National Pepperoni Pizza Day (September 20th)

There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.

Kevin James

Almost everyone would have to agree with Mr. James about the feeling of pizza. There are a series of promises inherently made in that fragrant, warm cardboard box. Rich, savory red sauce and the long tantalizing stretch of delicious cheese are held within, a delicious treasure to share with friends and family, or hog all alone. The perfect topping for this delicious dish absolutely must be some slices of well-spiced pepperoni. National Pepperoni Pizza Day reminds everyone to give this classic a place in their day, and take a well-earned break from cooking.

History of National Pepperoni Pizza Day

Pepperoni pizza has become the standard pizza for people all over the world. In fact, it stands apart as the singularly most ordered type of pizza on the entire planet. Whether buying pizza for a birthday party or a day at the office, pretty much everyone knows that they can be guaranteed a positive response by buying one topped with pepperoni!

The pizza is believed to have first been developed in Italy in 1889 by Raffaele Esposito, though others claim that the first one was sold in 1738 in Naples, Italy.

Pepperoni is one of many cased meats (like salami, but spicier) that likely traces its origins back to Italian immigrants to New York City in the early 1900s. At least, the first known mention of pepperoni is when they began appearing in delis and at pizzerias all throughout the city, made from a mix of beef and pork and some added spices (specifically peppers–which is where the name was derived from).

With a finer grain than most Italian meats, pepperoni is softer, which makes it a favorite for putting on top of pizza!

It wasn’t until the 1950s that pizza became a widespread dish in the United States. The first mention of pizza in the US was in a New York Times article that called it “a pie popular in Southern Italy”. And, even then, it was continuing to develop flavor over time. One of the best developments, of course, was the addition of pepperoni. And it has grown into an American icon ever since.

Now it’s time to celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day!

How to Celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day

Celebrating and enjoying National Pepperoni Pizza Day comes with all kinds of delightful–and delicious–opportunities! Try these ideas or come up with a few other creative ones to enjoy the day:

Eat Pepperoni Pizza All Day Long

Pizza can certainly be consumed at every point in the day, piping hot for dinner and lunch, and cold in the morning. Some people even profess that pizza tastes far better cold than it does hot from the oven, though it seems that would be largely dependent on the type of pizza.

People who want to go all out for celebrating this day can enjoy starting National Pepperoni Pizza Day by popping a pepperoni pizza Hot Pocket into the microwave for breakfast. They are simply delicious and a great (even if not so Healthy) way to start the day.

Then, of course, there is the pepperoni with pineapple for lunch and pepperoni with olives and mushrooms for dinner. No matter what is added to a pizza, as long as it starts with pepperoni, it is guaranteed to be absolutely delicious.

Host a National Pepperoni Pizza Day Party

Get together with friends for a pizza party, and share what everyone’s favorite additions are to a standard pepperoni pizza. It’s easy to pick up some cheap pepperoni pizza at a local pizza joint, or throw some frozen pizzas in the oven.

For a fun National Pepperoni Pizza Day Party activity, try making individual pizzas and letting everyone top add their own toppings. Buying premade refrigerated pizza dough makes a super easy base to start with. Then supply tomato sauce (better when doctored with spices), grated cheese and, of course, ample amounts of pepperoni. Bake them and serve them hot to each individual guest. This is a party activity that is loads of fun and also delicious!

Get Deals and Discounts on Pepperoni Pizza

This is a day when many restaurants and pizza places like to celebrate with their guests by offering their customers a super cheap deal on pizza, side dishes or drinks. Each restaurant is different, of course, so it’s best to check with local places to see what they have on offer. But here are some pizza chains that have been known in the past to offer sweet deals in celebration of the day:

• Papa John’s Pizza. With stores located all over the world, Papa John’s is famous for their takeout pizza. Special deals are usually decided locally, so pop into the restaurant or call and ask what their National Pepperoni Pizza Day specials are!
• BJs Brewhouse. This is an American restaurant with more than 200 locations. In the past, they have been known to offer half off of a large pepperoni pizza in honor of the day (online only).
• Pizza Hut. One of the original pizza chains, this company has stores in several international locations as well as all over the United States. Celebrate National Pepperoni Pizza Day here with various discounts such as 20% off or two medium pizzas for $12.99. Check the local store for details about current deals.

Consider Other Pizza Toppings

Oh, and for those who are engaged in that whole ‘pineapple vs no-pineapple’ debate, many people think that pineapple is a fine pizza topping. Anyone is allowed to disagree, of course as certainly people shouldn’t be stopped from going about the Business of being wrong!

Of course, it’s likely that eventually most people will come around but, in the meantime, people can certainly agree on pepperoni pizza being the best pizza of all!