[3][4][5][1] The addition of pineapple to the traditional mix of tomato sauce and cheese, along with either ham or bacon, later became popular locally and eventually became a staple offering of pizzerias on a global scale.

[6] The name of this creation was not directly inspired by the U.S. state of Hawaii at all; Panopoulos chose the name Hawaiian after the brand of canned pineapple they were using at the time.

[8][9][10] In 1957, a "Hawaiian Pizza" containing pineapple, papaya, and chopped green pepper, but not ham or bacon, appeared in Portland, Oregon.

Although many enjoy the taste, others vehemently dislike it, possibly due to the sweetness of pineapple paired with "salty pizza ingredients".

Celebrities shared their liking or distaste for Hawaiian pizza,[18][19][20][21] including Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who expressed support for it by tweeting: "I have a pineapple.