Pizza saver or no pizza saver? In Windsor, a city known for its pizza, it's a hot debate

It's a surprisingly divisive issue for Windsor pizza makers: To use a pizza saver, or not? 

Also known as a pizza stool or pizza table, the tiny pieces of white plastic are designed to combat the top of the pizza box sagging into the steamy pizza toppings as the pies go out for delivery. 

But with an evolution away from single use-plastics in Canada, some wonder if the contraption is here to stay. 

"We use them pretty well every pizza," said Kevork Kalaydjian, owner of Capri Pizza. "Everybody is ordering two or three pizzas and our pizzas are heavy. 

"In order to protect our pizza, you put a couple of the pizza supports and it keeps the box straight."

The pizza supports generally run a penny or two, so they're not a big added cost, he said. 

Andre Girardi, owner of Armando's Pizza, said the pizzeria has been using them "forever."

"When you open your box, you're not pulling all the toppings off of the pizza with the lid," Girardi said. 

While customers haven't commented on the use of the pizza savers, he says he "guarantees" he'd be hearing about it if they weren't used. 

"We'd be getting a lot of comments and having to replace pizzas," Girardi said. 

If all single-use plastics are banned, Kalaydjian said he'll come up with some other solution, or figures someone else will. 

A possible option is the dough ball: a small sphere of baked dough that would also support the middle of the box. It's a bit of extra work, Kalaydjian acknowledged. But it does offer a tasty extra bite. 

But another name in Windsor pizza swears the bits of plastic aren't needed — if you time it right. 

"Pizza bags and pizza support boxes are the worst thing for pizzas," said Taher Abumeeiz, owner of Arcata Pizzeria. 

Abumeeiz says the need for pizza supports come from delivery, where several pies are stacked into one thermal bag: The heat of the pizza above produces steam that weakens the top of the box below causing it to sag. 

"When you stack three or four on top of each other it becomes even worse. It's a nightmare," he said.  "Delivery bags are the worst thing for food."

Instead, he said Arcata doesn't stack the boxes, has the driver waiting, and uses a warming blanket. 

However you stack it, Windsor is well-known for its pizza. Many of the city's best-known joints are locally owned and operated, and serve up a special combo of Windsor-made cheese, shredded pepperoni and canned — not fresh — mushrooms.