Do New Yorkers Actually Fold Their Pizza?
Pizza is a mainstay in many parts of the United States, with different styles from the Chicago deep-dish that functions more like a lasagna to California style (a petite alternative to a Neapolitan). But perhaps of all the styles of pizza, the most iconic and tried and true is the New York slice, which requires a specific approach to eat — especially if your hands aren't Andre the Giant-huge. For the differences between Chicago and New York pizza, look no further than this comparison of the two.
It's a unique conundrum to have a slice so big that it's typically bigger than the plate it's on. So a solution was born to keep them manageable: the pizza fold. This way there's no need to cut the slice in half or worse, use a fork and knife. However, the need was born out of a chain, not New Yorkers, themselves. Pizza Hut's Big New Yorker pizza started the craze, according to DeIorios.
But that hasn't stopped two methods being developed to fold a slice. A full fold down the entire middle is one way and allows each bite to double up on any toppings, like two to three pepperoni slices, for example; a satisfyingly greasy bite. The other method is the "flying v," where the pizza is held in a manageable "V" shape but not folded all the way to the tip, allowing for the first bite or two to taste like you aren't folding it at all.
To fold or not to fold that sloppy slice?
Either the full fold or "flying v" technique of folding your pizza is valid depending on the firmness of the pizza. No one wants the droopy tip of the slice missing their mouth. But what about folks who don't like to fold at all? Reddit, as usual, has a slew of opinions on the matter from New Yorkers. One user stated, "I've lived in Pittsburgh, and visited various other NE cities. The only place I've seen people fold pizza is near NYC." So even amongst fellow Northeasterners, there seems to be a clash of food logic. But even in NYC, the fold is not a requirement. But the thin crust of NYC-style pizza makes it conveniently simple (per DeIorios).
Generally speaking, the use of the fold method and the plate method depend largely on the size of the persons' hands, and whether they're against eating off the edge of a paper plate at their local pizzeria. With all that said, there's a clear argument against folding, depending on the kind of pizza you're having and your choice of toppings. The argument to fold, however, seems most prevalent in the Big Apple. The bottom line: for New Yorkers, folding a pizza slice makes sense considering the size of many pizza slices around the city.