dreams and took a job delivering pizza for Domino’s in May of 2022 to help him pay for college. Unfortunately, he had only been on the job for one week when an error in judgment proved fatal.

On the evening of May 7, 2022, Lynch was making a delivery on his e-bike when he attempted to cross over a set of train tracks, even though the gate arm was down. As Lynch began to cross, he was struck by a train. Since Domino’s ended its “30 minutes or less” guarantee back in 1993, it is unclear what factors may have caused Lynch to take such an extreme risk. Regardless, Lynch’s sudden death will forever leave a hole in his family’s heart.^[4]

6 Cole Venables

Twenty-eight-year-old Cole Venables was a pizza delivery driver in Hopkins, Minnesota. On the evening of April 9, 2021, Venables struck and killed a pedestrian while en route to a delivery after “falling asleep” behind the wheel. However, 26-year-old Olivia DeMeuse’s death was no accident at all.

Authorities concluded that Venables was under the influence of narcotics, and he admitted to taking “Xanax, Suboxone, and benzos” prior to his shift. It was also later discovered that Venables had previous convictions of driving while impaired, so it is unclear how he was allowed to drive for the pizza chain. On February 24, 2022, Venables pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and was sentenced to a one-year term at the Hennepin County Workhouse (although he was credited 92 days for the time he previously served), as well as five years of probation.^[5]

5 Highway Pizza

We’ve all heard the slogan “It’s not delivery. It’s DiGiorno,” right? Well, in this particular case of a pizza delivery gone wrong, the headline reads, “It’s not delivery… it’s all over Interstate 30.” On August 9, 2017, a semi-truck was en route through Little Rock, Arkansas, to deliver both DiGiorno and Tombstone pizzas. Unfortunately, when the top of the semi-trailer hit the overpass, the trailer detached and was ripped open, and a wave of pizzas spewed across the interstate.

While it took transportation officials four hours to clean up the roadways, thankfully, no one, other than the pizzas, was hurt.^[6]

4 Juan Cristalinas

While 49-year-old Juan Cristalinas had an intimidating outer appearance, he was nothing other than a loving, kind-hearted husband, father, and grandfather. However, one simple act of charity on his part was met with violence.

Cristalinas held several different jobs, which included working as a mechanic as well as a pizza delivery driver for Domino’s, in order to be able to provide for his family. However, when Cristalinas didn’t return from a delivery in Stanton, California, on the evening of June 28, 2022, police were dispatched to the delivery address, where they found both Cristalinas and an unnamed elderly gentleman. Both had been shot and were taken to the hospital. Cristalinas was later pronounced dead, but the 76-year-old was in stable condition. The investigation into what occurred that tragic night is still under investigation. But it is believed that Cristalinas stopped to assist the elderly man and was shot while trying to be a good Samaritan.^[7]

3 Tara Miller

Tara Miller of Regina, Saskatchewan, had been a long-time customer of her local Domino’s, so when she got a craving for pizza on May 29, 2021, she placed an order as usual. Her pizza was delivered as expected, and Miller spent the afternoon sharing the pizza with her friends. While being surrounded by good friends and good food is invaluable, it wasn’t until her company was gone that Miller realized the true cost of that day’s meal.

Miller later checked her bank account only to discover that every cent in her account was gone. Naturally, Miller went in person to the Domino’s store in hopes of resolving the matter. However, the staff advised Miller that according to their records, the order she placed was for pick-up versus delivery. Overwhelmed and upset, Miller continued to plead her case that she had indeed placed a delivery order. It was later discovered that an unknown man had come in and picked up Miller’s order without her knowledge. He was also the same man who later delivered the pizza to her.

Fraudsters were posing as employees, and while they were delivering orders, they were also obtaining customers’ financial information when orders were paid for by either credit or debit cards upon arrival. Sadly, Miller was also not the only customer in the area to fall prey to this scam.

Thankfully, Miller’s bank reimbursed her for the fraud, and the Domino’s manager assisted in providing evidence to the police in hopes of catching the perpetrator. Given this experience, Miller will certainly never look at ordering pizza the same way again.^[8]

2 Pizza Hut Driver

An unidentified Pizza Hut delivery driver was making his last delivery of the night on January 21, 2020, when he witnessed an accident and pulled over to check on those involved. However, the driver’s honorable act would later lead him on a high-speed chase with the police.

After seeing 25-year-old Elpidio Cruz Jr and a two-year-old boy on the side of the road, the driver stopped to ensure they were okay. Around the same time, an officer arrived on the scene, and it was at that moment, rather than showing gratitude towards the delivery driver, Cruz pulled out a gun, climbed into his backseat along with the young boy, and forced the driver to flee the scene.

Cruz was on parole and was willing to do anything in his power not to go back to prison, so he demanded that the driver evade capture at any cost. The 20-minute chase ended at the home of 23-year-old Brena Riojas, who was also the little boy’s mother. Cruz again fled the scene and is still wanted by police. While the driver was not harmed, this terrifying pizza delivery is one that is sure to haunt him forever.^[9]

1 Au Naturel Pizza Customer

An unnamed female delivery driver for Domino’s was making a seemingly normal delivery to a customer on March 20, 2019. When she arrived, the gentleman was waiting outside, and his food was delivered without any issues. However, the male customer must have been intrigued by the driver as he began flirting and, later that afternoon, placed a second order.

When the same driver arrived again at the customer’s residence, the man opened the door, but this time she was met with a shocking sight—he was “almost naked.” The indecent man tried to coerce the driver inside, but she left immediately after seeing this pizza pervert.^[10]

The first known mention of pizza is in a 10th-century document from Lazio in Italy, with the modern version of the ever-popular dish coming from Naples. The international pizza market brings in around $128 billion annually, and a third of it takes place in the United States alone. These eateries differentiate themselves the best way they know how: laying on the toppings.

The first pizzeria in the United States opened in 1905—Lombardi’s in New York City. Since then, Americans haven’t stopped experimenting. Experimenting with things more extreme than the controversial pineapple on pizza debate. Here are ten of the weirdest pizza toppings out on the market.

10 Banana and Cheese

If you’re a sweet and savory kind of person, boy, do I have the pizza for you. A popular favorite offered by various chains in Brazil is the banana and cheese pizza. Generally, the cheese is standard mozzarella with banana slices sprinkled on top. Adding chocolate cream and cinnamon gives the dish some extra tang and stickiness.

I suppose you could also ask for pineapple if you want to start a furious argument among purists. I prefer having my pizza followed by dessert, but having both together saves time.

9 Prawns, Trout, Caviar, Oh My!

Steveston Pizza Co in Richmond, British Colombia, has a website that proudly states:

“Our vision is to disrupt what people think about what a pizza should be and transform eating pizza into a true culinary experience. We want every experience you have eating our pies to be a memorable one.”

The experience will certainly be memorable if you fork out $850 for the See Nay pizza. This is a 12-inch pie, so not for sharing! The topping combines tiger prawns, smoked steelhead trout, lobster ratatouille, Russian caviar, and Italian white truffles. This last ingredient bumps up the price; these truffles cost thousands of dollars a kilo.

Don’t worry. If you’ve had a couple of beers, you can’t order the See Nay on impulse—you need to order a day in advance so that the kitchen has time to prep. But the restaurant has much cheaper options. Pizza is an affordable staple for most people, but $850 might stretch the family budget just a hair.

8 Chilli Cheese Fritos

Beer made Milwaukee famous, but the city also deserves recognition for the Chilli Cheese Frito pizza served by Ian’s Pizza by the Slice. This crunchy topping is not one that comes to the top of my mind, but now it’s something I want to try after a wild Friday night.

At Ian’s, they liberally spread beef chilli over the base, then top it off with onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and Fritos. Nothing says American quite like combining two dishes that have nothing to do with the other, but if the glazed doughnut and cheeseburger can make it work, so can Ian’s pizza. Just be sure to have a few napkins handy.

7 Call of the Wild

Alaska. Beautiful. Untamed. Wild. It’s the largest state in the country but has a population of under 750,000. Around 40% of these people live in Anchorage. An Alaskan tends to be a person who values independence and relishes the often harsh conditions of the land. And there’s no question about this belief transferring to their food.

Anchorage’s motto is “Big Wild Life” and describes Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria well. This restaurant has a varied and hearty menu and serves various dishes, including their pizza. Not least among these is the Call of the Wild pizza.

Perhaps the topping on this pie would only seem exotic to non-Alaskans, but it certainly is filling. The crust is piled with bacon, steak, portobello and crimini mushrooms, a garlic cream sauce, and reindeer sausage. Not for the faint-hearted or those having recently eaten. Still, reindeer is a common meat in northern latitudes, so perhaps it’s not that weird.

6 Italian Mix

Pizzanista! in Los Angeles has been up and running since 2010. Founded by a famous skateboarder (this is Los Angeles, after all), the popular restaurant is adding more locations. Its website indicates what makes Pizzanista! stand out:

“Family-owned and operated, Pizzanista! Features traditional hand-tossed pizza dough made fresh daily using 200-year-old sourdough cultures from Naples…”

This will certainly reassure an Italian that the proper culinary traditions are alive and well in California. But they might raise an elegant eyebrow upon hearing that customers flock to Pizzanista! on Sundays to sample the infamous Macaroni and Cheese pizza. After all, nothing says Italia like taking time-honored traditional meals and simplifying them to American standards.

Pizzanista! is not the only place that offers this unlikely combination, but surely this is taking fusion a little too far. Macaroni and cheese is not a topping—it’s a separate meal. But if it sells, then why not?

5 Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

New Haven in Connecticut boasts many fine pizza restaurants. Among them is BAR, a nightclub offering freshly brewed beer and dancing. Knowing full well that people like to eat something while they’re downing a few ales and bouncing around on the dance floor, BAR has a pizza oven to cater to its guests’ needs. Now, this is a brilliant idea that I’d love to see more of!

One of the options that wouldn’t tempt me, though, is the Mashed Potato and Bacon Pie. I can see the logic behind it—mashed potato lines the stomach and absorbs excess beer. But I can’t see it as a pizza topping. BAR also offers a breakfast-themed pizza of bacon, egg, and hot peppers. And this is the truly weirdest topping; BAR boasts of a chicken and broccoli pizza. I can’t think of anything worse to taint such a glorious meal.

4 Cheese ‘n’ Chickpeas

While Argentina is a Spanish-speaking country, it has a strong Italian heritage too. Many Italians flocked to Argentina to escape wars and economic turmoil, bringing their culture, language, and meals. Originating in Genoa, Italy, fainá is a chickpea pancake popular with Argentinians. Güerrin in Buenos Aires honors their connected roots to Italy and provides this as an option on their pizza.

You can order a regular pizza and have a fainá on top, or you can cover your whole pizza with fainá. Fans say the pancake’s creamy texture cuts the tomato sauce’s acidity and blends well with cheese. It seems odd, but the restaurant regularly sells over 600 portions of its pancake daily to pizza lovers. People obviously like the combination. I wonder if it’s available in the States?

3 Lemon Yogurt and Mango Chutney

Greenville, Delaware, is the home of Pizza by Elizabeth, a refined dining experience featuring artichoke and crab dip, curried pecan salads, and… tandoori pizza? Tandoori is an Indian dish of chicken marinated in yogurt. The blend of spices in tandoori cuisine – cumin, coriander, and turmeric – makes for a strong flavor. Here, the pizza dough is acting like a typical Indian bread.

Pizza by Elizabeth kicks it up a notch by serving up a lemon tahini yogurt and mango chutney. Some of their other weird toppings include sauces like pesto, rosemary onion, and green olive. Before stopping by, make sure your palette is up to their standards of elegance, or be prepared to hit Little Caesars on the way home.

2 Breakfast in Chicago

In Dimo’s Pizza in the Windy City, you can order the Breakfast of Champions pizza. It lives up to its name as the topping consists of scrambled eggs, chorizo, and fries on a base of white sauce and is finished with green onions and spicy mayonnaise. A fine breakfast indeed, but why slosh it on top of a pizza crust?

A large city like Chicago also has a strong Italian heritage and is full of pizza restaurants. Somehow, a restaurant has to attract new customers, and innovation with the toppings is one way to do it. To be successful, such restaurants have to offer old favorites as well. Dimo’s manages to do this with a wide range of pizzas. One wonders if things such as the Breakfast of Champions are publicity stunts that are not meant to be taken seriously.

1 Oh, My Omaha

The Pitch Pizzeria in Omaha, Nebraska, is well-reviewed on Tripadvisor and offers a wide variety of innovative food. Its website makes a special point of this:

“Each week, our chef crafts new, never-before-seen culinary wonders as the current special.”

The problem with a constant demand for innovation is that you can’t always hit the mark. One pizza Pitch offered includes a topping of pistachios, shrimp, and plum sauce. Plums. That is a culinary wonder, along with marsala fig sauce, pears, and truffle oil.

These combinations sound so bizarre; it has me scratching my head, asking, does such a combination belong on a pizza, or is it just innovation for innovation’s sake? We’ve come a long way from the basic Margherita. For now, I’m sticking with marinara and mozzarella, but eat away, my pizza connoisseurs.