# I'm going to treat you to a pizza. The catch? You're only allowed to pick one topping. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302 "2017-01-16T10:08:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/21 "2017-01-16T13:52:17Z")
Pepperoni. Maryland has a state-wide chain known as **Ledo’s**. Though you have to be in the mood for it since it’s a non-traditional pie, that’s what I’d opt for. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/22 "2017-01-16T13:58:33Z")
What, I can’t order _double_ onions? Guess I’ll have to settle for pepperoni. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/23 "2017-01-16T14:01:38Z")
The quality of a pizza is inversely proportional to the number of restaurants in a chain. I’d go to any of several local pizzerias. The topping would be pepperoni. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/24 "2017-01-16T14:04:28Z")
Sausage from one of the local chains out here in the Chicago suburbs. Rosati’s, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/25 "2017-01-16T14:11:00Z")
I’ll go from Papa Johns because, dammit, I like the Papa! And gimme some sausage. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/26 "2017-01-16T14:13:54Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I’ll go from Papa Johns because, dammit, I like the Papa! > > And gimme some sausage. Oooh, you like it when Papa gives you the sausage, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/27 "2017-01-16T14:24:54Z")
I’d probably go with sausage, but honestly, I’m not picky. Pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, bacon, ham, extra cheese, spinach, artichokes… Any one of them would be acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/28 "2017-01-16T14:50:24Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Mushrooms. > [@N9IWP](#): > > Sausage, without even having to think about it. This is the kind I get 99% of the time anyway. I’d have to think of from where I got it though. > > Brian My ideal pizza is sausage and mushroom, so I could go with either of those. I’d probably choose sausage if I could only have one simply because they have more flavor. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/29 "2017-01-16T15:09:37Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Sausage from one of the local chains out here in the Chicago suburbs. Rosati’s, maybe. Hey, there’s a Rosati’s around the corner (about a mile) from me and it looks like the same folks. At least they’re from Chicago and Illinois in general. Nothing like a recommendation from the Dope… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/30 "2017-01-16T15:27:44Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Pepperoni. > > [/Thread] Yup. There are two types of pizza, plain and pepperoni. All the rest are pizza and something else. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/31 "2017-01-16T15:31:56Z")
Lou Malnati’s. Pepperoni. Does butter crust count as a topping? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/32 "2017-01-16T15:37:15Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Anything besides those two things counts, however… The chain-Papa Johns. The topping-Another pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/33 "2017-01-16T15:57:11Z")
Oh, and if I have to pick a national chain, it’d probably be Sbarro’s. But then again, if I’m picking Sbarro’s, I’d probably be getting a calzone instead of pizza. Local chains, of course, there are usually better options, though it depends on your locality. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/34 "2017-01-16T16:06:42Z")
Easy, since this is my usual order: Italian sausage. ETA: Oh, I missed the chain part. Let’s say Lou Malnati’s. ETA2: or maybe Home Run Inn. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/35 "2017-01-16T16:10:35Z")
I’ll follow **puly** ’s idea, since I’ve never had Lou’s pizza. Otherwise my answer would be anchovy. Why? Because if I’m just going to throw the pizza in the trash, it would be a shame to take good pepperoni with it. I don’t eat chain pizza as a rule. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/36 "2017-01-16T16:16:17Z")
Hungry Howies Mushrooms ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/37 "2017-01-16T16:27:22Z")
Another vote for pepperoni. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/38 "2017-01-16T16:34:21Z")
What’s the catch? I never have more than one topping, anyway. Topping: Something meat — bacon, if they have it. Otherwise meatball. Not pepperoni under any circumstances ever. Chain: I’ve never had pizza from a national chain, so any one is as good as another for me. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/39 "2017-01-16T16:37:37Z")
Sausage. National chain: Papa John’s. Otherwise, Candelite’s cracker crust. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302/40 "2017-01-16T16:41:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I don’t eat chain pizza as a rule. There are chains and then there are small, local chains (for the purposes of this, I’m defining “chain” as a restaurant that has more than one location). For example, the one I picked, Jake’s, has five or six restaurants scattered around the Bay Area (not all of them named “Jake’s” but all of them under the same umbrella with the same menus) and their pizza is excellent. Not “chainy” at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-treat-you-to-a-pizza-the-catch-youre-only-allowed-to-pick-one-topping/777302.md?page=3)