Pizza can be a powerful tool for planners looking to add authenticity to events. Here’s how to turn a slice into an unforgettable experience

Every year, the 50 Top Pizza USA rankings spark debate about where to find the best pizza in America. In the 2025 edition of this respected international ranking, Una Pizza Napoletana in New York reclaimed its title as the best pizzeria in the U.S., reminding us that pizza, once humble street food, has evolved into a craft-driven experience worth seeking out. For event planners, it’s a signal that pizza in all its forms—from Neapolitan masterpieces to local neighborhood slices—has become a versatile staple capable of enriching meetings, incentives, and team gatherings with connection, comfort, and a taste of place.

From Coal Ovens to Conference Rooms

Pizza’s journey in the U.S. began in 1905 with Lombardi’s in New York’s Little Italy, providing affordable, comforting food to Italian immigrants. After WWII, returning soldiers’ appetite for pizza helped propel it into mainstream American dining, with chains like Pizza Hut and Domino’s making it a fixture at parties, corporate lunches, and late-night work sessions.

Over the past two decades, a renaissance of artisan and Neapolitan-style pizzerias has returned pizza to its roots while elevating it to a culinary destination. Today, from food trucks to chef-driven pizzerias, pizza is as at home at an upscale incentive reception as it is at a casual team-building lunch.

Authenticity Matters

Anthony Mangieri’s Una Pizza Napoletana has earned global recognition for its dedication to Neapolitan tradition, simplicity, and high-quality ingredients. This pizzeria’s win underscores a larger trend: attendees crave food experiences that feel authentic, crafted, and deeply tied to the destination.

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For planners, this means that incorporating pizza into your program is not about convenience alone; it can be an intentional, elevated part of your event’s culinary story.

How Pizza Can Enhance Events

It has universal appeal. Pizza’s universal appeal makes it an ideal addition to a wide range of meetings and incentive programs. Its flexibility and ease of customization for dietary preferences allow planners to serve groups of any size, ensuring a satisfying option that resonates across cultures and age groups.

It's local and experiential. Beyond its crowd-pleasing nature, pizza supports local and experiential dining. Partnering with acclaimed local pizzerias—whether it’s a top-ranked spot like Una Pizza Napoletana in New York or a hidden gem in your host city—helps tie your event to the destination’s culinary culture, giving attendees a genuine taste of place.

It's fun. Pizza can also transform from a simple meal into an engaging activity. Hosting pizza-making classes or chef-led demonstrations can provide hands-on, interactive experiences that double as team-building opportunities while adding a fun, memorable layer to your program.

It's budget friendly. Even when planners prioritize budgets, pizza offers a way to deliver high-quality dining without the high costs of plated dinners, allowing for a memorable experience without overspending. Its casual nature also makes it perfect for networking, encouraging conversation in a relaxed, approachable environment during receptions or post-meeting gatherings.

Incorporating pizza into your event strategy isn’t just about feeding attendees; it’s about using a universally loved food to foster connection, celebrate local flavors, and create meaningful shared moments that enhance the overall event experience.

Putting Your Best Slice Forward

As the meetings industry continues to embrace experience-first programming, pizza offers planners a powerful tool to deliver comfort, authenticity, and connection. Whether it’s a private buyout of a top pizzeria, a curated tasting of regional styles during a welcome reception, or a fun, interactive lunch for team-building, pizza has proven it can rise to the occasion—meeting your attendees wherever they are while delivering a taste they’ll remember.

Una Pizza Napoletana’s top ranking reminds us that in the world of meetings and incentives, even something as simple as a slice can be a standout moment when quality, story, and place come together.

Here is the 2025 ranking of the 50 best pizzerias in the United States as chosen by the most influential guide in the world of pizza, 50 Top Pizza, which also creates similar lists for countries around the world

Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.

Photo by henry perks on Unsplash