How many calories are in a slice of pizza?
One slice of a medium classic-crust cheese pizza is about 275 kcal. That number alone is nearly useless, because “a slice” is not a portion size: across bases and pizza sizes, one slice runs from about 190 kcal to about 480.
Per portion
| Portion | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g (3.5 oz) cheese pizza | ~265 kcal | 11 g | 33 g | 10 g |
| Slice of thin crust, medium, ~85 g | ~220 kcal | 9 g | 25 g | 9 g |
| Slice of classic crust, medium, ~105 g | ~275 kcal | 12 g | 33 g | 10 g |
| Slice of classic crust, large, ~135 g | ~345 kcal | 14 g | 41 g | 13 g |
| Slice of stuffed crust pepperoni, large, ~155 g | ~430 kcal | 18 g | 43 g | 21 g |
| Whole medium cheese pizza, eight slices | ~2,200 kcal | 95 g | 260 g | 82 g |
What changes the number
The base and the size, before anything else. Figures below are per slice at one eighth of the pizza, with a plain cheese or cheese-and-tomato topping.
| Base | Medium, 11–12 in (28–30 cm) | Large, 13–14 in (33–36 cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Thin or crispy | ~190–230 kcal | ~250–300 kcal |
| Classic or hand-tossed | ~240–290 kcal | ~300–360 kcal |
| Deep pan | ~290–340 kcal | ~360–430 kcal |
| Stuffed crust | ~320–380 kcal | ~400–480 kcal |
Note which way the per-gram figure runs. Thin crust is lighter per slice because there is less of it, not because it is less dense — gram for gram it is often higher than deep pan, since the same cheese sits on far less bread.
Toppings matter less than people assume. Pepperoni adds roughly 40–50 kcal a slice, sausage or an extra cheese layer 50–70, vegetables 5–15. The exception is anything oily: a drizzle of oil or a mayonnaise-based sauce is about 100 kcal per tablespoon, more than most meat toppings.
What arrives alongside it. Garlic bread is 110–150 kcal a slice, a dip pot 70–100, a 500 ml (16 fl oz) cola about 210. On supermarket pizzas it is also worth checking which portion the label quotes: “per 1/2 pizza” is common.
Where it fits in a deficit
At around 265 kcal per 100 g, pizza sits at the bread end of the density scale and is not high-volume food — a filling amount is 600–900 kcal. It does carry protein, unusually for a takeaway: about 14 g in a large classic slice, from the cheese, though a burger delivers more of it per calorie.
Pizza fits a calorie deficit more easily when the order is decided before you are hungry. Thin crust on a medium base with something watery and fibrous beside it is a satisfying meal near 600 kcal; the same meal on a large stuffed crust is closer to 1,100. Compare pasta, made from the same flour, tomato and cheese but about 155 kcal per 100 g cooked, because it holds the water that pizza drove off in the oven.
Why “a slice” nearly doubles
Pizza is sold by diameter, but you eat area, and area scales with the square of the diameter. A 14 in pizza has about 36 per cent more area than a 12 in, a 16 in about 78 per cent more, and an 18 in New York pie more than twice. Shops cut all of them into the same eight slices, so each slice absorbs the whole difference.
That is why “two slices” can mean 440 kcal or 900. Learn it for the pizza you actually order — base, size, place — and it stays stable. A whole personal 8–9 in pizza, for reference, is usually 700–900 kcal.
Figures are typical values and vary by variety, size and preparation. General information, not medical advice.