What do two pizzas, 10,000 BTC, and $1.1 billion have in common? If you’ve been in the crypto world for more than five minutes, you probably already know the answer. It’s Bitcoin Pizza Day—the iconic moment in crypto history when programmer Laszlo Hanyecz traded 10,000 BTC for two large Papa John’s pizzas on May 22, 2010. What was worth roughly $41 at the time is now valued at a jaw-dropping $1.1 billion, thanks to Bitcoin’s new all-time high of $111,800 today.
Fifteen years later, this day is no longer just a quirky footnote in Bitcoin’s journey. It’s a global celebration, filled with equal parts nostalgia, humor, and disbelief. From crypto Twitter to Telegram chats, the memes come pouring in, each poking fun at the infamous pizza purchase that became the world’s most expensive fast-food order.
To mark the 15th anniversary of Bitcoin Pizza Day, let’s dive into the top 5 funniest memes that perfectly capture the spirit of the day—and the eternal regret of not HODLing.
1. The Unassuming Photo That Launched a Thousand Memes
It all starts with the classic image of Laszlo Hanyecz—just a regular guy with a plate of pizza. But for those in the know, this isn’t just a photo. It’s a symbol of the moment BTC crossed into the real world.
Caption idea?
“To some, this is just pizza. To others, it’s a $1.1 billion meal deal.”
The brilliance of this meme lies in its simplicity. It’s just a guy eating pizza—unless you know what it really cost.
2. “Pizza Can’t Be That Expensive…”
This meme plays off the sheer absurdity of today’s BTC prices. One slice of pizza now represents 1,250 BTC, or about $139 million.
Enter: the dog meme. A pup stares at a slice of pizza with the kind of existential dread we all feel looking at missed investment opportunities.
Caption:
“One slice, 1250 BTC. Sit, regret, roll over.”
If there’s one image that captures our collective disbelief, it’s this one.
3. The Whale’s Cry for Validation
A bit of dark humor finds its way into the meme lineup with a scene from The Whale movie. The emotional line: “I need to know that I’ve done one thing right with my life,” is now hilariously paired with Laszlo’s decision to order those pizzas.
Is it brutal? Yes.
Is it relatable? Absolutely.
We’ve all made financial decisions that aged poorly. But thankfully, most of us didn’t give up a billion-dollar fortune for some cheese and pepperoni.
4. Back to the Bitcoin Future
This meme is a crypto classic. Featuring Doc Brown from Back to the Future Part 2, it reads:
“We have to go back, Marty — to buy Bitcoin!”
It plays directly into that shared fantasy every early investor has: the dream of time-traveling back to 2010 and throwing every dollar at Bitcoin before it skyrocketed. If only we had a DeLorean and a good Wi-Fi connection.
5. The Ultimate BTC Glow-Up
Many memes today also focus on Bitcoin’s staggering rise to become the fifth-largest asset globally, surpassing giants like Tesla and Meta. What began as a digital curiosity is now an economic force. While Pizza Day is rooted in a comical past, it also celebrates the massive potential realized since then.
Investors and enthusiasts now use May 22 not just to laugh, but to reflect on how far crypto has come—and where it might go next.
Final Slice
As we mark 15 years of Bitcoin Pizza Day, the laughter is bittersweet. Laszlo Hanyecz’s purchase may have been costly in hindsight, but it helped legitimize Bitcoin as a usable currency. And without that brave order, who knows how long it would’ve taken BTC to get its first taste of mainstream adoption?
So whether you’re a meme connoisseur or a long-term holder, today is a reminder: sometimes history is made in the smallest, cheesiest of ways.
Happy Bitcoin Pizza Day! 🍕
