Pineapple pizza serves as a delectable form of the classic take-out dish, as it tastefully combines sweet and savory flavors to create a complex taste. Additionally, the pizza holds an interesting texture, mixing crispy crust with gooey cheese and juicy pineapple. These factors serve to create a culinary delight, creating a cult-like following of Hawaiian pizza lovers.
Consistent debates continue to exist over the controversial topic of pineapple on pizza. Numerous people view this variant of the American staple as a delicious and innovative twist, whereas a substantial number of opposers find it unappealing and distasteful. Nearly one-fourth of pizza-eating Americans describe pineapple as one of their least favorite pizza toppings.
Pineapple pizza originated in 1962, when Sam Panopoulos thought up the combination to draw in customers to his Ontario-based restaurant, which focused on including Mexican, Thai and Cuban flavors into their pizzas. The original pizza earned the name Hawaiian Pizza due to the brand of pineapple used to create it. Although Panopoulos unfortunately passed away in 2017, his legacy lives on through his masterful creation enjoyed by millions.
“My favorite thing about pineapple pizza is the extra flavor the pineapple gives, it adds an extra spritz of flavor. Since the first time I tried it, pineapple on pizza has been my favorite. It’s my favorite pizza topping because it’s something different, Hawaiian pizza is great or just pineapple and olives or pepperoni. It’s all great and you really can’t go wrong,” magnet sophomore Luisa Wagner said.
Regardless of its appeal, a significant amount of people think of pineapple pizza as unappetizing due to the unorthodox crossover between sweet fruit and savory toppings. Additionally, people argue pineapple pizza to seem texturally unsatisfying or strange. The notion of disliking the pizza grew online and became somewhat of a meme, creating a new forum for people to debate their opinions of the snack.
“I’ve never tried pineapple on pizza, but I have my reasons for not liking it. I’ve heard many bad things about it and I just don’t like the idea of having that texture on my pizza. One of my best friends has been begging me to try it but she hasn’t convinced me yet. Maybe eventually she will, but until then, it still seems kind of gross,” magnet junior Seren Witschy said.
Even though significant opposition to the delicacy exists, Hawaiian pizza lovers continue advocating for it and enjoy the meal at every given opportunity. Pineapple pizza proves outstanding due to its clever combination of ingredients and its ability to mix so well with other toppings such as ham, bacon, feta cheese and black olives. Almost one-fifth of Americans living in the West refer to pineapple as their favorite pizza topping. Support for pineapple pizza remains ever-expanding as more people try the utterly superior pizza topping.
Although the topping remains quite controversial, people from all over the world continue to devour the delicious treat. Its delectable combination of flavors causes its irresistibility to fans everywhere. Regardless of criticism, pineapple lovers will continue to enjoy the pizza and its reign will only grow wider as more people accept the creative take on one of America’s favorite foods.
