Pizza: The Last Affordable Food

With the cost of living going crazy since 2020, far too many things in our world have dramatically increased in price. Despite the rising costs of everything involved with making a pizza, the cost of a picking up pie from a pizzeria has not really risen much compared to other foods over the years.

Why is this?

I’d like to believe pizza is fighting inflation because it is what unites the world. If the world pizza economy fails, our society collapses. I’m not complaining about the costs being kept down for decades because pizza has been my primary source of life fuel since childhood, but it makes you wonder why some foods have increased so much, yet pizza has stayed relatively affordable.

10 or 20 years ago, the average price of a pizza was around $10 – $12 (US). Maybe you could find something for $7 or $8 with a coupon, but most weren’t far off from the $10 price point. There were of course some locations where a pizza cost much higher (think gourmet or Alaska and Hawaii), but at any of the “big 3” (Domino’s, Pizza Hut & Papa Johns) and many family run shops in the continental United States, prices have not changed much from the $10 menu price.

Looking at the coupons above, they could be from the late 1990’s, or 2024. The promotions might be different, but the prices are very similar. Granted, these “big 3” have volume and quantity supply buying on their side, but with coupons you can still get a pizza under $10 at MANY pizza places, and in places where menu prices have went up, increases have typically only been a dollar or two. I’m sure there are price gougers out there who doubled their prices, but realistic business owners have kept prices low.

You may have to buy two pizzas now in order to get a cheap deal but it’s still a great bargain in line with years past. Most pizza places have only raised prices maybe 10% or 20%, whereas the price of a “value” meal at fast food places has jumped probably 40% or 50%. Compare this to how many common grocery items we buy now that have went up 75% or even 100%, or more, in some cases.

Pizza loves us and hasn’t done that.

I’m not real good at math, but I know getting a whole pizza that will fill you up and maybe leave some leftovers for later that costs the same as a bag of grease that will leave you hungry after is a much better deal. Value is what matters. You can feed the family with a pizza or two. You can’t feed a family with a value meal or two. Well, maybe you can if they’re really skinny and don’t eat much, but pizza continues to provide an all around good deal for normal families. You get a fair amount of food at a fair price.

What other food can say the same?

There aren’t many.

Knowing this now, appease the pizza gods by visiting a pizzeria (They get angry when they see you in a fast food drive-thru). Help keep the pizza economy flowing by supporting your local pizza shops. They need your business, and I need you to help keep pizza prices low because I’m poor. In all seriousness, helping them out really will keep prices down. And I really need you to keep prices down.

Do the right thing.

Pizza on.

~ Marty ~

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