The Pizzaboy Score
How we score
Every spot is scored on the same 8 criteria, each from 1 to 10. Some matter more than others, so each one carries a weight. The pizza itself does the heavy lifting.
The math
Score = Σ(score × weight) ÷ Σ(weight)
In plain English: a weighted average, rounded to one decimal. If a criterion isn’t scored on a visit (no atmosphere to judge on a takeout order, say), it’s left out of both sides, so it can’t help or hurt. A visit has to score at least 5 criteria to count.
What counts, and how much
- Sauce 19%
- Crust 15%
- Cheese 15%
- Toppings 15%
- Cold Slice Test 15%
- Cut 11%
- Service 7%
- Atmosphere 4%
| Criterion | Weight | Share | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauce | ×1.25 | 19% | Taste, seasoning, and quality of the sauce. |
| Crust | ×1 | 15% | Texture, flavor, and overall quality of the crust. |
| Cheese | ×1 | 15% | Type, freshness, amount, and melt. |
| Toppings | ×1 | 15% | Freshness, variety, and how well they’re spread to the crust. |
| Cold Slice Test | ×1 | 15% | How it holds up the next day, straight out of the fridge. |
| Cut | ×0.75 | 11% | Clean slices, or a perforation you finish by hand? |
| Service | ×0.5 | 7% | Friendliness, speed, and getting the order right. |
| Atmosphere | ×0.25 | 4% | The place itself: cleanliness, vibe, and dining experience. |
Side ratings
These get a 1–10 and a note on every review, but they never touch the score.
- Value
- Price versus portion size and quality.
- Box Art
- Custom art on the box, or plain cardboard?
What the numbers mean
- 9.5Legendary 9.0 and up
- 8.5Worth the Drive 8.0 to 8.9
- 7.5Solid Local Slice 7.0 to 7.9
- 6.5Gets the Job Done 6.0 to 6.9
- 5.5Pass below 6.0
Revisits
Pizza changes. A spot’s score always comes from its most recent visit, and older visits stay on the page as history so you can see which way it’s trending. Anywhere I haven’t been back to in 18 months gets flagged as due for a revisit.