Daily Cardinal pizza contests
From 1971 to at least 1975 the University of Wisconsin student newspaper, The Daily Cardinal, held an annual contest in its newsroom: staff ordered pizzas delivered from every place that would bring one to campus, timed the deliveries and rated the pies. The results, written up with mock solemnity under pseudonyms such as "Whispering Jack Anchovy" and "Haystacks Calhoun", are a snapshot of who delivered pizza near campus in the 1970s.
Results
| Year | Winner | Others, in order |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 (Nov. 3) | Gargano's (6.55 of 10) | Pizza Pit, Eveready, Gino's, Pizza Oven, KC's[1] |
| 1972 (Nov. 15) | Gargano's (3.2 of 4) | Gino's, Pizza Pit, West Side Pizza, KC's, Pizza Oven[2] |
| 1973 (Dec.) | Gino's (3.3 of 5) | Luigi's, Pizza Pit, Gargano's, KC's, West Side Pizza[3] |
| 1974 (Oct.) | Rocky Rococo (4.6 of 7) | Gargano's Pizza in the Pan, Luigi's, Gino's, Pizza Pit, KC's, Gargano's[4] |
| 1975 (Nov.) | Rocky Rococo (pan) and Pizza Pit (thin crust) | pan: Gargano's; thin: Gargano's and Gino's (tied), Luigi's[5] |
The contests
1971
The first contest grew out of the Cardinal's restaurant column, the "State Street Gourmet". In October 1971 the Gourmet had tried two pizzas baked in the backs of trucks and one from Gino's, and complained that Pizza Pit would not deliver to Eagle Heights[6]. Pizza Pit's manager answered that it did, and challenged the Gourmet to compare every pizza that could be delivered to campus[7]. On the night of November 3, fifteen judges ordered a medium sausage-and-mushroom pizza from eight places; six agreed to deliver to the Cardinal's office on Henry Mall. Eveready's arrived first, in 14 minutes, but Gargano's, an hour after it was ordered, was the best — "but it was the best of a poor lot"[1].
1972
In 1972 about forty staff members, formed into "affinity squads", judged two cheese-and-sausage pizzas from each of six parlors. "AND, FOR THE SECOND straight year, Gargano's walked away with it", and its manager sent over twenty more pizzas[2]. Afterward the Capital Times "screamed payola", the Gourmet wrote, because Biagio Gargano had thrown a party for the Cardinal staff; the reporter printed a correction[8].
1973
The 1973 pizzas were judged blind — guards kept the wrappers out of sight — on crust, sausage and cheese. Gino's won, Luigi's was a close second, and "last year's winner, Gargano's" came fourth[3].
1974
"It has been a year of upsets", and the newest was "the brash victory of newcomer Rocky Rococo", a pan-style pizza with a "moist-deep crust and good spicing" that also arrived fastest, in 33 minutes. Luigi's took the flat-crust crown, "but it is evident that pan-style pizza is the real thing". Two-time winner Gargano's finished last: "It looks like a rebuilding year for Gargano's"[4].
1975
In 1975 the contest had two categories. Rocky's "squeaked through" in pan pizza, 55.6 percent to Gargano's 44.4, and Pizza Pit won thin crust with half the votes: "Pizza Pit has an authentic urban flair the others lack". The Cardinal spent $73 on pizza[5].
Trivia
- KC's, "the perpetual doormat of pizza contests", baked its pizzas in its delivery trucks; see Pizza trucks[4].
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Anchovy, W. J. (1971, November 5). "Promises, promises: First annual pizza contest." The Daily Cardinal. p. 9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 McCue, M. (1972, November 17). Second Annual Cardinal Pizza Delivery Competition. The Daily Cardinal. p. 15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Staff, A. S. M. o. t. C. (1973, December 7). "As the pizza turns..." The Daily Cardinal. p. 21.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Calhoun, H. (1974, October 14). "Pizza hits the pits; Rocky wins by default." The Daily Cardinal. p. 11.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 (1975, November 4). "Searching for the pie in the sky." The Daily Cardinal. p. 1.
- ↑ Gourmet, S. S. (1971, October 28). State Street Gourmet column on delivered pizza: Eveready Roll'n Pizza, KC Roll'n Pizza Man, Gino's. The Daily Cardinal. p. 4.
- ↑ (1971, November 5). Letter from the manager of Pizza Pit answering the State Street Gourmet. The Daily Cardinal. p. 6.
- ↑ Gourmet, S. S. (1973, February 16). State Street Gourmet on Gargano's. The Daily Cardinal. p. 8.
