[Investigation] Pizza Day Express! What flavor was the Bitcoin pizza back in the day?

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What's the Story Behind Bitcoin Pizza Day?

On May 22, 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz, an American man, posted on the Bitcoin Forum asking if someone would buy him pizza. Another man, Jeremy Sturdivant, agreed to buy him two pizzas in exchange for 10,000 bitcoins. Today, ten years later (with Bitcoin price at $9,000), those two pizzas would be worth $90 million.

This might be the most "pure" transaction involving Bitcoin, where 10,000 bitcoins were exchanged for two pizzas worth $41, a simple barter without speculative motives.

In 2019, Laszlo Hanyecz was interviewed by Anderson Cooper, where he mentioned, "People always say how could you spend that much money on pizza. But to me, I didn’t see it as being money." Hanyecz expressed his happiness in celebrating this day with many people every year.

Each year, for investors, the 10,000 bitcoins that bought those pizzas seem like a dream of wealth from the past and a way to reflect on the growth of Bitcoin price.

What Flavor Was the Bitcoin Pizza?

Research suggests that the Bitcoin pizzas were ordered from a Papa John’s chain store in Jacksonville, Florida, and most likely were the "The Works" in extra-large size.

In an interview with Anderson Cooper, Laszlo Hanyecz shared a photo of the pizzas from that time, and upon comparing it with Papa John’s menu, it closely resembled "The Works" pizza with ham, Italian sausage, and black olives.

Since Papa John’s pizzas range from $8 to $19, buying two pizzas totaling $42 would definitely be in the extra-large size, confirming the size.

Papa John’s has outlets in many countries, but Taiwan does not have a branch to enjoy the authentic Bitcoin pizza.

Can You Buy Pizza with Bitcoin Now?

"The answer is: yes and no."

Back then, the pizza was paid for with a credit card. After ten years, you still cannot directly pay Papa John’s with Bitcoin, as they have had their own ordering app since 2015.

However, with more intermediaries now, a platform called "Menufy" in the U.S. accepts payment in Bitcoin and Ethereum, with Papa John’s within its service range.

There are not many stores in Taiwan that accept direct Bitcoin payment, and the usage rate is quite low. But with efforts from various businesses, the awareness of "Bitcoin" is increasing, and even the central bank's Facebook page mentioned "Bitcoin Pizza Day" today.