National Cheese Pizza Day Sparks Celebrations Across the U.S.

Pizza chains, local pizzerias and fans marked National Cheese Pizza Day on September 5 with special deals, social media buzz and charitable slices.

Lead Across the United States, pizza lovers flocked to pizzerias today as major chains and independent shops rolled out discounts, giveaways and bake-alongs to celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day.

Nut Graf Observed annually on September 5, National Cheese Pizza Day honors the classic simplicity of dough, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. This year’s festivities highlighted both nationwide promotions and community-driven events, underscoring pizza’s enduring popularity and cultural reach.

Major Chain Promotions Drive Foot Traffic

  • Domino’s offered 50 percent off large cheese pizzas for online orders, drawing long lines at outlets in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
  • Pizza Hut gave away free personal cheese pizzas with any adult entrée purchase, resulting in a 20 percent boost in dine-in sales compared to a typical Friday.

Local Pizzerias Add Creative Twists

Many family-owned shops joined the celebration:

  • In Portland, Oregon, Red Wheel Pizza hosted a “Build-Your-Own Cheese Pizza” workshop, teaching customers how to hand-stretch dough and blend fresh mozzarella with aged provolone.
  • Chicago’s Little Italy Pizza ran a “Cheese Pizza Challenge,” awarding a year’s supply of pizza to the first participant to eat five 14-inch cheese pies in one sitting.

Social Media and Charitable Initiatives

The hashtag #NationalCheesePizzaDay trended on X with over 150,000 posts by afternoon. Fans shared photos of gooey slices and homemade pies, while influencers hosted livestream bake-alongs. Several chains partnered with local food banks: for each cheese pizza sold, one meal was donated to underserved families.

Slice of History and Industry Insight

National Cheese Pizza Day first emerged in the early 2000s to spotlight the most ordered pizza style in America, accounting for nearly 30 percent of all pizza sales nationwide. Industry analysts estimate Americans consume over 1 billion cheese pizzas annually, making the day both a fun tradition and a lucrative opportunity for businesses.

Photo: A fresh 18-inch cheese pizza coming out of a brick-oven, dotted with bubbling mozzarella and a bright tomato-sauce base.