# Males vs Females: Do you eat pizza with a fork and a knife, or with your hands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139 "2013-01-23T19:30:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/21 "2013-01-23T20:33:03Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > (Missed the edit winder) The custom in the northeast is also to cut pizza in squares, instead of across as Shakey Johnson intended. The northeast of _what_? I’ve been in Boston for 31 years, and I’ve only seen one place that cuts it into squares\*. And they’ve stopped. \*Does not apply to Sicilian. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/22 "2013-01-23T20:38:35Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The northeast of _what_? > > I’ve been in Boston for 31 years… Putting you northeast of me. But I had a gloppy, square-cut pizza up there in Mass, too. And I ate it with a fork. ETA: …and some fava beans and a nice Keyanty. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/23 "2013-01-23T20:39:10Z")
I vote “with my hands”, but like many others, the first few bites are with a fork so I don’t burn the roof of my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/24 "2013-01-23T20:39:59Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The northeast of _what_? > > I’ve been in Boston for 31 years, and I’ve only seen one place that cuts it into squares\*. And they’ve stopped. > > \*Does not apply to Sicilian. Beat me to the punch. Northeast of what was my first thought. The only place that cuts non-Sicilian pizza into squares is dominos on their thin crust pizza. And that’s not really pizza. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/25 "2013-01-23T20:42:25Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Beat me to the punch. Northeast of what was my first thought. The only place that cuts non-Sicilian pizza into squares is dominos on their thin crust pizza. And that’s not really pizza. And the Dogwood Cafe. But like I said, they’ve stopped. Which I found to be disappointing. Their blueberry pie is still mouthgasmic, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/26 "2013-01-23T20:43:04Z")
Usually by hand, except when the situation requires differently, for all the reasons other posters have already given (except the Italian restaurant thing, except that they seem to also have floppy toppings more often as well.) ---
**Author:** ![SweetiePotato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SweetiePotato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetiePotato)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/27 "2013-01-23T20:47:37Z")
If given the option, I’ll have my pizza slice with a large blanket of salad on top. The presence of salad makes the knife-and-fork combo a necessity. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/28 "2013-01-23T20:51:57Z")
Depends primarily on the sort of place serving the pizza. If it is a nice place with cloth napkins serving in a European style, just use a knife and fork. Very thin pizzas that are served unsliced on a plate with accompanying silverware obviously means that the pizza is meant to be eaten a certain way. Most pizza in the states is designed to be eaten with one’s hands. That’s fine too. I think it is a little weird to eat that kind of pizza with a knife and fork, but whatever. So, I can’t answer the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/29 "2013-01-23T20:55:37Z")
Some say that he eats pizza with a spoon. All we know is he’s called The Stig. > [@NitroPress](#): > > (Missed the edit winder) The custom in the northeast is also to cut pizza in squares, instead of across as Shakey Johnson intended. I feel like I’m eating in a grade school cafeteria with these little rectangles. The original Shakey’s Pizza was in Sacramento. I owe it my very existence. Like others, I eat pizza with my hands, if possible. Very thin and floppy crusts require a knife and fork. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/30 "2013-01-23T20:59:42Z")
I generally eat with my hands, but will use utensils if it’s too hot and/or messy for the situation (for example, sometimes I prefer not to get my hands messy). The \*real \*problem is if you _don’t_ eat pizza…not how it gets to your mouth.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/31 "2013-01-23T21:00:39Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > The original Shakey’s Pizza was in Sacramento. I owe it my very existence. My parents were friends with Shakey Johnson and among those who encouraged him to take the plunge with the first store. The chain no longer exists outside of a much-revised version in SoCal, with a few scattered outliers. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/32 "2013-01-23T21:10:32Z")
I’m a female. Hands. My father is male. Knife and fork. -Which is a little weird, because until recently, my father ate a lot of non-pizza food with his hands. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/33 "2013-01-23T21:21:33Z")
Within the realm of NYC-style pizza, eating it with a knife and fork basically makes you appear to be priggish and prissy and Not From Around Here in the extreme. Male or female, same thing. I happen to be female. I’ve eaten Chicago style with a knife & fork though. So, “it depends.” ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/34 "2013-01-23T21:27:49Z")
I thought the whole “pizza with a fork and knife” thing was kind of a joke about uptight people. I had no idea people did this. Why would you use a fork and knife when it’s so conveniently packaged? If it’s that gooey and deep-dish is it really still a pizza or has it moved over to casserole territory? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/35 "2013-01-23T21:37:45Z")
With hands if it’s thin crust and knife and fork if it’s deep dish. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/36 "2013-01-23T21:40:16Z")
In Maine, there is no square pizza, and I think I can safely state that Maine is in the Northeast – the extreme Northeast, in fact. On the other hand, out in Niagara Falls, square pizza is about the only thing you can get. There, it’s not a “pie,” it’s a “tray.” Full disclosure: this is from memory as I have relatives in Western NY, but I haven’t really spent much time there in the past couple of decades. ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/37 "2013-01-23T21:49:17Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Within the realm of NYC-style pizza, eating it with a knife and fork basically makes you appear to be priggish and prissy and Not From Around Here in the extreme. Male or female, same thing. I happen to be female. > > I’ve eaten Chicago style with a knife & fork though. So, “it depends.” Wasn’t there massive, disproportionate outrage about Donald Trump eating pizza with knife and fork a while back? I think that was in Chicago too. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/38 "2013-01-23T21:49:35Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > Putting you northeast of me. But I had a gloppy, square-cut pizza up there in Mass, too. And I ate it with a fork. > > ETA: …and some fava beans and a nice Keyanty. 😃 What are you calling the Northeast? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/39 "2013-01-23T21:51:00Z")
> [@Sevencl](#): > > Wasn’t there massive, disproportionate outrage about Donald Trump eating pizza with knife and fork a while back? I think that was in Chicago too. Look at the Daily Show clip I posted in post 6. It’s funny. The outrage isn’t exactly real. And it was in NYC but at a crappy chain. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139/40 "2013-01-23T21:51:22Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > There, it’s not a “pie,” it’s a “tray.” It’s Sicilian. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/males-vs-females-do-you-eat-pizza-with-a-fork-and-a-knife-or-with-your-hands/648139.md?page=3)