Parkway Pizza vs Pizza Luce
An interesting experiment was conducted on Thursday night. Pizzas from two different local (Longfellow & Seward) pizza shops were ordered to a party I attended: Parkway Pizza and Pizza Luce from the Seward (Franklin Ave) location.
Which pizza was consumed first? Here are the results:
Which is which? Parkway was on the left. Luce on the right.
One major difference was the slicing style. We took a vote among the dozen or so people attending the party and found that all but one preferred square-cut pizza. Can the way a pizza is cut have a significant influence over consumer’s taste? Perhaps.
It’s worth noting that the above photo was taken after someone grabbed two slices from the right side Pizza Luce pizzas, which means that the competition was more lopsided than it appears in the photo.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:20 am
That Parkway Pizza was fantastic. I think that the final showdown in the pizza bracket will be Parkway vs. Joey D’s (Chris and Rob’s). Joey D will come out on top!
April 4th, 2008 at 8:19 am
you got a lot of variable you have to control
first and foremost: thickness
were they both regular crust?
-usually square cut pizzas are thin crust
Secondly: perception
people gravitate towards square cut because of the perceived intake..ie the pieces are smaller, even though their T.P.I or total pizza intake may in fact be equal to or greater pie chart slicing.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:45 am
We just ordered from Chris and Rob’s last night and I love the square cut. Heck, I wish I could have an entire pizza of just the tiny corner slices
April 4th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
In a quick and completely unscientific survey of four people who are not native to Minnesota, we found that pizzas cut into squares suck. I’m not quite sure why those in attendance at your particular party preferred pizza w/o an acceptable way to hold on to them, but in our case we all found that being able to hold your pizza, without your hands getting sauce and cheese all over them and the opportunity to eat without burning yourself was a big priority. Aaron has told me that the proper way to eat those pieces would be to use a fork and a knife, an idea that when related to pizza is completely foreign to me.
I personally request, 99% of the time as I sometimes forget that pizza places prefer to do it that way in Minnesota, that the pizza at local places not be cut into squares. I grew up in NE PA and we had “Old Forge Pizza” which is rectangular and cut into squares allowing (from my extensive experiences with it) crust to remain on every piece. While out with friends Old Forge Style pizza was ordered frequently, we rarely ate that type of pizza in my home as my parents, one from Jersey City and the other from Brooklyn, preferred NY style. I have carried that preference through college (where they did not cut pizza into squares in the 15+ different pizza places available to students at BGSU)
Now, obviously it’s a matter of regional “taste” how a pizza is cut, but for me I pretty much find myself upset when a pizza is cut into tiny little squares. I tend to eat until the pieces with crust are gone and then leave the middle to be left in the garbage — exactly where I feel they belong.
I enjoyed the post though! Interesting stuff
April 4th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Bill- Depends on the pizza — I don’t think it applies to all square cut pizza.
Ed- I don’t agree with the “squares are better for parties” conclusion based off the pretty small test pool and too many other uncontrolled variables.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
OK, this has NOTHING to do with the cut of the pizza. That’s an interesting discussion, but it’s distracting from the larger point that Parkway Pizza is superior to the overrated Pizza Luce because A) it has more cheese, B) Superior Sauce and C) Luce has drier crust.
Until last night I would have said that Luce was the best pizza place in town. I believed that so much so that I felt it was unfair to compare Luce to Parkway or Joey D’s. But I was so wrong. The haters are right: Pizza Luce is overpriced and overrated. But they serve good beer and decent pizza so I’ll go to their restaurant, but I won’t ever order delivery from them again.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
wow. i have to speak up for luce here!
i really like the pizza luce -albeit over priced- and they deliver to longfellow-hiawatha neighborhood which is a huge plus.
i have had parkway pizza and it was so ho-hum i didn’t ever go back. the people i was eating with concurred so my vote is for pizza luce…
*and better than both is punch pizza in highland (st. paul) right across the river! easy walking distance is always a plus for good pizza.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I have yet to sample Parkway Pizza but given these “scientific” results will do so soon. Chris & Rob’s gets my vote over Luce because of their zesty and plentiful sauce. For some reason, Luce always seems dry and overdone to me. This is only tolerable at the restaraunt when washed down with a Surly on tap.
Chris & Rob’s delivers to us in north Longfellow, which is good because their restaraunt doesn’t have much for ambiance.
The square v. regular cut debate is overemphasized. People will gravitate toward the better pizza.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Obviously I am a Parkway Pizza supporter since that was my nomination for best pizza in the LoFo region. However, I have much love for Pizza Luce. If we lived half a block south of where we do right now, we would be out of their delivery zone. And I am convinced the property value of our house went up by $109.23 when we barely made the cutoff for Luce’s delivery zone.
Pizza Luce’s Wrangler is far superior to Parkway’s BBQ pizza. However, overall there is something imperfect about Luce’s crust, IMO. Too chewy? And I think the sauce at Parkway Pizza is superior.
Next up: Fast Eddie’s vs. Joey D’s/Chris and Rob’s.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:31 am
Inexplicably, atypically, and apologetically, I have to agree with Bill. Square pizza bits are the dumbest thing since sliced bread. They are impossible to eat and pointlessly small. Furthermore, crust to topping ratios are randomly distributed, rarely offering a good balance. Clearly this must be motivated by social pressures related to perception of portion.
-b
April 10th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I live right smack between the two — and I’ll always pick Parkway — even though I dislike the square cut, the pizza is much better for sure.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
[...] Parkway Pizza vs Pizza Luce post from last week brought out some passionate comments on the advantages and disadvantages of square sliced [...]
April 11th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Parkway Pizza is heads and tails over Pizza Luce and Chris and Robs. The sauce is amazing, thin chrispy crust, good ingredients, and the price is cheapest in the longfellow area. They donate pizzas and gift certificates to my church all the time too. I can’t say enough. Luce is over priced and Chris and Robs is no better than Dominos!
April 13th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I agree Parkway is the best, I love it! The owners are really nice guys too. talked to one of them for a good 15 min. the other night. Check them out if you have not yet!
April 13th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Luce has got Parkway on cutting in slices, but Parkway has a great sauce and crust. I live pretty close and go in about twice a week to have a “square” of heaven.
April 14th, 2008 at 8:29 am
LOL. I love the Parkway Pizza astroturf team.
April 14th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
No doubt, eh?
Attention Parkway Pizza crowd: In the future, try disclosing your affiliations like a normal human would. I’d much rather hear from someone who discloses that they’re affiliated with the business than anonymous praise.