Pizza Sizes: Inches, cm, Slices and How Many to Order

Pizza size chart in inches and cm

Pizzerias name sizes by diameter, measured across the full pie including the crust. The table uses the most common US diameters. The area column is what you are actually paying for, because pizza grows with the square of its width.

The "feeds" column assumes about 3 slices of a 14-inch pizza per adult, or roughly 55 to 60 sq in each. Hungry teenagers eat more; young children usually eat 1 or 2 slices.

18-inch 18 in14-inch large 14 in12-inch medium 12 in10-inch small 10 in

Pizza sizes at the big US chains

National chains have settled on almost the same ladder of sizes, two inches apart. What changes between them is the name of the smallest size and whether an extra large is offered.

Crust options can shrink the menu: thin, gluten-free and pan crusts are often sold in only one or two sizes. Independent pizzerias vary more. A neighborhood shop may call a 16-inch pie its large and sell an 18- or 20-inch as the extra large, so ask for the diameter if the menu only gives names.

Outside the US, names shift down. In the UK, India and much of Asia, a "medium" from an international chain is closer to 10 or 11 inches, and a "large" around 13 inches. Comparing by inches or centimeters, not by name, avoids the confusion.

Pizza sizes in cm

European and Latin American menus quote diameters in centimeters, and the single-serving pizza is the norm rather than the shared pie.

The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) sets a maximum diameter of 35 cm for an authentic Neapolitan pizza, with a raised rim (cornicione) of 1 to 2 cm. In practice most Neapolitan pizzerias serve 28 to 33 cm pies, one per diner. That is roughly a US medium, but with a thin center and a lot of puffy crust, so it eats lighter than a 12-inch American pizza.

Why one 18-inch pizza beats two 12-inch pizzas

Area grows with the square of the diameter: A = π × (d ÷ 2)². Doubling the diameter quadruples the pizza. Small changes in width add up fast:

• 12 to 14 inches (medium to large) adds 2 inches of width but 36% more pizza.
• 12 to 16 inches adds 78% more pizza.
• 12 to 18 inches gives 2.25 times as much pizza.

The crust makes the gap bigger. Every pizza has a rim of about 1 inch with no topping. On a 12-inch pizza that rim is 31% of the area; on an 18-inch pizza it is only 21%. So one 18-inch pie gives you 201 sq in of topped pizza against 157 sq in from two 12-inch pies, 28% more cheese and toppings.

How many slices are in each pizza size

Slice count is a cutting choice, not a size. Most shops cut every round pizza from 12 inches up into 8 wedges unless you ask otherwise, which is why a large slice is noticeably bigger than a medium slice.

Two slices of an 18-inch New York pie (64 sq in) are more pizza than three slices of a 12-inch medium (42 sq in). When you plan by slices, check which pizza the slices come from. Party or "tavern" cut, where the pizza is cut into a grid of squares, gives 16 to 30 small pieces from a 14- to 16-inch pizza and suits buffets with children.

How many pizzas to order for a group

1. Count slices, not people. Allow 3 slices of a large (about 58 sq in) per adult, 2 per young child, and 4 per teenager or after sports.
2. Divide by 8. With standard 8-slice large pizzas, 10 adults need 30 slices, which is 3.75 pizzas. Round up to 4.
3. Add one for variety. With three or more toppings on the order, some pies will be left half eaten. Ordering one extra large covers this.
4. Size up when you can. If the shop sells an 18-inch pie, two of them (509 sq in) replace three 14-inch larges (462 sq in) and cost less per square inch at most pizzerias.

If salads, wings or other sides are on the table, cut the count by about a quarter.

Sizes by pizza style

Thickness changes how filling a given diameter is. A 12-inch deep-dish pizza can weigh more than a 16-inch thin crust.

• New York style: 18 to 20 inches is the classic whole pie, cut into 8 large, foldable slices. Slice shops sell single slices from these pies.
• Neapolitan: 28 to 35 cm (11 to 14 in), one per person, never cut by the shop in Italy.
• Chicago deep dish: baked in pans 2 inches or more deep, usually in 9- to 14-inch sizes. A 12-inch deep dish feeds about as many people as a 16-inch thin crust.
• Detroit style: rectangular, baked in steel pans. The two standard pan sizes are 8 × 10 in (80 sq in, cut in 4 pieces) and 10 × 14 in (140 sq in, cut in 8).
• Sicilian and grandma: baked in sheet pans, often a half sheet of about 13 × 18 in, cut into 12 to 15 squares. See the sheet pan size guide for exact pan dimensions.
• Thin-crust tavern style: usually 12 to 16 inches, cut in squares.

Boxes, stones and pans for each pizza size

Pizza boxes are sold by the inside width, so a 14-inch pizza goes in a 14-inch box and the outside measures about 14.5 to 15 inches square. A whole large box needs about 15 × 15 in of clear refrigerator shelf, so leftovers usually fit better in a food storage container. A 14-inch slice is 7 in long, so slices laid two by two fit a 9 × 13 in container and stack in layers with parchment between them.

• Pizza stone or steel for a home oven: a 14 × 16 in rectangle or 15- to 16-inch round handles pizzas up to 14 inches. Leave at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of air on every side between the stone and the oven walls so heat can circulate.
• Pizza peel: the blade should be at least as wide as the pizza. A 14-inch peel handles 12- to 14-inch pies. For an 18-inch pizza you need a 16 to 18 in peel, which many home ovens are too narrow to use.
• Pizza pans: pans are sold by inside diameter, in 1-inch steps from 6 to 18 inches. Dough for a 12-inch thin crust is typically 200 to 250 g; scale it by area, not diameter, when you change size (a 14-inch needs 1.36 times the dough of a 12-inch).

Outdoor ovens limit you more than kitchen ovens: most compact gas models take 12- or 16-inch pizzas. The pizza oven size guide lists the cooking floor of each type, and the kitchen dimensions guide covers standard oven interiors. For a pizza night at home, a 14-inch box opened on a table takes about 15 × 30 in of surface, so a standard dining table holds two or three open boxes plus place settings.

Frequently asked questions