There is perhaps no greater food debacle than that of pineapple on pizza. People can have strong opinions on whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza. Some love it dearly, while others are vehemently against it.
Here, we’ll discover where some countries lie in this debate. But before we get into that, let’s take a look at the history of this controversial pizza.
Does Hawaiian Pizza Originate from Hawaii?
Although pizza with pineapple toppings is often referred to as “Hawaiian pizza,” the dish doesn’t actually have ties to the American state. In reality, Hawaiian pizza didn’t come from our land, but from our neighbor’s. Yes, Hawaiian pizza is a Canadian invention, and it is often credited to a man named Sam Panopoulos.
Panopoulos was a Greek Canadian immigrant that owned the Satellite Restaurant in Ontario. He got the idea of adding pineapples on pizza from his experience cooking traditional Chinese food. You see, Chinese cuisine often loves to mix sweet and savory flavors, and some dishes, such as the sweet and sour chicken, even contain pineapple chunks.
He decided to name his invention “Hawaiian pizza” due to the brand of pineapples he used. And as the popularity of his creation grew, pineapple found its way on top of pizzas from all over the world. While the opinion on pineapple pizza is split, some countries have taken a stand on their thoughts on the controversial pie.
Pineapple Pizza in America
In a study conducted in America, 34,000 people were asked about their opinion on pineapple pizza. The results were close, with 54 percent of the people saying no to the pizza. Furthermore, the survey showed that 12 percent of the participants said that pineapple was their favorite pizza topping, while 24 percent called the fruit their least favorite topping on pizza. Interestingly, the study also found that pineapple pizza was more popular on the west coast versus the east coast and among ages 18 to 34.
Pineapple Pizza in Australia
While Americans may be less enthusiastic about pineapple pizza, the opposite can be said about Australians. In fact, at one point, Pizza Marketing Quarterly reported pineapple pizza as the most popular pizza in Australia. It even made up 15 percent of the total pizza sales in a year.
Pineapple Pizza in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom conducted a study of its own regarding the infamous pineapple pizza. But instead of surveying people regarding their opinion on the topping, this study focused on the availability of the pizza across the nation. Pineapple pizza was found to be the most widely available pizza in Britain, with nearly four thousand pizzerias offering pineapple pizza on their menus.
Pineapple Pizza in Iceland
Interestingly, the controversy of pineapple on pizza took a strange political turn in Iceland. In 2017, President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson publicly expressed his disdain for the pizza topping in a forum. He even went so far as to say that he would ban pineapple pizza in Iceland if he could.
This, of course, resulted in a public outcry. The social media scene in Iceland at the time was filled with debates on pineapple pizza. People questioned whether the president could actually issue a ban on a pizza topping. As crazy as it may seem, it led the president to issue a public apology regarding his statement, saying that he only intended it to be a joke.
Final Thoughts
Whether you love it or not, pineapple on pizza seems to be a topic everyone has a say in. And all we can do is to agree to disagree. After all, what matters is that we get to enjoy the food we love without forcing others to share the same food opinions. If your friend doesn’t like pineapple pizza, that’s okay. That just means more slices for you.
If you’re in favor of pineapple on pizza, you’ll definitely love the Hawaiian Supreme Pizza from Doreen’s Pizzeria. Aside from delivery and take-out, we also offer pizza catering services. Our first pizza restaurant opened in 1986 in the Hegewisch neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. Now with a second pizza restaurant located in Dyer, IN, we’re happy to bring you a wide variety of delicious pizza and food.