Pizza Size Comparison Calculator: Pie Value, Compared

Written by:
PK

On this page is a round pizza size comparison calculator or pizza value calculator. Enter the diameter in inches of two pizzas along with their prices, and we will tell you the cost per area of both pizzas so you can get the most food for your dollar.

As a bonus, expand the advanced options. There we'll automatically factor in pizza coupon price and your crust preferences before crowning a pizza winner.

Enjoy!

Pizza Size and Value Comparison Calculator

Using the Pizza Size Comparison Calculator

The goal of the tool is to find the best value between two given pizzas, based on the amount you pay for a given pizza surface area. If you're an advanced pizza-eater, you can also expand the advanced options and enter coupons and crust preferences.

To use the tool to find the best pizza value, enter the pizza diameter for two round pizzas into the fields shown.

  • Pizza 1: Size/Diameter (in): Enter the stated diameter or width of the first pizza (for example, 10").
  • Pizza 1: Price ($): Enter the menu price of pizza one. (If you have a coupon, see the Advanced Options).
  • Pizza 2: Size/Diameter (in): Enter the stated diameter or width of the second pizza.
  • Pizza 2: Price ($): Enter the menu price of pizza two.
Overview of the pizza comparison calculator with entries for size and price.
Overview of the pizza comparison calculator with entries for size and price.

If you just want a quick comparison, hit the 'Calculate Pizza Difference' button and we'll figure out which pizza is the better bang for the buck. Otherwise, hit 'Show Advanced Options' and we'll let you customize your pie.

If you choose to enter advanced options, here's how to use the fields:

  • Percentage Off Coupon, Pizza One (%): Enter the coupon, in percent, off pizza one
  • Percentage Off Coupon, Pizza Two (%): Enter the coupon, in percent, off pizza two
  • Don't Count the Crust!: If you don't eat crust or otherwise assign it zero value, check this box
  • Crust Width, Pizza One (in.): If you check the crust box, enter the width of the crust of pizza one for us to remove from the pizza area calculation
  • Crust Width, Pizza Two (in.): As above, enter the crust width of the second pie
Advanced options for the pizza value comparison calculator, allowing you to enter coupons and crust size
Advanced options for the pizza value comparison calculator, allowing you to enter coupons and crust size

Whether you enjoy crust or throw it out – and even if you lack pizza coupons – you're now ready for a pizza comparison.

Hit the pizza analysis button and we'll let you know which pie to buy!

Pizza Size Comparisons and Your Eye

Pizzas are most often sold as round pies with a size attached that maps to a diameter. You might see pizzas sold as "Small," "Medium," and "Large" pies with diameters of 10", 12", and 14", respectively.

Nominally, those sizes appear to be relatively close. However, there is a vast difference in actual size: a 14" pizza is 96% larger than a 10" pizza, even though its diameter is only 40% wider.

While pizzas are round for a good reason, there's a fair amount of psychology and marketing that goes into pizza pricing.

In 2001, Robert E. Krider, Priya Raghubir, and Aradhna Krishna studied psychophysical biases in area comparisons in the journal Marketing Science. They found we consumers have a vastly simplified model of food sizes, which leans heavily on the labeled dimension. This has all sorts of implications – notably, we consumers tend to prefer two-for-one deals on smaller pies more than discounts on the equivalent size of larger pizzas.

Perhaps most interestingly, they posited that package size has massive effects on pizza value perception: "Based on these studies, one would expect that controlling for price, more elongated shapes would be perceived as better value for money."

Beware the oval and rectangular pizzas the next time you buy a pie...

Pizza Size and Value

Hopefully, this was a useful calculator that peeled back the marketing aspects of your pizza and let you figure out the value of competing pies. Whether you eat the crust or not, it's always useful to know which pizza is the best bang for your buck.

Now, stop reading and enjoy pizza night!

      

PK

PK started DQYDJ in 2009 to research and discuss finance and investing and help answer financial questions. He's expanded DQYDJ to build visualizations, calculators, and interactive tools.

PK lives in New Hampshire with his wife, kids, and dog.

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