Pizzerias may have been among the first Italian-American eateries, but even at the turn of the century distinctions were clear-cut as to what constituted a true ristorante. Pizza became a craze after the soldiers returning from World War II craved the pizza margaritas they ate in Italy. At this time, to be merely a pizza maker was to be at the bottom of the culinary and social scale; so many pizzeria owners began offering other dishes, including the ‘hero’ sandwich (depending on the region of the United States, also called a ‘wedge’, `torpedo,’ ‘hoagie,’ ‘sub,’ or ‘grinder’) made on an Italian bread loaf and piled high with lots of salami, cheese, and peppers.”

America’s obsession with the automobile helped create another American phenomena, fast foods. Eating meats on the run sandwiched in bread or in rolls became so much in demand that shops began popping up to meet the demand of speed over quality of food over the quality of the experience. Hamburgers became the poster child for the fast food movement.