I've come to the conclusion that kids rate highly on what is eaten. Pizza Hut is a top selling pizza, where kids like bread, and adults and kids alike savor its version of crispy with the taste of fats. I've watched kid's faces as well when they saw what appeared to be burnt pizza at A16 in San Francisco.
The #1 selling topping is Pepperoni in the US-- ain't seen that one on the Naples list. It was the first topping my mom requested while visiting and I took her to A16. Man, was she dissapointed, and I just buried my head. If it wasn't for me, she'd of walked out. She far preferred my NY style with my separately grilled variations of toppings and slightly thicker crust, with a tug to it. We have a place in the bay area that uses Caputo and provides various toppings. But you can't tell the difference anymore, and their salads and rotisserie chickens seem to take precedence in orders.
Depending on where you live is also a very good point. In the midwest, Food TV mentioned that people want a meal. That's my experience as well, and I know plenty of people in that area who scoff at Neapolitan. In places like the SF bay area, the same holds true of various cultures, where high revenues are expected from their homes, while paying the least to feed their entire families so they can afford their homes. So lots of toppings with minimal cost stand out. There's a place for everything though. People go for the high end Italian in Little Italy (North Pointe) in SF or Santana Row in San Jose, as well as other places where taste is preferred to the little you get on the plate. It's got to be targeted though. I noticed at A16, many orders do not always involve pizza.
