Every year on March 14, math enthusiasts and food lovers alike celebrate Pi Day, honoring the mathematical constant π, which is roughly equivalent to 3.14. This day began as a whimsical celebration linked to the digits of pi and has morphed over the years, particularly so since restaurants and bakeries leverage the occasion to offer enticing deals on delicious circular foods.
Pi Day traces its roots back to 1988, when physicist Larry Shaw established the inaugural celebration at the Exploratorium, a science museum located in San Francisco. The concept tied March 14 (3/14) to the digits of pi (3.14159…), fostering community spirit and love for mathematics. The first Pi Day featured pies and tea and took place at 1:59 p.m., aligning with the quirky theme rooted deeply within math culture. By 2009, the day earned official recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, which proclaimed it National Pi Day.
Beyond its mathematical significance, Pi Day presents ample opportunities for delicious deals throughout the nation. Restaurants and pizzerias capitalize on this event, piquing the interest of anyone from math enthusiasts to pizza lovers. Chicago and New York City are two hotspots brimming with offers. Here’s how various esteemed eateries are celebrating.
Chicago Pi Day Deals
Pizzeria Due, offering exceptional deals at their River North location, invites customers to enjoy 10-inch thin-crust cheese or pepperoni pizzas for just $3.14 on March 14. Diners can also take advantage of ordering individual deep-dish pizzas and receive a second one for the same price.
First Slice Pie Café joins the festivities with all three locations—Ravenswood, Andersonville, and Edgewater—selling pie slices for $3.14 on Pi Day, along with mini pies priced at $6.28 and 15% off whole pies.
Another popular destination, California Pizza Kitchen is catering to its rewards members, offering $3.14 pizzas at participating locations when their customers make purchases on March 14. Choices include the Original BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni, and Traditional Cheese pizzas.
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven is entering the Pi Day celebration with $3.14 whole pizzas, quesadillas, and chicken tender boxes available at participating stores across Chicago. Meanwhile, Burger King also gets involved by giving customers who spend $3.14 or more the chance to receive free Hershey’s chocolate pies.
Blaze Pizza is running some great promotions too; customers can buy one 11-inch pizza and get another one of equal or lesser value for just $3.14, with codes redeemable via their app through the end of March.
For every pizza sold at Gino’s East downtown location on Superior Street, the restaurant will donate $1 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, adding charitable flair to their Pi Day offerings.
At Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits, patrons can enjoy several unique flavors on their special menu for Pi Day, with options available for pickup on March 13 and 14.
Other local establishments like Bennison’s Bakery are enticing customers with mini pies for just $3.14 all day, and Chiya Chai is offering discounts on pie purchases for dine-in customers.
National Pi Day Offers
Farther beyond Chicago, many national chains have begun participating as well. The pizza chain Papa Johns is promoting their Pi Day deal where customers can buy one large or extra-large pizza at regular menu price and get another of equal or lesser value for $3.14 if they join the Papa Rewards program.
At Pizza Hut, customers can enjoy the innovative Pizza Charcuterie board which combines medium pizzas, boneless wings, and savory breadsticks and dips for $24.99. The popular chain Domino’s is inviting customers to engage with their Mix & Match Deal, offering two items for $6.99 each.
Blaze Pizza is not only bringing their own great offers but also allowing customers who take advantage of their Pi Day deal access to additional offers through their app.
Taco Bell fans are catered to with the opportunity to snag Mexican Pizzas for $3.14, valid for app orders, as part of their perpetual excitement around Pi Day.
For those wondering about the historical significance of March 14, it’s noteworthy not only for the celebration of pi, but also for being Albert Einstein’s birthday. To many, it symbolizes the intersection of mathematics and genius and has inspired celebrations both jovial and educational.
Reflecting on the quirky origins of Pi Day, it's easy to see how math and fun can merge over shared deliciousness and the joy of community. From savory pizza to sweet pies, Pi Day fosters not just appreciation for mathematics but also collaboration and sharing through baked goods. So whether you’re indulging for the love of the number, the food, or both, March 14 stands as the day to dig in and enjoy the circular bounty offered at bakeries and pizza parlors nationwide.