How many calories in a slice of pizza? Size, crust and topping

A slice of cheese pizza has about 230–360 kcal: USDA lists 229 kcal for a slice from a medium pizza (86 g, 3 oz) and 317 kcal for one from a large 13–15 inch (33–38 cm) pizza (119 g, 4.2 oz). Pepperoni or thick crust pushes a slice toward 400 kcal. Slice size matters more than topping.

How many calories are in a slice of pizza, by size?

The USDA food database (FoodData Central) has entries for restaurant and fast-food pizza with a weight for a slice cut from each pizza size. For cheese pizza with regular crust:

Pizza size	Slice weight	Calories per slice
Small, 8–10 in (20–25 cm)	80 g (2.8 oz)	213 kcal
Medium, 11–12 in (28–30 cm)	86 g (3.0 oz)	229 kcal
Large, 13–15 in (33–38 cm)	119 g (4.2 oz)	317 kcal
Extra-large, 16–18 in (41–46 cm)	128 g (4.5 oz)	340 kcal

The same entry works out to 266 kcal per 100 g. In USDA's data a whole large pie weighs 954 g, which is roughly 2,540 kcal; a medium pie (691 g) is about 1,840 kcal and a small one (480 g) about 1,280 kcal. A large pie cut into 8 slices gives slices close to the 119 g figure above.

Calories by crust and topping

These are slices cut from a large (13–15 in) restaurant or fast-food pizza, with the slice weight in brackets:

Topping	Thin crust	Regular crust	Thick crust
Cheese	260 kcal (86 g)	317 kcal (119 g)	358 kcal (132 g)
Pepperoni	301 kcal (91 g)	350 kcal (124 g)	399 kcal (139 g)
Cheese with vegetables	265 kcal (100 g)	322 kcal (133 g)	365 kcal (149 g)
Meat and vegetables	304 kcal (113 g)	351 kcal (144 g)	386 kcal (149 g)

Two things stand out:

• Crust changes the slice more than the topping. Going from thin to thick crust adds about 100 kcal to a cheese slice, while switching cheese to pepperoni adds about 35–40.
• Thin crust is lighter per slice, not per gram. Thin-crust cheese pizza is 302 kcal per 100 g against 266 for regular crust, but the slice weighs less. Three thin slices (about 780 kcal) cost more than two regular ones (634 kcal), so count slices, not just crust.

For macros, a large regular-crust cheese slice has roughly 14 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate and 12 g fat.

Do Domino's and Pizza Hut slices differ?

Older chain entries in the USDA database give a rough idea (recipes change, so check the chain's current nutrition page, which large chains in the US and England must show on their menus):

• Domino's 14 in pepperoni, crunchy thin crust: 79 g slice, about 259 kcal
• Pizza Hut 14 in pepperoni, Thin 'N Crispy: 80 g slice, about 266 kcal
• Pizza Hut 14 in sausage, pan crust: 125 g slice, about 359 kcal

These line up with the generic thin and pan/thick numbers above.

What about frozen pizza?

Frozen pizzas list a serving on the box, often a quarter or a third of the pie, so check it. USDA lists a quarter of a 12 in DiGiorno rising-crust cheese pizza at 183 g, about 470 kcal, and a quarter of the thin crispy-crust cheese version at 161 g, about 400 kcal. A frozen "serving" can therefore be larger than a restaurant slice.

What else adds calories to a pizza night?

• Dips: one tablespoon of ranch (15 g) is about 65 kcal, and dipping crusts adds up fast.
• Drinks: a 12 fl oz can of regular cola is about 155 kcal.
• Sides: garlic bread, wings and desserts are usually ordered on top.

Example: two large regular cheese slices (634 kcal) plus a can of cola is about 790 kcal before any sides.

How to fit pizza into your day

1. Pick the slice, not the pie. Decide on 2 slices before the box opens.
2. Choose thin crust or vegetables if you want a lighter slice.
3. Add a salad or soup first so the second slice is a choice, not a habit.
4. Skip sugary drinks and dips, or share them.
5. Check the size you are given. A "slice" from a 16 in pie is not the same as one from a 10 in pie.

Count your own slice

Restaurants cut pizza in every size, so a generic "pizza slice" entry can be off by 100 kcal either way. Photograph your plate in Tabaq and it estimates the portion, and you can edit the weight if your slice is bigger or smaller. Try it on your next pizza night.