Pizza is the meal of choice for team dinners, all-night study sessions, and late nights at the office. Wouldn’t it be awesome if pizza actually made you work harder? Turns out, according to one study—it does! In case you need another reason to indulge in a delicious slice of doughy, cheesy goodness, psychologist Dan Ariely believes he has definitive proof that pizza is the ultimate motivator.

Ariely wanted to see what motivated workers at a technology company in Israel to make more computer chips. Would compliments, a cash bonus, or free pizza help them hit their target number? Ariely divided participants into three groups. At the start of the week, the participants in one group received an email saying they would receive a cash bonus of about $30 if they hit the day’s target. The second group was told they would get a rare compliment from the boss via text message. The third group would get free pizza. Which would make you work harder?

For the stud group selected here, the answer was pizza. The pizza group increased productivity by 6.7% the very first day and stayed over for the rest of the week. But compliments came in at a close second, increasing production by 6.6%. Surprisingly, the cash bonus group trailed far behind at only a 4.9% increase the first day. Over the course of the week, their productivity actually dropped by 6.5%. Money is not a motivator after all.

The takeaway? Takeout! The next time you have a late night at the office or want your team to work a little harder, call your local pizza restaurant for a solution that will make both your team and your boss happy!

Does your team need a productivity boost? Call Riverfront Pizza & Sports Bar at (859) 261-4800 to place your delivery order. As Covington’s spot for pizza and homestyle Italian food, they are happy to provide both classic and specialty pizzas. Download their free app to make carry-out and pizza delivery easy. You can also view their menu and place your order online.