California Pizza Kitchen Releases Second Annual Nationwide Pizza Poll for National Pizza Month: Results Reveal Pizza Reigns Supreme as the Number One Food Americans Would Choose If They Could Only Eat One Food for the Rest of Their Lives

Along with releasing the 2018 Pizza Survey, CPK will honor National Pizza Month by kicking off its largest contest to-date – a $10,000 #MyLifePoweredByCauliflower sweepstakes

Other National Pizza Month celebrations include 1,000 chances to win a free Cauliflower Crust Pizza and a new pizza creation from the 2018 Pizza Chef of the Year

A Slice of American Pizza Habits - The results of California Pizza Kitchen's 2018 National Pizza Survey conducted by The Harris Poll. (Image courtesy of California Pizza Kitchen)

LOS ANGELES--()--The people have spoken! The top food Americans choose if they could only eat one food for the rest of their lives is PIZZA – for a second year in a row! The second annual nationwide survey conducted by The Harris Poll®* on behalf of California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) celebrates National Pizza Month this October by revealing a whole new set of fun facts all about pizza. This year’s survey, conducted online among 2,027 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, touches on everything from guilty pleasures to celebrity favorites to dating.

California Pizza Kitchen’s 2018 Pizza Survey highlights include:

  • Pizza reigns supreme: If Americans could only eat one food for the rest of their lives, pizza would be their top choice (21%).
  • The best day of the week: The top food Americans choose as their favorite cheat day food is pizza (25%).
  • Say goodbye to rosé, reality TV, and avocados?!: Nearly 9 in 10 Americans (86%) would be willing to give something up for a year in order to have free pizza whenever they want; among them, nearly half (45%) would be willing to sacrifice reality TV; 92% of millennials (ages 22-37) would be willing to give something up for a year in order to have free pizza whenever they want; among them, 43% would give up rosé wine and 36% would give up avocados.
  • Going head-to-head with a new list of celebrities, “The Rock” still comes up on top: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is Americans’ top choice for the celebrity they would most want to share a slice of pizza with (18%), followed by Betty White (15%) and Ellen DeGeneres (11%); among millennials, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is also the preferred pizza partner (21%), followed by Chris Pratt (13%) and Ellen DeGeneres (12%).**
  • Parents’ preferred pizza playdate pick: Overall, the celebrity mom and her children American parents would most want to have a “pizza playdate” with is a tie between P!nk (12%) and Jennifer Garner (12%); the top choice of millennial parents? Kim Kardashian West (15%)!***
  • Guys want to share a slice with the QB king while the gals choose the tennis queen herself: If Americans could share a pizza with any living sports legend, men’s top choice would be Tom Brady (12%), while women’s top choice is Serena Williams (15%). Among millennials overall, the top choice of living sports legend to share a pizza with is Serena Williams (14%).****
  • MUST love pizza: If they were online dating, more than 3 in 5 Americans (63%) would be likely to “swipe right” for someone who mentions pizza in their online dating profile, with men being more likely than women to do so (67% vs. 60%).
  • Think again before picking up your fork and knife: 22% of Americans would not go on a second date with someone if they ate their pizza with a fork and knife on the first date; 32% of millennials agree.
  • Ooh-la-la!: Nearly half of Americans (44%) believe that “Honey, let’s order pizza tonight’’ is one of the sexiest things your significant other could ever say; 60% of millennials agree.
  • It’s official – pineapple is IN!: Only 36% of Americans believe pineapple on pizza should be illegal.

For a full list of survey findings, please visit http://www.cpk.com/pizzasurvey.

“As the results of our second annual pizza survey show, pizza is a passion for many in a variety of ways – that is why National Pizza Month is something we look forward to celebrating each and every year,” said Jim Hyatt, CEO of CPK. “This year, we have an array of plans to honor everyone’s favorite food. From lighthearted and fun pizza stats, to a creative new pizza invented by our Pizza Chef of the Year, to our biggest sweepstakes yet, this National Pizza Month will offer something for everyone to enjoy.”

In addition to releasing the results of its 2018 Pizza Survey, CPK will celebrate National Pizza Month and its industry-first Cauliflower Pizza Crust by kicking off its largest contest to-date, giving away up to $10,000 total in the “My Life. Powered by Cauliflower.” Sweepstakes. From Oct. 3-31, CPK guests can enter the sweepstakes by sharing how they would like their lives to be “Powered by Cauliflower.” Whether training for a marathon, planning Date Night, or catering for a Little League team, show us how you fuel your life deliciously, and healthfully, with cauliflower! Ten lucky winners will win up to $1,000 each to use toward their “Powered by Cauliflower” goals. Complete rules and regulations, including details on how to enter, are available at www.cpk.com/nationalpizzamonth.

In addition, CPK Rewards™ loyalty members can log onto CPK.com on October 3rd for a chance to claim one of 1,000 free Cauliflower Crust Pizzas! The giveaway is first-come, first-served beginning October 3rd at 9 a.m. PDT, so set your alarm because they’re sure to go quickly!

Another Winning Creation from CPK’s Pizza Chef of the Year Joins the New Fall Seasonal Menu

This National Pizza Month, CPK is also excited to introduce the seasonal Spicy Chorizo Pizza. Available with CPK’s fall seasonal menu beginning Oct. 2 and for a limited time, this special pizza was created by CPK’s 2018 Pizza Chef of the Year, Daniel Peña, from the Geneva Commons location in Illinois. With the company for over six years, Peña won the highly competitive annual company pizza making contest with his innovative creation that features Mexican chorizo with a housemade guajillo pepper sauce, roasted poblanos, onions and quesadilla cheese, topped with fresh avocado and cilantro, served on hand-tossed dough.

Other highlights of CPK’s fall seasonal menu include:

  • Pumpkin Cheesecake: A creamy pumpkin cheesecake over a layer of classic New York cheesecake, on a buttery graham cracker crust.
  • Roasted Garlic Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables: Pan-roasted chicken breast in lemon-garlic sauce with hearth-roasted fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, Mediterranean herbs, and seasonal vegetables.
  • Sugar Plum Sangria: A blend of red wine, Captain Morgan® Spiced Rum, St. Germain Elderflower, cranberry and lemonade with hints of stone fruit topped with a little bubbly.

CPK’s Permanent Menu Expands

In addition to the seasonal offerings, CPK expands its permanent menu with several delicious new additions, including:

  • Chorizo + Black Bean Piadina: A new variety of CPK’s pizza-style sandwiches, with chorizo, black beans, quesadilla cheese, charred red onion, salsa verde, crisp lettuce and fresh cilantro (can also be made on Cauliflower Pizza Crust for an additional charge).
  • Grilled Steak Salad: Warm steak (cooked to medium) served over chopped lettuce & arugula, Nueske’s® applewood smoked bacon, jicama, red cabbage, charred red onion petals, tomatoes and Gorgonzola, tossed in bleu cheese dressing.
  • Lunch Duos with Pastas: Now with more options to choose from, pastas join lunchtime versions of CPK’s pizzas, salads and soups to create your favorite combinations, including:
    • Bolognese Spaghetti: Slowly simmered rustic meat sauce with Cremini mushrooms, sprinkled with scallions.
    • Sweet Pea Carbonara: Delicate pea-filled pasta purses, Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon and spinach with Parmesan cream and cracked black pepper.
    • Tomato Basil Spaghetti: Italian tomato sauce with sautéed garlic and fresh basil.
  • Shanghai Power Bowl: Seared shrimp with black heirloom rice, baby broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots and watermelon radish, served warm in a housemade Shanghai sauce.
  • Sonoma Grilled Chicken Flatbread: Marinated red grapes roasted in the hearth oven with grilled chicken, double cream Brie, caramelized onions Parmesan and fresh wild arugula.
  • Cabana Splash: Made with Milagro® Silver tequila, RumHaven™ coconut rum, agave sour, pineapple juice, sparkling water, fresh mint and poblano peppers for a hint of spice!
  • Tropical Mule: A refreshing combination of Grey Goose® vodka, RumHaven™ coconut rum, ginger beer, Monin® Passion Fruit and agave sour.
  • Woodford Old Fashioned: Made with Woodford Reserve® bourbon, Cointreau® elixir infused with espresso beans, bitters and a spiced tart cherry.

To encourage guests to try these delicious new menu items, CPK is offering a special $10 off $40 offer to new members who register for CPK Rewards™ throughout October.

To learn more about CPK’s menu and check the availability of items in your area, please visit www.cpk.com/menu.

*Survey Methodology: This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of California Pizza Kitchen from August 29-31, 2018 among 2,027 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact cpkmedia@cpk.com.

**Options presented include: Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Chris Pratt, Drake, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, Justin Bieber, Oprah Winfrey, and Selena Gomez

***Options presented include: Beyoncé, Chrissy Teigen, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Alba, Joanna Gaines, Kim Kardashian West, Kristen Bell, Nicole Richie, and P!nk

****Options presented include: Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez, Chloe Kim, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kobe Bryant, Ronda Rousey, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Stephen Curry, and Tom Brady

About California Pizza Kitchen

In 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) opened its first restaurant in Beverly Hills and introduced diners to innovative California-style pizza. With a passion for combining fresh, seasonal ingredients with flavor inspirations from around the world, today CPK is a global brand serving creative California cuisine in more than 250 restaurants in 13 countries and U.S. territories. From signature, hand-tossed pizzas and high-quality main plates to inventive better-for-you options, Lunch Duos, premium wines and hand-crafted beverages, CPK adds its imaginative twist to create a memorable casual dining experience. For more information, visit cpk.com. Connect with CPK on Twitter at @calpizzakitchen (#NEWCPK), Instagram at @californiapizzakitchen, and Facebook at facebook.com/californiapizzakitchen. Download the new CPK Rewards™ app for iOS and Android to earn rewards for dining creatively, pay by mobile, order online and more.

Contacts

California Pizza Kitchen
Kathleen Bush
310-342-5020
cpkmedia@cpk.com
or
Coast Public Relations for CPK
Kate Franklin
818-606-9784
kate@coastprgroup.com

Release Summary

California Pizza Kitchen Releases Second Annual Nationwide Pizza Poll for National Pizza Month

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Contacts

California Pizza Kitchen
Kathleen Bush
310-342-5020
cpkmedia@cpk.com
or
Coast Public Relations for CPK
Kate Franklin
818-606-9784
kate@coastprgroup.com