America's Least Favorite Pizza Topping Isn't Pineapple

Photography By Tonelson / Getty Images

You're finally off the hook, pineapple. According to a recent survey of over 2,000 adults, Americans' least-favorite pizza topping isn't chunks of tropical fruit anymore; instead, we're collectively skittish about salty fish. The survey, which was commissioned by Columbus, Ohio-based pizza chain Donatos and conducted by OnePoll, revealed that the three least-welcome toppings are, in order, anchovies, pineapple, and jalapeno peppers.

Among the survey's other revelations, almost all of the respondents (94 percent) had eaten pizza within the past month, and almost half of them (47 percent) said that leftover pizza was great. (What is wrong with the other 53 percent? Please tell me those people don't trash perfectly good, reheatable pizza?) And a bold 44 percent of those surveyed said that pizza was acceptable as a breakfast food.

There were variations in how the respondents preferred to eat their slices. Slightly over a quarter (28 percent) go pointy-end first, less than 20 percent attack it from the crust side, another 17 percent fold it in half, and an eager 14 percent say they stack two slices and eat them simultaneously. Finally, 8 percent cut each slice with a fork and knife. (No comment.)

And because every survey has to have a mildly quirky question, the respondents were asked what they'd be willing to do to get free pizza for a year. More than a third (37 percent) would be willing to get spoilers for every movie they watched for the next 12 months; one third (33 percent) would willingly shave their entire bodies, including their eyebrows; and 32 percent would text one of their exes.

Finally, a majority of respondents said that they'd be willing to try plant-based meat toppings, including 73 percent of those who preferred "meat lovers"-style pizzas. Three out of four meat-eaters said they'd eat more plant-based meats if the alternative "tasted just as good" as the original.

"If we've learned anything in the past 60 years of making pizza, it's that people have very strong opinions about their favorite ways to enjoy this iconic American dinner staple," Carol Pasquariello, Donatos senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But even though people may have their favorite toppings, as a pizza brand, we are excited to see how open people are to trying new things — like a plant-based pepperoni."

Now that the survey's out of the way, Donatos is preparing for Valentine's Day. According to the company, Valentine's Day 2021 was its second-biggest Sunday sales day of the entire year, right after Super Bowl Sunday. Donatos will be selling seasonally appropriate heart-shaped pizzas again this year, from Monday, February 7 through Monday, February 14.

And, as always, know that it's OK to break up with someone if they eat a heart-shaped slice with a knife and fork.