While the debate on whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza hasn’t quite been settled yet, some of the worst pizza toppings need no argument—they’re really just that bad.
When asked, “What is something that should never go on a pizza?” diners around the world chimed in with the horrible pizza toppings so disgusting that they’re offensive.
Here are the worst pizza toppings, according to the internet:
1. Ketchup
Ketchup on a pizza? It sounds like a joke, but one individual had the unenjoyable experience of trying it as a tomato sauce replacement on a creation that definitely doesn’t qualify as traditional pizza.
They wrote, “I once had the displeasure of eating a pizza where they decided to use ketchup instead of marinara sauce. Worst pizza I have ever eaten in my life. Please never do this. Just because they are both red doesn’t mean you can substitute one for the other!”
Another person joked, “You should’ve asked for mustard instead.”
2. American Cheese
Originated in Altoona, Pennsylvania, little-known Altoona-style pizza is a type of pie derived from Sicilian pizza dough, topped with tomato sauce, green bell pepper, salami, and American cheese.
Unfortunately, the obscure pizza style replacing mozzarella doesn’t sit well with diners. “The worst pizza of my life came from a relatively small city in Pennsylvania, with American cheese on it. They must have been going for this style.”
Another individual commented on their disdain for the idea, saying, “I had a pizza with American cheese on it last year. First time in my life that I didn’t finish my slice. Disgusting.”
See also: Three Gourmet Grilled Cheese Recipes
3. Unpitted Olives
Black olives are certainly a common pizza topping (even a favorite for some), but they usually are placed on the pie after being pitted and sliced.
Wrote one pizza enthusiast, “I almost broke a tooth the first time I had pizza in Portugal where evidently putting whole olives on pizza, stones and all, is fairly common.”
4. Anchovies
“You might as well just pile on a bunch of salt on your pizza.”
5. Pickles
Pickles are quickly becoming a trendy pizza topping in states like Minnesota and New York, but the rest of the country has yet to get on board with the controversial idea.
“I love pickles with all of my heart and stomach, but putting it on a pizza? Best way ever to get third-degree burns in your mouth. The pickles don’t cool as fast as the pizza, so either everything is ice cold, everything is blazing hot, or cold pizza with blazing hot pockets of vinegar on top.”
6. Ranch Dressing
Several diners have expressed their disdain for the popular (and often overused) dressing on pizza. One pizza eater who wasn’t a fan of the topping’s texture wrote, “Stop ruining perfectly good pizza with salty white goop.”
Though it may not be totally uncommon to see ranch accompany pizza, this topping is perhaps best left on your salad. However, one user did stand up for the creamy sauce, writing, “I can destroy a chicken bacon ranch pizza. That’s like 70% ranch, I guess I’m not in any way lactose sensitive, at least.”
7. Mashed Potatoes
After one individual commented on knowing firsthand that mashed potatoes are one of the worst pizza toppings, another agreed, stating, “Potatoes are amazing, but on pizza, they’re awful.”
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Though these horrible pizza toppings definitely won’t make the dish taste good, these unusual food combinations actually create something you might just love.
Find 11 unexpected food combinations you need to see to believe.
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Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
