# Am I the only one who dislikes more pizza toppings than likes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247 "2019-04-30T05:54:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/21 "2019-04-30T12:36:00Z")
I, also, like plain pizza. There are some toppings I enjoy (yes, including ham and pineapple) but most detract from the pizza, and several render it inedible. No peppers. No pepperoni. No undercooked onion. (Cooked onion, chicken, most sausage detract, but i can still eat it.) So, in general, in a group, I’ll eat the plain. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/22 "2019-04-30T12:51:58Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > …we can all agree that there’s nothing more disgusting, more hideous, than a large, greasy hunk o’oinion Nope, sizable slabs of onion are fine with me. Chunks of garlic are good too, not that you ever get them on store-bought pizza. Fruit does not belong on pizza. Most vegetables are fine, though a savory rutabaga pizza doesn’t really hit the spot for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/23 "2019-04-30T13:08:37Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Am I the only adult who likes plain cheese pizza? Nah. Once, when someone in the office was ordering pizzas for a party, I noted that no one ever says “I want plain cheese” but if you get a plain cheese pizza, it always disappears quickly. I guess it’s not most people’s first choice but it’s still fairly high on the list. Sure enough, since then we’ve always gotten a cheese and it always goes before the others do since everyone takes a couple pieces of either A, B or C but then everyone also grabs a piece or two of the plain cheese. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/24 "2019-04-30T13:13:18Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > There’s only a few I like: > > cheese > tomato > broccoli > pepperoni > any bell pepper > onions only if they’re diced, and in moderation, considering that we can all agree that there’s nothing more disgusting, more hideous, than a large, greasy hunk o’oinion > spinach, again in moderation > oregano > salami > egg > > This means that ever other topping is unacceptable and must be exterminated, fumigated. > > Anyone else with this exact same discerning, refined sense of selectivity? > > 🙂 I like even less than you do…and I won’t eat it if it’s got something on it that I don’t like. That pretty much goes for everything I eat…I’m very picky. For pizza, I like sausage (hot or sweet), pepperoni, fresh moz (though I’ll take the other kind too), Parmesan, New York style crust and…well, that’s it. I will eat other meats on my pizza, and I’ll eat some other types of crust, but basically I like sausage and pepperoni pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/25 "2019-04-30T13:28:28Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Egg? On Pizza? Sounds intriguing. > Am I the only adult who likes plain cheese pizza? > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > No, you’re not. > > We are clearly in the minority though. It’s sad that a food which can approach perfection with simple balanced ingredients and a skilled hand gets used as a delivery device for chopped up meat and vegetables. I can’t let this go. There is no such thing as “cheese pizza”. That’s like giving someone an empty pie shell and calling it a “crust pie”. Cheese is not a topping, it’s part of the base. It doesn’t become a pizza until there’s at least one topping. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/26 "2019-04-30T13:30:17Z")
I have my preferences for toppings but generally I’ll accept any topping someone else wants. You can put anything on bread. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/27 "2019-04-30T13:34:14Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > I can’t let this go. There is no such thing as “cheese pizza”. That’s like giving someone an empty pie shell and calling it a “crust pie”. Cheese is not a topping, it’s part of the base. It doesn’t become a pizza until there’s at least one topping. This is nonsense. Have you had authentic Italian pizza? The minimal definition of pizza is crust, period. The most basic pizza is crust with a dusting of olive oil and grated cheese. Tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese are both optional toppings. There are plenty of pizza styles that so without either. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/28 "2019-04-30T13:44:28Z")
I’m a vegetarian, but will eat any non-meat topping except onions and spicy stuff. I never had pineapple pizza until one day at work when they ordered ham and pineapple and told the place to leave two slices with “just pineapple.” Feeling obligated to eat it, I did. Bring on the pineapple! Pineapple on pizza is yummy, and my new favorite. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/29 "2019-04-30T13:45:14Z")
I’m generally good with most things on pizza, except for strange vegetables and fruits (no peas, no corn, no squash, for example). That said, the best pizza I ever had was a tuna and onion one. I tend toward the more strongly flavored toppings- anchovies, salami, peppers, onions, sausage, but one of my all-time favorite combinations is prosciutto and onions. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/30 "2019-04-30T13:46:36Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > This is nonsense. Have you had authentic Italian pizza? The minimal definition of pizza is crust, period. The most basic pizza is crust with a dusting of olive oil and grated cheese. > > Tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese are both optional toppings. There are plenty of pizza styles that so without either. Amen to that. The bread is, and always should be, the centre of attention. Anything that gets added should be to enhance, not overwhelm the bread. My personal preference is to make a fresh arrabiata sauce and smear on a thin layer, some dabs of mozzerella with olive oil, garlic and basil. If I’m sharing with my daughter we’ll add some tuna, red onion and black olives…but not too much! In all cases there should be a good inch of bare crust around the outside, otherwise it just ain’t pizza for me. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/31 "2019-04-30T13:57:27Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > There’s only a few I like: > > cheese > tomato > broccoli > pepperoni > any bell pepper > onions only if they’re diced, and in moderation, considering that we can all agree that there’s nothing more disgusting, more hideous, than a large, greasy hunk o’oinion > spinach, again in moderation > oregano > salami > egg > > This means that ever other topping is unacceptable and must be exterminated, fumigated. > > Anyone else with this exact same discerning, refined sense of selectivity? > > 🙂 That’s a much longer list than I have! My go-to pizza is a standard pepperoni pizza. I’ll tolerate sausage but am not a fan of caraway or fennel seeds (not sure which one is used in sausage). You list oregano - that’s a standard pizza spice so that’s more than likely on all pizzas. I love oregano. You also list tomato - I don’t like chunks of tomato but I love the tomato pizza sauce which is also a standard pizza ingredient. Same thing goes for cheese - wouldn’t be a pizza without mozzarella! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/32 "2019-04-30T13:58:57Z")
I, also, like plain pizza. There are some toppings I enjoy (yes, including ham and pineapple) but most detract from the pizza, and several render it inedible. No peppers. No pepperoni. No undercooked onion. (Cooked onion, chicken, most sausage detract, but i can still eat it.) So, in general, in a group, I’ll eat the plain. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/33 "2019-04-30T14:06:57Z")
I once had a slice of cheeseburger pizza. It had mustard on it. That was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/34 "2019-04-30T14:23:04Z")
Thanks for the responses so far. Oop - forgot…gotta be thin, hard crust. ---
**Author:** ![MDfive21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@MDfive21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MDfive21)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/35 "2019-04-30T14:24:08Z")
OP my list is way shorter than yours. if i’m going to break the diet, my pizza can only have pepperoni on it. i will tolerate other meat like italian sausage or ground beef, but ham and canadian bacon are decidedly not worth it. i eat a lot of veggies already and they have no place on a pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/36 "2019-04-30T14:31:19Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > I can’t let this go. There is no such thing as “cheese pizza”. That’s like giving someone an empty pie shell and calling it a “crust pie”. Cheese is not a topping, it’s part of the base. It doesn’t become a pizza until there’s at least one topping. If cheese pizza tastes like an empty pie shell, you’re eating shit pizza, and I can forgive you for thinking that its only value is in holding up some chopped veggies and sausages. You are covering up the lousy taste of your bad pizza with other flavors and textures. If you’re eating an excellent pizza, it’s a mix of excellent bread, excellent tomato sauce and excellent cheese in a well balanced combination. A good pizza isn’t enhanced by burying it under a mountain of toppings. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/37 "2019-04-30T14:35:04Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If cheese pizza tastes like an empty pie shell, you’re eating shit pizza But shit is a topping. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/38 "2019-04-30T14:45:08Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > I can’t let this go. There is no such thing as “cheese pizza”. That’s like giving someone an empty pie shell and calling it a “crust pie”. Cheese is not a topping, it’s part of the base. It doesn’t become a pizza until there’s at least one topping. Like others, I am shocked that anyone would have this perspective. You must be eating terrible pizza. Do you like toast? Bread and butter? Bread and dipping oil? Bread sticks? A good challah? Brioche? Pizza is a flat bread, ideally made with delicious bread. It usually has some flavoring elements, of which tomato sauce and mozzarella are the most common, but by no means required. Sometimes, people heap all sorts of stuff atop their pizza, and that can be tasty, if the stuff is tasty. Like a Dagwood sandwich can be tasty. But bp&j is still a sandwich, and Pizza crust with just a dusting of oil and some garlic is still pizza. Pizza crust with tomato sauce and mozzarella may be the most popular type. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/39 "2019-04-30T14:52:29Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Egg? On Pizza? Sounds intriguing. One of my favorite pizza experiences was in Rome. A friend took us out to his favorite pizzeria and as we are ordering, he turns to me and says, “I would like to order what is called [capricciosa](https://www.tasteatlas.com/capricciosa), but it comes with egg, will you eat this?” looked at the laundry list of ingredients for this pizza in the menu and said “sure”. I expected some hardboiled egg on mixed in with the other ingredients. Instead, the chef assembled the pizza, shoved it into the oven, and then about midway through, extracted the pizza and cracked a fresh egg on top of it, then shoved it back in. It came to the table as a pizza with a perfectly cooked sunny-side up egg on top of it, which we broke up and spread across the pie before eating the slices. It was one of the most delicious pizzas I had ever eaten. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247/40 "2019-04-30T15:07:22Z")
OP, I don’t think your list of acceptable toppings is short (at least, not by my standards). I’m not a veggie lover, so my go-to toppings list is pretty small. - Sausage - Pepperoni - Bacon - Canadian bacon - Ham - Ground beef (rarely) - Garlic I’ll also sometimes have a Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple), or a Buffalo chicken pizza (chicken breast chunks and Buffalo sauce). And that’s about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-dislikes-more-pizza-toppings-than-likes/833247.md?page=3)