Circular bread crust with tomato, cheese and other toppings adapted from Italian sources (New Haven, Connecticut claims priority) has become a ubiquitous American meal.

Strong regional variations have emerged—especially Chicago, IL deep dish versus Northeastern thin crust—while status and quality are marked by mass preparation as opposed to hand-crafted pizza at home or in restaurants. Yet as a mass food item— available frozen, in mixes and by competing delivery services—it has become a staple for children, parties and even school lunches, while being re-exported through franchises like Dominos and Pizza Hut. Neal Stephenson’s cyberpunk Snow Crash (1992), in fact, makes pizza delivery emblematic of a future American dystopia.