Oregon is the state that has busts the most wallets when it comes to the price of pizza.
A new study from Slice found that Oregon had the priciest pizza in the country, with the cost of a large cheese pie averaging $26.94 last year. That's more than twice the price of the state with the cheapest pizza in Oklahoma, where a large cheese pie ran $12.70.
The release of the Slice study will coincide with National Pizza DayPizza Day on February 9. The data was taken from 2022 among the nearly 19,000 independent pizza shops that are part of the Slice network.
Other pricey pizza states in Slice's analysis of 2022 data: Washington $23.34 for a large cheese pie Illinois $22.52 Alaska $21.23 and California $21.19 And other states on the lower end of the price spectrum: Minnesota $13.88 Alabama $14.80 Kansas $14.96 North Dakota $15.35 and Mississippi $15.50 Why are some states pricier for pizza than others? There are economies that vary from state to state, and that affects the cost of a variety of goods. Slice founder and chief Ilir Sela says that pizza involves certain things, but the situation with pizza involves certain things.
He stated that competition is a deciding factor. States with fewer pizzerias per capita often have higher prices because there is less reason for operators to worry about losing customers to another pizzeria. That leaves them freer to charge more.
That may explain why New York does not rank among the top five in pizza pricing - a large cheese pie averaged $19.73 in 2022, according to Slice. While the state has one of the highest costs of living, it is also a pizza-centric state in which there are plenty of options.
The statewide average of New York is close to $20. Sela of the state's competitive scene said most places won't be in business if they charge more than that. The prices in super-expensive New York City are often higher than $20. Sela said that it was not just about the competitive factor. It is also about the type of pizza that is being served. In general, the West Coast states - and especially Oregon - place a heavy emphasis on what Sela calls artisanal pizza. Think pizza topped with high-end ingredients — truffle pies, anyone? It was made to a higher, gourmet standard. Sela said they dominate the Oregon scene, especially in Portland. He said that artisanal pizza costs more.
Pizza is getting more expensive nationwide, a sign of these inflationary times. In 2022, the average cost of a large cheese pie from an independent pizzeria was $17.81 - an increase of 6.4% over the price of $16.74 in 2021, according to Slice.
As bad as that may seem for pizza lovers, it is actually not such a bad news, given that food prices increased by 9.9% in 2022, according to government data.
Scott Wiener, a pizza expert who heads up Scott's Pizza Tours in New York City, said that pizzeria operators are hesitant to raise prices because customers perceive pizza as a value item. A price increase is quickly noticed, because pizza lovers always tend to order the same thing, according to Wiener.
The Slice study looked at a number of other trends that are shaping the pizza industry. The past year, ranch dressing seems to be the one item when it comes to toppings, with a 9.7% increase in orders with the topping traditionally associated with salad. The study also noted that pickles are poised to become a popular topping in 2023, particularly in a briny pie baked with garlic sauce.
And when it comes to the names of pizzerias, there is one that stands above the rest: Tony's Pizzeria is the most popular, followed closely by Joe's Pizza, according to Slice.
Sela said there was one name that he thought would place higher in the top ranking. He said that Gino's is not on the list.