There have been over 75m mentions of pizza since 2017. While numbers were declining for a couple of years, there was some recovery in 2019 and then a sharp jump in March 2020. Since then levels seem to have found a new equilibrium.

We all know what happened in March 2020, but what did this have to do with pizza?

As we’ve reported in numerous bulletins, our approach to food changed due to Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdowns. Pizza was no exception, and back in June 2020, we found that mentions of homemade pizza skyrocketed.

That feels like a lifetime ago, so how do things look now? We’ve added in takeout pizza mentions to see how they’ve changed too.

Both topics saw a spike in mentions as the pandemic began as people used their time indoors to try their hand at making pizza, or got it delivered to their door as eating out became impossible in many places.

But there’s a difference in what’s happened since. The level of homemade pizza mentions has returned to what it was in 2019, while takeout mentions are sitting a little higher than they used to a year before.

With increasing numbers of people going back to the office and having less time to make dough from scratch (or dinner in general), the higher volume of takeout talk makes sense.

When is peak pizza?

Let’s move on from yearly and monthly trends and take a look at the conversation more broadly.l First, when are we talking about pizza the most?

Why February 9? That’s National Pizza Day in the US, which gets a ton of people discussing the dish (and presumably buying it too). The next biggest spike is on February 14, so if your ideal romantic date involves pizza, you could be in luck.

Generally though, pizza mentions are pretty steady throughout the year, suggesting there isn’t much seasonal effect on pizza interest. That’s just another feather in its cap, showing its consistent popularity.

Next we looked at what days of the week people talked about wanting or needing pizza the most.

Mondays and Fridays are the big days for pizza cravings, but other days aren’t that far behind. We really can’t get enough of pizza. And for the pizza sellers out there, now you know which days to pump up your ads on.

The pineapple question

Finally we come to the most contentious of issues in the pizzaverse: pineapple pizza.

There’s nothing that can rile up a mortal soul as much as putting pineapple and cheese on bread. While it’s a dreamy dinner for many, to others it is an incomprehensible sin. Because of this it’s the most talked about pizza topping by miles.

We think it’s high time to find out how the internet feels about the issue, so we looked at all the mentions of pineapple pizza in 2021 so far.

Pineapple pizza is more likely to induce joy or disgust than other emotions, but there are still plenty of people who are sad and angry about it. The latter two are not necessarily a judgement, though with a mix of people saddened and angered by the pizza itself and by the people who hate it. Essentially, it’s a contentious topic that causes all kinds of strife.

The Brandwatch Bulletin team remains neutral on the issue. We know when not to get involved.

Get more insights into 2021’s food trends

Our brand new report takes a look at all things food from grocery shopping trends to veganism. If you’re in the industry, it’s a must read.

Grab yourself a coffee and get it free here.

What should we cover next?

Is there a topic, trend, or industry you’d like us to feature in the Brandwatch Bulletin? We want to hear your ideas to make sure our readers are getting what they want. We may even ask to interview you if you’re involved with the topic.

Send any and all ideas to [email protected] and let’s talk.

Thanks for reading

That’s it for today, but we’ll be back next Friday. Have a great weekend. And if you were forwarded this email and want in on the action, get subscribed to the Brandwatch Bulletin now.

Stay safe,

The Brandwatch React team