The demand for pizza has become an epidemic at Cherry Hill East High School. Pizza parlors have developed into one of the top interactive places for East students. Groups of students can be found crowding the pizza shops, whether it is to celebrate a team victory, or just to hang out with friends. However, with the wide variety of pizza places found in Cherry Hill, students tend to have a preference on which place they are most likely to visit.

The popularity of pizza could be considered overrated to some; however pizza’s leading role in teen’s diets has to be questioned. 93% of Americans eat at least one piece of pizza per month according to Bolla Wines. What makes pizza so popular, especially among East’s students?

“Pizza is an easy food to eat, and you can eat it easily with your hands,” said Katie Walker (’10)

The ability to easily eat pizza is the main reason it is so popular at parties and social gatherings; students can walk around mingling with others without the hassle of a plate or silverware.

Other reasons for pizza’s popularity could be because it is inexpensive. Many students don’t have jobs, so money is a key component in deciding where to eat and what to order. Individual pizza slices average from $1.70 to $2.00, and large pies are usually around twelve dollars. These prices aren’t that expensive, especially since a large could feed five or more people.

Why some pizzerias are more popular than others is based on what the customers want when going out to pizza. Students pick their pizzerias based on many different factors. The prevailing factor is the proximity of the pizzeria.

“Vito’s is my favorite place to get pizza because it’s close by and I can walk to it,” said Morgan Greenetz (’10)

Having a pizza place close by allows students to go out more often for pizza since the majority of East’s students don’t have the ability to drive. Pizza places such as Vito’s that are located outside neighborhoods allow students to be able to walk to them, making the pizza parlor a more popular hangout spot because of it’s convenience.

Locations set aside, students go to pizza places looking for certain types of pizza that appeal to them most. Pizzas vary from New York style to Chicago style pizza, with many different types within those categories. New York style pizza has flatter crusts that are easily folded. Chicago style pizza is basically deep dish pizza, whose crust has a biscuit-like texture. The more commonly purchased pizza among East students is New York style pizza, for it is less expensive and more casual. Chicago style pizza tends to be more expensive, and because of its different texture and taste than most pizza in Cherry Hill, students habitually buy New York style.

Along with location and crusts, students also pick where they want to eat based on variety.

“My favorite pizza place is Peace A Pizza because it [offers] a lot of different toppings,” says Tori Sklar (’10)

Variety doesn’t just have to solely apply to toppings. It can also indicate other food besides pizza on their menus, such as breadsticks, salads, etc. American pizza chains such as Dominos, Papa John’s and Pizza Hut serve side dishes of breadsticks and chicken wings. Authentic Italian pizzerias serve different items, such as pastas and salads, pleasing different costumers.

Pizza however doesn’t only have to be eaten out. It can be eaten at home as well, which could be a better option than eating out for pizza at times.

“My favorite type of pizza comes from my fridge,” said Tyler McIntyre (’10), “making pizza at home is quicker and cheaper.”
When not having the option to go out, students can resort to just sticking the pizza in the oven, which will take less time and money than ordering out or having pizza delivered.

Due to the high demand for pizza, pizza places are expanding. The craving for pizza has controlled many students’ taste buds for as long as they could remember, and will continue to do so for many years to come.