The probem with pizza is that for about the last 25-30 years you can no longer get good pizza in the chain pizza stores, because they've downgraded the quality and the amount of the ingredients. For example, back in the day, Pizza Hut used to have excellent pizza with plenty of high quality ingredients -- but not any more. We have 7 or 8 chain store pizza joints in the town that I live near and none of them have pizzas worth eating. If you want a good pizza you have to try the family owned and run places, many of which refuse to skimp on quality and quantity of ingredients. From 1959-1967 I was a part time pizza cook in four different Minneapolis pizza places. All had top quality ingredients and plenty of toppings. The amount of cheese, sauce, meats, and other ingredients you now get in the chain store places is a disgrace, as is their quality. Have you noticed all ridiculous gimmicks in the TV pizza commercials. They're nothing but a cheap attempt to substitute these gimmicks for quality and quantity of ingredients.
I can't resist weighing in on the great thick versus thin crust debate. I like it thin, and think that the thick crust pizzas (pioneered by Chicago) are lousy. Too much dough and the thick dough overbalances the dough versus the other ingredients equation, especially in the restaurants that skimp on sauce, cheese, and toppings. A pox on Chicago for foistng this abomination upon us.
The best pizza in my area is the one I taught my wife to make 38 years ago (after making tens of thousands of pizzas on the job I can't bear to make them any more): Spiced pork sausage, pepperoni, onions, green pepper, celery, and olives, with home made thin crust and sauce and mozzarella cheese (the only cheese that should be put on a pizza).
