[Dr. Sivana]

But then, I think you are missing many chains...mostly bonafide restaurants.

I have tried some of the upscale pizza chains (Cerrones, Woodfire Pizza, Uno) and found them to be wanting. In the northeast, ANY serious restaurant becoming a chain of more than two or so looks like a sell-out. In the midwest it is considered a sign of success and to be expected. Also, the pizza parlours in the northeast sell mostly ... pizza.

In the midwest, people go to Giordano's, Uno's, Gino's East, Connie's, even Home Run Inn, and expect to get a salad or other side dish. At a place like Sally's, they cannot waste precious seating space on someone having something that isn't their best. Some of the low volume (the old Angelo's) or more formal places (Lido's of Meriden) will have other Italian dishes (e.g. Lasagna, Antipasto), but in the end, nearly everyone is having great pizza.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Eh. I’m not that picky about pizza. My main thing is don’t have pieces of tomatoe. I hate tomatoe texture and visual. I like it pulverized so I don’t know. So usually, “authentic” and homemade is anethema to me!