If you have a craving for pizza today, you’re not alone. The Food Surveys Research Group collected data on what people eat nationwide. The result? Among people age two and over, 13 percent consumed pizza on any given day.

Whether it’s restaurant-quality Chicago-style pizza or a frozen (shudder) supermarket pizza, Americans live on it.

Why Is Pizza so Popular?

Yes, pizza tastes great. But so do a lot of other foods. So what makes pizza so special?

• Everyone loves it: When you have a dorm room full of friends, it’s hard to find one meal that satisfies everyone. There’s the vegetarian friend, the meat-loving friend, and the ones who will pretty much eat anything. What do you order? Pizza fits the bill for almost everyone.
• Easy: Pizza is easy to eat. You don’t need special plates, utensils, pots, or pans. Sometimes you need a knife to cut the slices a little neater, but other than that? Pizza is one of the easiest foods around.
• Portable: Rushing to class? No problem. Grab a slice and go! Pizza is the ultimate ‘eat on the go’ food. You can just pick up a slice, fold it over, and take a bite as you’re rushing to class or out the door for an exam.
• Inexpensive: Between coupons, specials, and other ways to save money, ordering pizza is inexpensive. For college students on a strict budget, pizza is very affordable.
• Comfort food: Almost everyone grew up eating pizza — it’s the ultimate comfort food! When you’re feeling tired, stressed out or anxious, nothing beats pizza. It’s a taste of home whether “home” is Bayonne, New Jersey or Orange, California.
• Available any time: Pizza delivery makes pizza one of the most convenient foods to order anytime. Pizza places that deliver are located in almost every town across America, but especially in college towns. College town pizza, in fact, is known for making very late-night deliveries. Students who don’t want to venture out for something to eat at 2 a.m. while working on a paper or cramming for an exam can place a quick phone call for pizza delivery. It’s available anytime, day or night.
• No heat required: Hot pizza tastes best, of course, but many people like it cold, too. And that’s just fine! While some dorms include kitchens, and off-campus apartments usually have ovens, reheating pizza in the microwave is a dicey business at best, and absolutely a no-no for Chicago-style pizza. But cold pizza? It works just fine for many college students.

The next time it’s your turn to bring food for a meeting, frat party, or all night cram session, count on pizza. It’s the one food that no one — especially college students — turns down.