By: Phillip Berkwit

Pineapple on pizza, also known as Hawaiian Pizza, is one of the most controversial and divisive food pairings of all time. The pairing is simple. One just adds pineapples as a topping to pizza. Some restaurants also add chicken or ham with pineapple. The pizza first became a sensation in 1962 when a Canadian man named Sam Panopoulos put it on his menu. According to BBC, “the brand of tinned pineapple was called Hawaiian, so Panopoulos’s invention was named in its honor.” 

Ever since this genius idea, many critics have passionately described pineapple on pizza as “disgusting”, “culturally insulting”, and “unnecessary.”  

At Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS) pineapple on pizza has a somewhat mixed reception. About 46 percent of students said they did not like or accept pineapple on pizza compared to 55 percent of students who said they did like it or accepted it. 

“I don’t like pineapples, I like lemons on pizza,” stated John Chau, a PVHS senior. 

However, according to BBC, 82 percent of people in a 2017 survey said they liked pineapple on pizza. Despite pineapple on pizza haters making up only 18 percent of the general population, they have made their critical opinions loud on social media. There are hundreds upon thousands of videos and posts that find the need to bash pineapple on pizza. Hating pineapple on pizza has become a sensational trend.

However, according to WebMD, “Pineapples are rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids, two antioxidants that protect your cells from free radicals that can cause chronic disease.” By adding pineapples to pizza, one can decrease their chances of getting diseases. Pineapples are also extremely low in calories, with an entire pineapple having only 452 calories. When cut up into chunks, multiple pieces of pineapples can be less than 40 calories. 

However, many of the haters only care about the taste. Although taste is subjective, many of these haters have proven themselves to be hypocrites. They dislike the taste of  a sweet fruit on pizza but have no issue with fried fruit or banana chips which embrace the same gimmick that pineapple on pizza does. This is the equivalent to an astronaut saying he hates space yet loves the moon. 

One of the most used objections to pineapple on pizza is that it disrespects Italian culture. Although pineapple on pizza did not originate in Italy, it is available there. In fact, according toPequod Pizza, “renowned pizza maestro Gino Sorbillo now serves a pineapple pizza right on the world’s most famous street for pizza — Via dei Tribunali in Naples.” However, even if pineapple on pizza was illegal in Italy, this objection is still flimsy. In American culture, a multitude of foods have been revamped or restyled to fit American culture. This is not just true for foods but also films and television. Assimilating foods is commonplace in America. The objectors of pineapple on pizza have no issue with pizza that originates in New York that is in no way the same as purebred Italian pizza.  

In fact, modern day pizzas in any country are a far cry from the food’s initial inception. According to Wise Guy Pizza Pie, the first pizzas “would have likely been quite plain, simple cheese on flatbread with whatever toppings were available.” These ancient pizzas didn’t have set toppings, and they were more like flatbreads than anything else. It wasn’t until the 18^th century that more modern pizzas were created. 

Pineapple on pizza is a triumphant underdog. No matter what the haters say, pineapple on pizza is an objective hit. Almost every major pizza chain has pineapple on pizza as a topping choice including Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Dominos, they have all embraced the beauty of pineapple on pizza. 

Graphic by Philip Berkwit