Michigan Resident Makes the Case: We Invented Modern American Pizza

It's something that perhaps those outside of Michigan don't realize, the state has made an outsized impact on the pizza industry in America.

Sure, New York is recognized at the city where Italian immigrants first introduced the food to the nation. Chicago has its deep dish (although the locals know that's for the tourists - real Chicagoans go for the city's lesser known thin variety). And Southern California gave us a variety with non-traditional toppings.

New York, Chicago, and... Michigan? The True Origins of American Pizza

But when it comes to work-a-day pizza. The pizza that feeds millions of people day in and day out, there is little argument that Michigan has led the way.

The argument was put forward on the Michigan subreddit of Reddit saying flatly: We Invented Pizza.

Just found out today that a whole bunch of pizza chains started in Michigan. Not only Little Caesar’s, but also Jets, Dominos and Hungry Howies.

Am I the only one that didn’t know about this? Edit: Also Cottage Inn

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There are other regional chains to add as well BC Pizza and Mancino's.

More Than Just Chains: Michigan's Regional Pizza Contributions

One commenter summed it up even better. It's not that Michigan invented pizza: we invented the mass production of pizza. Apt considering it was the assembly line and innovations at Ford that drove the automobile industry. The same principles apply to sending another pie down the line and into the oven.

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Or putting the state's two industries of pizza and cars together, there's another innovation: pizza delivery and particularly Domino's 30 minute guarantee.

There's also a point to be made about Detroit Style Pizza. It's had a moment in the last decade as the deep rectangular pies were on the menu and in the grocery aisles across the country far from Michigan.