The national average price for a large cheese pizza has climbed to nearly $17—up about 22% in five years, according to reporting from NBC’s Emilie Ikeda for TODAY. Across the U.S., that simple number is reshaping how families, students, and pizza die‑hards do their beloved pizza night.
Instead of walking away from pizza, Americans are getting smarter about how they eat it—downsizing pies, trimming toppings, investing in home pizza ovens, and getting more strategic with ingredients and equipment.
As a pizza journalist at The Pizza Weekly Magazine, I’ve been watching this shift up close—from New York slice counters to suburban Costco runs to the explosion of home pizza‑making gear online. Here’s how rising prices are changing behavior—and how you can turn this moment into better pizza, whether you’re:
- A pizza enthusiast firing up pies at home
- A pizza supplier selling ingredients and gear
- A pizza shop owner trying to stay profitable without losing loyal regulars
From Large to Medium: How Inflation Is Rewriting the Pizza Order
In the TODAY segment, Ikeda highlights a simple but powerful behavior shift: instead of canceling pizza night, many Americans are:
- Ordering smaller sizes (medium instead of large)
- Choosing fewer toppings
- Sharing fewer pies per group
That tracks with what operators around the country are reporting: check sizes are under pressure, but frequency hasn’t collapsed. People still crave pizza—it’s just that value perception has become non‑negotiable.
What this means for pizza lovers
If you’re a home cook or regular takeout customer, this moment is pushing you to ask:
- Am I getting the best quality for what I’m spending?
- Would an investment in a best home pizza oven pay off versus weekly delivery?
- Could I save money by mastering my own pizza dough recipe and buying artisanal pizza ingredients in smarter ways?
This is exactly why home pizza gear and DIY culture are surging at the same time prices are rising.
The Rise of Home Pizza Ovens: Why Enthusiasts Are “Insourcing” Pizza Night
One of the clearest trends tied to rising menu prices: serious fans are investing in home pizza ovens, stones, and steel.
A portable oven plus the right pizza making tools can turn a Friday delivery habit into a weekly at‑home ritual that rivals your favorite shop—often at a lower per‑pie cost over time.
Some of the most popular upgrades among home bakers include:
- Countertop or outdoor pizza ovens that hit 800–950°F
- Pizza stones and steels that mimic deck‑oven heat in a standard oven
- Perforated peels and turning peels for crispier bottoms and faster launches
- Infrared thermometers to nail stone temp before every bake
If you want a curated list of the best pizza ovens, stones, cookbooks, and specialty tools, explore high‑rated options on this pizza essentials page (Amazon affiliate collection).
Smarter Dough, Smarter Ingredients: Making Every Dollar Taste Better
The other big shift: when prices rise, mediocre pizza becomes intolerable. If you’re going to pay $17+ for a cheese pie—or spend an afternoon making one at home—it needs to be worth it.
Dialing in your dough
Instead of relying on random blog recipes, more home bakers are treating pizza like a craft:
- Experimenting with long, cold ferment doughs for deeper flavor
- Playing with hydration levels for lighter, airier crusts
- Testing different flours (Tipo 00, high‑protein bread flour, blends)
If you’re serious about your pizza dough recipe, head to Pizzaiolo for deeply tested recipes, dough calculators, and technique breakdowns tailored to every style—from Neapolitan to New York to pan pizza.
Choosing artisanal pizza ingredients that matter
You don’t need to import everything from Italy to upgrade your pie. Focus on a few high‑impact ingredients:
- Flour: higher‑protein bread flour or Tipo 00 for structure
- Tomatoes: whole peeled tomatoes you crush yourself
- Mozzarella: low‑moisture for classic NY, fresh fior di latte for Neapolitan
- Finishing oils and salts: a drizzle of good olive oil or a pinch of flaky salt
For tools, cookbooks, and specialty artisanal pizza ingredients, check out this curated gear and ingredient collection (Amazon). You’ll find stones, steels, peels, and reading material that can compress years of trial‑and‑error into a few focused bakes.
Behind the Kitchen Door: How Pizza Shops Are Adjusting to Price Pressure
Rising cheese, flour, labor, and rent costs don’t just pinch customers—they squeeze pizza operators hard.
Many shops are:
- Reducing topping counts on specialty pies
- Charging extra for premium ingredients
- Shrinking portion sizes slightly while holding price
- Leaning on pizza POS systems to track actual food cost and waste in real time
From conversations with independent operators across the U.S., three themes come up again and again.
1. Smarter sourcing of bulk pizza ingredients
Shops are renegotiating contracts and diversifying suppliers for:
- Cheese and tomato products
- Specialty meats (pepperoni, soppressata, sausage)
- Flour and oil
If you’re in the industry, a great starting point is connecting with vetted pizza suppliers who understand volume pricing, logistics, and the unique needs of pizzerias.
2. Investing in commercial pizza equipment for consistency
When every topping counts, commercial pizza equipment becomes a profit tool, not just a gadget:
- Dough mixers sized correctly to your volume
- Dough presses or sheeters for consistent skins
- Accurate deck, conveyor, or rotating ovens
These investments reduce waste, speed up service, and help standardize quality—critical when customers are hyper‑sensitive to value.
To explore sourcing options for bulk pizza ingredients, commercial mixers, and more, check out the supplier listings at The Pizza Weekly’s pizza suppliers directory.
3. Using technology to protect margins
Modern pizza POS systems and pizza delivery software help owners:
- Track food cost and margins per item
- Run targeted pizza shop marketing strategies (text, email, loyalty)
- Optimize delivery zones and driver efficiency
- Integrate with marketplace apps without losing visibility on data
If you run a shop, consider pairing your POS with restaurant tech and marketing tools found in this curated restaurant and pizza tech gear list (Amazon), including tablets, printers, and hardware that support smoother operations.
Pizza Shop Marketing: Why Story and Value Beat Discounts
One thing we’re seeing clearly: endless discounting is a race to the bottom. Instead, successful independent shops are:
- Doubling down on storytelling (grandma’s recipe, local sourcing, unique styles)
- Highlighting value (better ingredients, bigger slices, loyalty rewards)
- Using customer loyalty pizza programs instead of permanent coupons
Here are three pizza shop marketing strategies working right now:
- Text‑based loyalty: Reward repeat visits with free slices or upgrades.
- Behind‑the‑scenes content: Show dough stretching, cheese pulling, and bake shots on social media.
- Theme nights: Detroit Thursdays, Grandma Fridays, or plant‑based Mondays to capture niche demand.
You can implement much of this with simple marketing software, tablets, and displays from this pizza business tools collection (Amazon), which includes gear suited for small operators.
Sustainability & Plant-Based: The New Edge in Pizza Positioning
As prices rise, consumers become more thoughtful not only about cost, but about values:
- Interest in plant‑based pizzas with nut‑based cheeses and veggie‑forward toppings
- Curiosity about sustainable pizza sourcing—where flour, tomatoes, and meat come from
- Preference for shops that highlight local mills, farms, or regenerative producers
Forward‑thinking pizza suppliers are responding with:
- More options for bulk plant‑based ingredients
- Transparent sourcing information
- Eco‑friendlier packaging solutions
Pizza shops that spotlight these moves in their marketing can often justify slight price increases while maintaining loyalty.
FAQ: Pizza Prices, Home Ovens, and Smarter Pizza Nights
Why are pizza prices going up so much?
A combination of rising food costs (cheese, flour, tomatoes), labor shortages, higher rents, and general inflation have all pushed up the cost of a large cheese pizza. NBC’s reporting notes an average price near $17, up roughly 22% in five years.
Is it cheaper to make pizza at home than to order in?
Over time, yes—especially if you invest in a best home pizza oven and buy bulk pizza ingredients smartly. The upfront cost of an oven and tools can be offset by:
- Lower per‑pie ingredient cost
- The ability to use leftovers and pantry staples
- Frequency of your pizza nights
For detailed dough formulas and step‑by‑step methods, visit Pizzaiolo.
What gear do I actually need to start making great pizza at home?
You can start with:
- A pizza stone or steel
- A basic peel
- A digital scale
- A trustworthy pizza dough recipe
Level up with an outdoor oven, turning peel, and IR thermometer. To shortcut the shopping process, browse this home pizza gear roundup (Amazon) for highly rated stones, steels, ovens, and tools.
Where can pizza shops find reliable suppliers for bulk ingredients and equipment?
Shops should build relationships with distributors who specialize in pizzerias. A practical entry point is the suppliers section of The Pizza Weekly, which lists pizza suppliers focused on ingredients, equipment, and services tailored to the industry.
How can pizza shops keep customers happy without constant discounts?
Focus on value, story, and experience:
- Use a strong pizza POS system and customer loyalty pizza program
- Tell your ingredient and sourcing story
- Offer rotating specials instead of permanent coupons
- Communicate clearly about quality when prices change
Complement this with appropriate restaurant tech and marketing tools from this pizza business solutions guide (Amazon).
Final Slice: Inflation Is Forcing Change—But Pizza Is Still King
The story Emilie Ikeda reported for TODAY isn’t about Americans giving up pizza. It’s about something subtler: we’re becoming more intentional about the pizza we choose, the money we spend, and the tools we invest in.
- Pizza enthusiasts are upgrading their home setups with better ovens, stones, and artisanal pizza ingredients.
- Pizza suppliers are innovating around bulk, sustainable, and plant‑based options.
- Pizza shop owners are leaning on smarter pizza POS systems, pizza delivery software, and pizza shop marketing strategies to protect margins while keeping regulars happy.
If you love pizza, this is actually a golden era: more knowledge, more tools, more styles, and more ways to participate—from your apartment oven to a 300‑seat dine‑in restaurant.
Just make sure each slice you pay for—or pull from your own oven—earns its place.
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