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What Consumers Really Think About Pizza

April 27 2016 by Nick Charles

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Statistics don’t lie—Americans love their pizza! Nearly 93% of those polled report eating it once a month, which breaks down to 41 million people across the nation enjoying a pie on any given day.

What’s the appeal? Consumers point to a number of reasons:

  • Pizza is seen as the perfect comfort food, party food, and date night food
  • Pizza stirs passions—many debates spring up around what constitutes the “best” pie
  • Pizza is universally loved by people of all ages
  • Pizza is easy to prepare but satisfies like a hot, freshly made full meal

Consumers also hold definite opinions about what sways their purchase:

  • 86% want to select their own toppings
  • 43% cite fresh, high-quality ingredients
  • 20% say new items influence their choice

The “whys” of pizza allegiance aren’t that unusual. However, what may surprise you are consumers’ perceptions of delivery/carryout, dine-in or take and bake pizza and how those attitudes impact the ultimate decision of where they get a pie. 

Quick-service/fast-casual restaurants

Mega-chains like Pizza Hut and Domino’s typically own consumer mindshare in this category because they offer:

  • value-centric, relatively low price points combined with short turnaround
  • delivery and carryout options, in most cases
  • a quick, busy-day alternative to preparing a meal
  • the increasing ability to order online or on a mobile device

Traditional restaurants

Traditional restaurants attract consumers who seek an experience:

  • sit-down, budget-friendly meals centered around a sharable food rather than everyone ordering their own entrée
  • local dining and specialty pies that showcase flavors unique to the restaurant’s area

Take and bake, frozen or deli pizza

This category resonates with time- and money-conscious consumers:

  • an easy decision to make while grocery shopping
  • a quick meal that is easy to transport and prepare at home
  • inexpensive compared to other dining options, with the average deli pizza price totaling $6.37

With so many choices, consumers are at a premium in the pizza market. You need to differentiate yourself to claim consumer loyalty and their hard-earned dollars. It all starts with the crust—and a little help from Alive & Kickin’. We’re the custom pizza dough experts, and we’re ready to provide you with unique crusts that will have consumers coming back for more. 

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Categories: General Operations

Nick Charles

Written by Nick Charles

President, Alive & Kickin' Pizza Crust
Nick has been in the pizza dough business for more than 20 years. He heads up the company’s customer development and service (making sure they’re always happy with our product and our processes) and manages the overall business. It’s a big job, and he’s the right guy to do it!