From my observations of living in California for 15 years and now Reno for 2 years ( a Los Angeles, Sacramento, Bay area suburb now with transplants) The main thing that is commonly asked for by Californians are lots of toppings and I mean lots - double and even triple- on a pizza both exotic and common ones. Next is they will load 1/2 a pie with double or more toppings and leave the other 1/2 sauce and cheese. We are often asked to make 1/4 or 1 slice of different toppings on a pie. We only allow 1/2's. Most of these requests come from CA or Reno natives. Reno has becoming a CA suburb for years and is really hitting high gear today with mass exodus to a slower, less crowded,cheaper, lifestyle. When we get a cheese pie order it is 90%+ a sure bet it is from someone from the Northeast.
When I hit CA in 1979 pizza there was so different that I stopped calling it pizza. I spent 5 years on my first CA residency in SF and Sonoma County and never found a pizza that made me want to come back for another one. Toppings were piled on at 3-5 times the amount of what I was use to, shops allowed 1/2, 1/4 of the pizzas to have different toppings, crusts were tasteless, soggy, sauce was amped up with spices beyond extreme to my norm. They were always undercooked. These observations were based on what was normal to my roots growing up in the 1950's-70's NJ/NYC pizza world where cheese pies were #1 and 1 toppings ok and 2 the max. I have yet to find a CA pizza that makes me want to make it a regular stop. My travels have been limited to SF, Sonoma County, and SACTO
When I go home to NJ/NYC today I find more and more deck oven pizzerias following in the mega/exotic toppings, and allowing 1/2, 1/4 pie toppings. Crusts today are also more bland than I grew up with and find most pizzerias have gone way downhill. It use to be you could walk in any pizzeria in Essex County NJ and get a decent to great pie. No more. You have to know where you are going or it will be a big let down to what I grew up with. Families don't run pizzerias like they use to and hiring off the street of unskilled pizza people has caused it to slide big time. On a Nationwide view IMO the internet has caused regional foods, music, to be easily accessed vs. having to move there to experience it and thus a generic product is becoming more the norm everywhere. We now have so many franchise pizzerias in Reno and many claim east coast, CA, roots. You tell me what is the difference today with things 
I give up with it all. I make the pizza I like and that is the end of it. How I got there and how I do it can be classified any way you want. I don't care cause I like it 
This a CA/Hawaii or maybe it is based out of Alabama.... chain example here in Reno.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/longboards-beach-fired-pizza-reno?osq=Longboard+Pizza
Please.......easy.....I am new here, but read the board for awhile on and off.
The above post tells a lot. However, a lot of people will not read, listen and understand other's views, opinions and experiences. NOT just in pizza, but in almost everything these days.
People ask, people do not listen, people do not engage, people assume and some do---a lot do not, know how to apply the internet reading and research they do to actual product, service and life itself. It is a post 2000 thing, IMO and I seriously believe in reality.
This is widespread and applies to everything from Pizza and other foods to service businesses to skilled labor. Why? So many things but IMO again, the internet and instant everything and failure to apply, perfect and specialize with heart and soul.
Now, as far as California, I lived there in the 80's while working for Universal Studios/MCA Television and also the Federal Government in law enforcement. Then back to New York City and New Jersey. I am familiar with California off and on ever since. I go there often. Still, as an outsider, observer and also having some family members there, so many things I see are lacking depth, quick for the buck, always inventing and moving on, what's there today is gone tomorrow syndrome of sorts, etc., etc. As far as the food, I find (please do not accept what I am going to say as insulting or degrading), mostly knock-offs of most dishes and things around the country, just with a twist or turn on them to make it California, meaning a special drizzle or flower or piece of raw sushi or vegetable on it, declaring it the hip thing, or the California special or something of the likes.
Maybe the problem is, I spent most of my life in NYC or NJ, and on the east coast and just for example, when you see people eating in NYC, talking kind of on the loud side, discussing (to others it is arguing always) and ramming the food down their mouths and waving their hands, buying people drinks, smiling and laughing and sharing with people they do not even know, and many other things----as compared to when i visit a California restaurant, the people are mostly reserved, quite, dressed a bit better often times, whisper when they talk, wipe their mouths after every bite and seldom share anything with strangers and unknown people as a general rule, and many other things, to me it becomes a bit clearer as to the lifestyle and overpriced everything in California.
I have a family member in Riverside County in a city called Hemet. Lots of Asians, my god, they paid upwards of $500,000 for a house that sells for $200,000 in most parts of the country or less, maybe $325,000 in the suburbs of NYC. Taxes are triple if not quadrupled out there. Their car registrations and insurance are as well. I have an in-law out in Rancho/Palm Springs area. OMG, not a mansion, a 2,300 sq foot house, over $700,000! We went for a quick bite to eat in a strip shopping center food place, nothing fancy, a step above fast food and a long way south of a fancy place. 2 people, quick lunch of sandwiches, close to $40.00.
Pizza out there, I am not an expert. Ate at many places, not familiar with the SF area except Daly City and Vallejo. Mostly Asian stuff again. Anyway, I agree with the under-cooked and the heavy toppings. But once again, some type of fancy vegetables with 'special house drizzle' of something and an inflated price tag, all IMO and actual experiences.
Something has always stuck with me after all the years of visiting California after I left there. The billboards with all the plastic surgery doctors and health related everything.
You grew up, you live, you enjoy and then you pass away. I don't know, maybe California (Southern California?) has a different outlook? Look good before you die and enjoy but don't spread the joy, excitement and feelings in public??
Oh, one more thing. I hear the phrase along the lines of, "We don't do 'that', or We don't have 'that' out here" in California frequently.
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Also, WalterTore said, ....." We make more $ with the heavy topped pies and I will put on whatever and how much they want. as I am not one to decide what tastes right or wrong for others"..... And, although I can not cite a California or Midwest restaurant of any type refusing to change, add or delete, something from a dish, I have run into that in NY/NJ where the owner or manager will say something along the lines of, "Sorry, we do not change our dish/item at all or put something extra on it, sorry". Maybe it is that NY attitude or just the extreme belief it is his way or no way at his place, IDK.
Thanks, and all IMO and experiences.
