12 Old-School Pizza Toppings People Hardly Order Anymore

From sardines to Spam, these classic pizza toppings have fallen out of favor over the years.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A list of classic pizza toppings that were once popular but are now rarely seen on menus, including sardines, taco pizza, Caesar salad pizza, smoked salmon pizza, hot dogs, mac and cheese, anchovies, hamburger, Spam, and baked beans.

Why it matters

Food trends come and go, and even a classic like pizza has seen its fair share of topping fads over the decades. This story explores how factors like culinary trends, popular diets, and availability of ingredients have impacted which pizza toppings remain popular versus those that have fallen out of favor with consumers.

The details

The article covers a variety of old-school pizza toppings that were once common but are now rarely seen, including Italian sardine pizza, taco pizza, Caesar salad pizza, smoked salmon pizza, hot dogs, mac and cheese, anchovies, hamburger, Spam, and baked beans. It provides historical context on the origins and popularity of these toppings, as well as why they've become less common on modern pizza menus.

  • In the 1500s, Italian sardine pizza known as pissaladiera was a popular treat.
  • In the 1970s and 1980s, taco pizza was a hot trend at pizza chains like Pizza Hut.
  • In the 1990s, Caesar salad pizza was commonly served at Pampered Chef parties.
  • In 1982, Wolfgang Puck's smoked salmon pizza debuted at his Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills.
  • In the 1970s, pizza topped with sliced hot dogs was a kid-friendly menu item.

The players

Wolfgang Puck

A famous chef who added smoked salmon pizza to the menu at his acclaimed Beverly Hills restaurant, Spago, in 1982.

Kraft

In the 1950s, the company teamed up with Spam to create the Pizzaroo, a pizza kit that included Spam as a topping.

Pampered Chef

In the 1990s, the company popularized Caesar salad pizza, which was commonly served at its in-home parties.

Pizza Hut

The pizza chain incorporated hot dogs into its Stuffed Crust lineup in 2012, though hot dogs are no longer offered as a topping.

Domino's Pizza

In the 1980s, the chain introduced a breakfast pizza featuring eggs, cheese, sausage, and tomato sauce, though it was eventually discontinued.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This story highlights how food trends and consumer preferences can dramatically shift over time, even for a classic like pizza. While some old-school toppings have fallen out of favor, the article suggests that adventurous eaters may still be able to find or recreate these unique pizza varieties at specialty shops or by making them at home.