We don’t often think of the origin of pizza delivery. It’s just a thing that we have. You know that when you pick up the phone to order pizza delivery in Nashua, your favorite pizzeria is going to offer it, with rare exceptions. But, like anything else, pizza delivery started somewhere.
Let’s speed through history and find out how pizza delivery became a part of everyday life.
The Queen of Italy Loves Pizza
The very first (recorded) pizza delivery happened in 1889. The port city of Naples, Italy, is the birthplace of pizza as we know it today. Whilst on a visit, during a tour of their newly-united kingdom, King Umberto I and Queen Margherita wanted to try some local cuisine. Chefs from all over the city brought their best offerings. The Queen especially loved pizza, and the Margherita pizza is named after her.
Returning Soldiers Miss Pizza
The Second World War ended in 1945, and American soldiers returned home from Europe. Although they were happy to be home, they missed the food they enjoyed while they were abroad, especially pizza. American families also had a little extra money after the war, so eating out was less of a luxury than it was in the past. Pizzerias popped up all over the country. Many of them offered pizzas you could “order to take home,” and restaurants in bigger cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, offered delivery. The service was very popular and soon spread throughout the country.
No One Likes Soggy Pizza
Believe it or not, the corrugated cardboard pizza box wasn’t invented until 1960. The founder of Domino’s, Tom Monaghan, actually came up with the idea. Before that innovation, there wasn’t a good way to stack pizzas that also allowed the steam to vent. The cardboard pizza box solved that problem. No more soggy pizza!
The Internet Was Made for Pizza
The internet has given us a lot of amazing things, but we think the best is online pizza ordering. Websites for ordering pizza delivery first appeared in 1997 and paved the way for ordering pizza through our smartphones today. Now, if you want to order pizza delivery in Nashua, all you have to do is snag your phone!