It turns out the pizza toppings people choose can reveal a lot about them. At least, that’s what researchers believe.
Dr. Alan Hirsch, director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, says our taste preferences reveal a lot about our personalities. A classic pizza can be a good marker for identifying those traits.
According to Dr. Hirsch, social situations like a date are one chance to learn about someone through their pizza choices.
“Typically, when ordering pizza, you tend to choose the same one over and over again. You select your pizza not for its nutritional value, but based on your personality. So, if you go on a date, be sure to pay attention to what pizza your companion orders to understand their character and decide if a second date is worth it,” Dr. Hirsch told the Daily Mail.
What Did Dr. Hirsch’s Research Reveal?
The researcher enlisted 1,000 American adults in his food-and-personality study. Participants took personality tests and reported their food choices, especially pizza toppings.
Those who prefer a basic pizza with a single meat topping (like ham) tended to be irritable and argumentative. They often take offense easily and procrastinate.
People who love meat-loaded pizzas tend to be charismatic, magnetic extroverts who enjoy being the center of attention.
And what about those who order strictly vegetarian pizzas? People who order strictly vegetarian pizzas tend to be sensitive, balanced, and easy to talk to; they try to understand others. Dr. Hirsch called them “universal romantics” and said they make ideal parents.
Those who favor spicy toppings tend to be risk-takers who thrive on adrenaline.
People who pick high-protein toppings (like chicken or seafood) are usually sociable and show it in lively groups.
However, people who order unconventional toppings like pineapple or onion often show aggressive, pragmatic traits and are intolerant of foolishness.
And That’s Not All
Adding to Dr. Hirsch’s findings, representatives from the British pizza chain Fireaway shared their observations.
They said pepperoni lovers “always bring the energy to a party,” while chili fans “thrive during emotional storms.”
Mushroom lovers are “complex and grounded,” while pineapple eaters are “agents of chaos who flirt with danger,” the chain said.
They said olive lovers, both green and black, have such a distinctive character that people either “love them or can’t stand them.”
Dr. Hirsch emphasized his research shows correlation, not causation, between personality and pizza-topping choices. In other words, it’s unclear whether personality traits influence topping choices or topping choices reflect personality.
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