Pizza Their Mind: $53 Las Vegas Pie Stokes Tourist Hanger

Posted on: July 16, 2023, 02:28h. 

Last updated on: July 17, 2023, 10:50h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

A video pointing out the price for a pie at Di Fara Pizza at the Caesars Palace food hall has gone viral. Posted on Saturday on Las Vegas YouTube influencer Jacob Orth’s Twitter feed, “This is How Crazy Food Prices Are in Las Vegas” garnered 300K views and nearly 100 comments in a day.

Di Fara Pizza
Di Fara Pizza’s prices in Las Vegas apparently adhere to the same three rules as real estate: location, location, location.

And the price quoted on Di Fara’s menu, $52.99 for a pepperoni pizza, apparently increased another dollar since the video was posted. According to the restaurant’s internet menu, the same pie is now $53.99. (The price of a regular cheese pie increased from $49.99 to $50.99.)

The current price for a regular pie at Di Fara Pizzeria’s original Brooklyn, NY location — opened in 1965 — is $25.

Granted, the cost to lease a space in Caesars Palace’s Forum Food Hall — with its guaranteed heavy and hungry food traffic — could very well be double what it costs in Brooklyn. However, that didn’t stop nearly 100 Twitter users from venting their hanger against predatory pricing.

“They’re gouging the tourists and seemingly they don’t care and are willing to pay,” commented Twitter user @TomD80106675. “I defy any local going there saying, ‘I’m ok with a $53 pizza that looks like a chain store Marcos $10 pie.”

”From 2003 to 2019, I went to Vegas 2x yearly,” added @SEGamingReport. “Great food, decent prices, fun gambling. Why should I consider going back now? I’m down $2000 before I show up.”

“That’s embarrassing,” commented @mizzoulegend. “Grimaldis is right across the street and that pizza, but much better than a food court presentation, is $26.”

“Big fat NAY!!!” commented @tamieliel. “This makes me so angry and sad too.😡”

One commenter claimed he was so incensed when he saw the pizzeria’s menu in person, it inspired him to orchestrate an act of civil disobedience.

“I saw that price…took my phone out…Found the nearest Pizza Hut, Ordered 2 pizzas, Wings, & 2 Two liters…Had it delivered, gave the guy a $15 tip…sat in their dining area & handed out pizza, wings & drinks….I spend so much money there all security said was SAVE US SOME,” wrote @Globalsportsbet.

The online menu for Di Fara Pizza’s Las Vegas location advertises a regular cheese pie for $50.99, more than twice the price charged at its original location in Brooklyn, NY. (Image: Caesars Palace)

To be fair, there were a few defenders of Di Fara, which then-New York City mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio declared to be his “favorite pizza” in 2013. They included @_BrittTaylorr, who commented: “This is Di Fara. It’s in its own catalogue of pizza. Yes it’s expensive, it’s the only store other than the OG. It’s a New York legendary pie. if you want pizza hut it’s down the street.”

Added @jrstew2016: “It’s the STRIP. Of course it’s gonna be expensive. You should add context behind stuff like this. There’s places on the strip that aren’t this expensive. Or off the strip that aren’t far.”

What do you think? Have Las Vegas food prices gotten out of hand? Leave a comment below…