Pizza Delivery Revolution

Imagine a time where pizza delivery wasn’t an option. Some might say these were simpler times, but here at Empire Slice House in the OKC Plaza District, we believe that pizza wouldn’t be the same without the development of pizza delivery. The convenience of having pizza delivered to your door is a luxury we often overlook considering pizza delivery dates back to the 1800s. Aside from calling and getting a pizza delivered to your home or even workplace, pizza restaurants all around the world have developed this convenience even further with the creation of ordering online delivery, etc. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Keep reading to explore the very first delivery, delivery revolution, modern day delivery, and more. You might even get your fav pizza delivered from Empire Slice House.

The Very First Pizza Delivery

Like we mentioned earlier, pizza delivery has been an evolving position since the late 1800s. The very first delivery was requested by Queen Marghertia of Savoy in 1889 in Naples. If you’ve read some of our other blogs then the fact that the first pizza delivery was in Naples would make sense considering that’s where the first pizza was created and sold in stores. That’s besides the point, though. The reasoning behind this Queen’s demand for pizza delivery was because she fell ill and the only thing that would make her better was to have authentic Italian food … well that’s not exactly how it happened, but Queen Margherita was sick and she did request authentic Italian food. The pizza that takes the prize for first ever pizza delivered consisted of mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes–to honor the Italian flag’s colors. The Queen loved it so much that Chef Raffaele Esposito named the pizza after her. Margherita pizzas are still well known and loved even today!

Increasing Demand for Delivery

Although Queen Margherita is credited with the very first, delivery didn’t become popular until after World War II in 1945. Many U.S. soldiers, back on homeland, craved food they had eaten abroad, pizza included! However, as expected, many soldiers did not have access to a pizzeria in their cities. This is where New York City style pizza (and the best style in our opinion) stepped in and stepped up. Pizzerias in New York City started offering “order to take home” pizzas and not long after, Los Angeles took this idea a step further by offering free pizza deliveries with their pizza orders (don’t ya wish free delivery was still the standard?). With the combined pizza delivery option from both small and large pizzerias, the pizza delivery revolution began.

Modern Day Pizza Delivery

Now the official start date that is considered to be the modern fast food delivery era is 1960. This is also when most Americans had or could afford 2 vehicles, hence a great opportunity for the modern pizza delivery system. Because of this new “norm”, fast food restaurants and even sit down restaurants started offering delivery services. Since the competition was so intense, pizza places that deliver started offering a “30-minutes or less” delivery guarantee, skyrocketing pizza delivery popularity. However, the guarantee that your pizza will be delivered in 30 minutes or less, otherwise it would be free, completely faded away by the early 1990s due to too many car accidents and the lawsuits that ensued.

Because of the expansive desire and cravings for pizza around not just the U.S., but around the world, pizza delivery services have survived – thank God, too. Now, we have access to delivery in so many more ways than just a phone call. Thanks to the internet and the booming smartphone app industry, you are able to order a pizza right at your fingertips. Including here at Empire Slice House, might we add!

Get Empire Slice House Pizza Delivered

Now that you’ve read the brief history of pizza delivery, there’s no better excuse than now to order your very own pizza from Empire Slice House. Check out our website for the full online menu, to find a pizza place location closest to you for efficient pizza delivery, order a pizza online, and more. You could even try Queen Margherita’s favorite pizza slice made by yours truly. Not particularly craving pizza right now? No worries! We also have delicious salads, meatballs, dessert, and craft beer. Not here for our food? Check out the about us page, our employment opportunities, or our gallery for all things Empire. We look forward to eating a slice of pizza with you at one of our pizza shops! See you at our pizza place soon.