You may not be shocked to learn that most Americans prefer New York-style pizza over Neapolitan pizza. But, what if statistics showed that Americans preferred almost every style of pizza over Neapolitan?
It almost doesn't seem possible when there are so many Neapolitan-style pizzerias open each year--and enjoy a successful run.
However, a new report out from Technomic, the 2018 Pizza Occasion Consumer Trend Report reveals some interesting trends.
For one, Technomic's survey of 1,600 consumers, along with menu and industry data from its Ignite database, shows that there's a growing number of people who prefer thick crust (up from 12% in 2016 to 18% this year).
And, Detroit-style pizza has been gaining traction outside of the Midwest for the first time, with the highest demographic that prefers it (28%) actually hailing from the south.
As for Neapolitan-style pizza, 30% of pizza consumers in the Northeast prefer it, but only 19% in the West, and 22% overall, according to the report.
The report goes on to discuss crust thickness, and how younger consumers are more likely to prefer thicker crust (hence the rise in preference for Chicago, Detroit and Sicilian-Style), while older consumers tend to lean toward thinner, crispier crusts.
This crust thickness preference could eventually cause an issue for fast-casual pizza chains who cater to younger consumers.
If it's true that younger consumers are indeed moving toward thicker crusts, and the trend continues, they may begin to move away from fast-casual chains that only offer thin-crust pizzas. Something to think about if you're running a fast-casual pizzeria, or any pizzeria that's catering to young people.
