Margherita is no longer the country’s most popular pizza

For pizza purists, adding anything other than cheese, tomato and basil to a pizza is seriously controversial.

For as long as we’ve been baking delicious bready disks, people have been arguing over what else should be allowed on top.

However, thanks to new research commissioned by popular pizza purveyors Goodfellas, it’s clear that tastes and times have changed.

No longer is the basic Margherita blueprint top dog amongst pizza aficionados. The title of Britain’s most popular pizza has moved elsewhere.

Pepperoni is now Britain’s most popular pizza (Credit: Pexels)

What is the most popular pizza?

According to a new study, pepperoni has officially replaced Margherita as the go-to option for most British pizza fans.

The research, which took a sample size of 2,000 Brits, unearthed several surprising facts about out pizza preferences. Unfortunately for traditionalists, the results are pretty whacky.

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The survey found that 30% of Britons prefer pepperoni over any other topping. Shockingly, a further 29% rate BBQ chicken as the best option.

This means that the classic Margherita is languishing down in third place, receiving 20% of the vote.

For many people, Margherita’s low ranking will be a pretty big deal.

To this day, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana – which is responsible for awarding restaurants with a certificate of authenticity for following Neapolitan pizza traditions – only recognises tomatoes, cheese, basil and olive oil as acceptable ingredients on a true pizza. The prospect of BBQ chicken would probably cause a seizure.

Still, the success of pepperoni is actually one of the most traditional things about the Goodfellas survey.

For instance, the study also found that 40% of Brits prefer a cheese-stuffed crust over a thin version (39%). In addition, 19% rate Chicago-style deep dish as their preferred option.

Interestingly, Hawaiian pizza rates as the fourth most popular choice (19% of the vote), despite the fact that 23% consider its inclusion as a topping a “crime”.

Whichever way you look at it, pizza is clearly still a source of controversy.

Brits’ taste in pizza is changing (Credit: Alamy/keith morris)

Goodfellas perfect pizza

Commenting on the results, a Goodfellas spokesperson said: “Our research indicates that the perfect pizza continues to be an important area of discussion for Brits, and we can now reveal that the nation’s best-loved pizza is the classic pepperoni.

“With people spending so much time at home, we’ve seen a big increase in demand for frozen pizza and our sales are up 16% compared to last year.

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“We’ve also noticed a shift in customer behaviour, as many people are having pizza for a quick and tasty lunch – but are also being more experimental with their topping choices.

“Saying that, we’re not surprised to see pepperoni topping the nation’s favourite list, as our Stonebaked Thin Pepperoni Pizza has long been a best seller.”

It’s clear that most of us will never agree on the perfect pizza. However, we now know that having options is a great way to keep people happy.

Whether you’re a pepperoni or a pineapple lover, pizza will always be a worthy topic of conversation.