Buzz
Chances are, you're too busy enjoying your pizza to think about how it made its way to your kitchen counter. But if you stop to reflect, you might find it odd that pizzas usually come in square boxes, a departure from their round shape. So, why aren’t pizza boxes round?
The main reason is that the pizza industry doesn’t really want to mess with the cardboard industry. Cardboard boxes are typically made with edges (i.e., square or rectangular) because they can be produced in one piece and easily stacked.
Creating a round pizza box would be mainly for visual appeal. It wouldn’t save space compared to a box with edges. For frozen pizzas, stacking them vertically would risk the pies rolling out of alignment. It’s just poor pizza organization.
While there are exceptions, many pizzerias serve Sicilian or sheet pizzas, which come in rectangular shapes that fit better in rectangular boxes. Some pizza chains, like Domino’s, have even experimented with new box designs. Domino’s, for example, uses a six-sided box with tapered edges to minimize the amount of cardboard and reduce its carbon footprint. The unique design also reportedly keeps the pizza in place during delivery.
Pizza wasn’t always associated with square cardboard boxes. In the 1800s, vendors carried pizzas in metal containers known as stufas, which kept them warm. As pizza gained popularity in postwar America, pizzerias initially used a simple cardboard base and placed the pie inside a paper bag. Eventually, the use of corrugated cardboard emerged, striking the perfect balance between heat retention and moisture control. (Insulated delivery sleeves also help!)
Could the traditional pizza box ever be reimagined? Some have attempted to do so. In 2010, Apple patented a round pizza container with ventilation holes to let moisture escape. This design is currently used in their food courts. In 2018, World Centric created a compostable round box that also served as a reheat solution for pizzas. Pizza Hut tested a similar product in 2019. These innovative designs promised to keep pizzas hotter and crisper, but none have gained widespread use.
For the most part, square boxes remain the norm. After all, pizza is about enjoying the comfort of the familiar.
