Current:Home > MyMassachusetts pizza place sells out after Dave Portnoy calls it the worst in the nation -WealthConverge Strategies
Massachusetts pizza place sells out after Dave Portnoy calls it the worst in the nation
View
Date:2025-04-17 05:13:56
A Massachusetts pizza place is seeing booming sales after businessman Dave Portnoy branded the joint as the "worst" in the U.S. during a viral feud with the owner.
Portnoy, the founder of sports and popular culture blog Barstool Sports, got into an on-camera dispute with Dragon Pizza owner Charlie Redd while Portnoy filmed his review of their pizza, which he called a "floppy mess" and gave it a 6.4 out of 10 rating.
Portnoy posted the review on his Instagram and YouTube channel, "One Bite Pizza Reviews," last week, labeling the in Somerville, Massachusetts joint "The Worst Pizza Place in America." He also shared footage of his expletive-filled exchange with Redd.
In the review, Portnoy criticized the pizza's heavy parmesan, saying "this is an acquired taste. If you get this, know you’re going to get hit with a left, right in the face with parmesan.”
See the top 50 pizzerias in the US:Ranked by Italian pizza experts: NYC leads with 9
"Dave, enjoy your pizza as any customer, but I don't appreciate what you do coming in and judging a business with one bite," Redd told Portnoy in the video as he recorded the review. "I hope you enjoy your pizza, but I don't appreciate what you do to small businesses."
Portnoy told Redd that his reviews actually help "so many small businesses" so he could peacefully say that the "pizza was trash" and referred to Redd as a clown.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Portnoy and Dragon Pizza for comment.
Dragon Pizza sees booming business
Redd's business appears to have profited following the negative review.
On Monday, Dragon Pizza thanked the community for "Another Day SOLD OUT" in an Instagram post. On Tuesday, the account announced its closure to get through the rest of the week.
"We are completely sold out and need a day to prepare for the rest of the week. Thank you to our amazing staff and supporters. Couldn’t do it without y’all," the Tuesday caption read.
More:Shake Shack launches new 'Hot Menu' featuring hot chicken sandwich, spicy burger
Despite the success, Redd does not view the situation as a positive experience telling Boston.com that he received death threats following the video's exposure.
"It’s kind of new terrain for me. It’s mental,” Redd said. “But I don’t want to give him credit for complicating my life. We’re running our pizza shop, and everyone is happy. I’m receiving death threats. I’ve received threats at my home. I’m receiving tons of all sorts of different attacks in many different ways."
Regardless of the negativity he told the outlet that they're going to keeping doing what they do.
"We’re in this no matter what,” Redd shared. "We’re going to go back to making pizza and making people happy.”
veryGood! (27837)
Related
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Amazon to stop using plastic air pillows in packages
- Mass shootings across the US mar the first weekend of summer
- How Sherri Papini's Kidnapping Hoax Unraveled and What Happened Next
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- Man trying to drown 2 children on Connecticut beach is stopped by officers, police say
- College World Series 2024: How to watch Tennessee vs. Texas A&M game Saturday
- Alyson Stoner Addresses Whether They Actually Wanted to Be a Child Star
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- NASCAR race recap: Christopher Bell wins USA TODAY 301 New Hampshire after rain delay
Ranking
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- New Mexico heavy rain and flash flooding prompt mandatory evacuations in Las Vegas
- 1 dead, 7 injured in Dayton, Ohio shooting, police asking public for help: reports
- Paul McCartney, Cate Blanchett and Jon Bon Jovi watch Taylor Swift's Eras Tour from VIP tent
- Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
- Hollister's Annual Summer Sale is Here: Get $10 Shorts, $20 Jeans & More Deals Up to 64% Off
- New photo of Prince William with his children released to mark his birthday
- Scottie Scheffler wins PGA Tour event after 6 climate protesters run onto 18th green and spray powder
Recommendation
Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
Dali cargo ship leaves Baltimore for Virginia, nearly 3 months after bridge collapse
Taylor Swift nails 'mega-bridge' in London, combining two of her favorite song bridges
3 Alabama men die after becoming distressed while swimming at Florida beach
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
COVID summer wave grows, especially in West, with new variant LB.1 on the rise
Cheetah cub 'adopted' by mother at Cincinnati Zoo, increasing his chances at survival
Not just a book: What is a Gutenberg Bible? And why is it relevant 500 years after its printing?