Qualifier - Pizza By The Slice Availability (10%)

   Pretty much this disqualifies all chain pizza places except maybe Sbarro which is found in a lot of malls and airports.  I grew up in New Jersey, where I could always grab a slice between meals, late at night, whatever.  I went to college in South Carolina and I'll never forget my first night there, I was at orientation or something.  I walked down to the closest pizza place to get a slice. 

   It was 1981, and the place was called Domino's, and I had never heard of it before.  Little did I know it was a successful national chain.  I went inside and asked for three slices.  The person behind the counter said they didn't sell slices.  I was knocked for a loop.  OK, I'll have a small pie, I said.  The response?  We don't sell pie, only pizza.  That's when I realized I wasn't in Jersey anymore...

So...I contend that one of the key factors in identifying a good New York Style Pizza place is the availability of Pizza By the Slice.