Pi Day, celebrated annually on March 14, is a fun opportunity to explore the wonder of mathematics and the many ways it appears in everyday life. While it falls on the same date each year, Pi Day sometimes arrives during March Break when many students are home from school. To mark the occasion, Teachers on Call's online and in-home tutoring service is thrilled to feature a guest blog by Ron Lancaster, Associate Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. In the blog that follows, Ron shares a collection of creative and accessible ideas for families looking to celebrate Pi Day together and discover how math can be engaging, playful, and meaningful beyond the classroom.
March 14 is known as Pi Day because the date (3/14) reflects the first digits of the mathematical constant π, and in some years Pi Day coincides with March Break when many students are home from school. For this special day, Teachers on Call’s online and in-home tutoring service invited math expert and guest blogger Ron Lancaster to share his perspective. Ron’s passion for bringing mathematics into the real world has taken him around the globe, where he has inspired students to see math in the places they live, learn, and explore. In fact, this guest blog was written aboard Air Canada Flight 62, en route from Seoul (ICN) to Toronto (YYZ). During the climb to 36,000 feet, the aircraft passed 31,415 feet—a fitting altitude for a Pi Day reflection. In the blog that follows, Ron shares a collection of fun ideas—many inspired by his travels—to help families celebrate Pi Day and discover mathematics in the world around them.
Pi Day Guest Blog by Math Educator Ron Lancaster
After traveling more than a million miles across the globe, I’ve learned that math shows up in the most unexpected places. In honour of Pi Day, I’m taking you on a tour of my favourite "Pi" stops—from unique cafés to hidden restaurants—and sharing some of my favourite family-friendly traditions to help you join the celebration.
Stop 1: Remembering District Hand Pie, New Orleans
My journey begins in New Orleans at District Hand Pie, a spot where I once enjoyed great coffee for breakfast and a different kind of "pi" for lunch. What makes this place a mathematician’s dream is the wall of tiles displaying dozens of digits of pi. While I waited for my order, I couldn't help but audit the sequence!
Family Activity: The Missing Digits
Challenge your family to be math detectives. Look up the digits of pi and try to identify the ones hidden from view on the wall. For example, if you see 846 at the end of the top row and 950 at the start of the second, what numbers are missing in between?
Creative Challenge: The Pi Shape-Shifter
Inspired by the tile layout, try arranging the first 36 digits (the 3 and the first 35 decimals) into different geometric shapes. Use Post-it notes, scraps of paper, or wooden blocks. Can you form a perfect triangle? A square? What other shapes can you build with exactly 36 pieces?
The First 36 Digits:
314159265358979323846264338327950288
The Math Behind the Magic:
I chose exactly 36 digits because 36 is a rare Square Triangular Number. This means it can be arranged into a perfect 6×6 square AND a perfect triangle (with a base of 8). The next number that can do this isn't until 1,225!
Stop 2: Remembering Café Pi in Montreal
Café Pi, Montreal (4127 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2W 1Y8)
In Montreal, I spent many hours at Café Pi, once a beloved local staple where I could combine three of my favourite things: superb coffee, delicious Québécois pastries, and a game of chess! Over the years, I’ve collected quite a few of their iconic T-shirts to bring a piece of that math-inspired atmosphere home with me.
Family Activity: Design Your Own Café Pi
If you were the owner of a brand-new Café Pi, how would you make it a "rational" success? Here are a few things to brainstorm with your family:
The Perfect Address: What street number would you hunt for?
The Hotline: What would your phone number be?
The Menu: What math-themed names would you give your lattes, espressos, and pastries?
The Shape of a Snack: What geometric shapes would your cookies and croissants take?
The Merch: Beyond T-shirts, what other "Pi-merch" would you sell in the gift shop?
The "Total $3.14" Challenge:
If you wanted the final, after-tax price of a small coffee to be exactly $3.14, what would the menu price have to be?
Note: This depends on where you live! For example, in Montreal, the combined sales tax (GST & QST) is 14.975%. To hit a total of $3.14, the menu price would need to be approximately $2.73. What is the tax rate where you live, and what would your menu price be?
Remembering Pi Gourmet Eatery in St. John’s, Newfoundland (10 King's Rd, St. John's, NL A1C 3P1) - Now closed.
From the tile-lined walls of New Orleans to the chess tables of Montreal, my million-mile journey has shown me that math truly is a universal language. Whether you are hunting for hidden digits on a café wall or calculating the perfect menu price for a local brew, I hope these stops inspire you to find the "pi" in your own corner of the world. So, grab a pastry, gather your family for a shape-shifting challenge, and enjoy the infinite possibilities of the day.
Happy Pi Day—may your celebrations be as endless as the decimals!
……
Pi Day Deals Across Ontario and Canada in 2026
For Pizza:
1. Pizza Nova is celebrating Pi Day by offering slices for only $3.14 at participating locations across Ontario on March 14. This promotion is available for in-store, walk-in only.
2. PI Co. is offering a "margherita pi" special happening on March 14, 2026 from noon - 3:14pm. Enjoy a margherita pi for only $3.14.
Just a few of their popular locations include Avenue & Bloor (180 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1T6), Danforth & Broadview (102 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 1N1), Sherway Gardens (25 The West Mall, Etobicoke, ON M9C 1B8), Mississauga (4180 Confederation Parkway, Mississauga, ON L5B 0G4), Yonge & Eglinton (2177 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4S 2A9), Whitby (5560 Baldwin St S, Whitby, ON L1M 1T5), and two locations in Ottawa (170 Metcalfe St. Main Floor, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1P3 and 236 Richmond Road, Ottawa, ON K1Z 6W6)
Check out the full list PI Co. locations in Ontario.
3. Dough Box is celebrating Pi Day on March 14 with a pair of pizza specials available for one day only (walk-in only). From 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM, guests who purchase a bottled Coke product can enjoy a 2-topping pizza for just $3.14.
Later in the day, from 4:30 PM until close, the celebration continues with a buy one pizza, get a second 2-topping pizza for $3.14. The promotion is limited to one per guest, available at participating locations while supplies last, and cannot be combined with other offers. Taxes apply and the deal is not valid for online or third-party orders.
Just a few of their popular locations include Kingston (345 Princess Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 1B6), Newmarket (695 Stonehaven Ave. Newmarket, ON, L3X 0G2), and Barrie (7 Glenwood Drive, Unit 5, Barrie, ON, L4N 1R3). See the full list of Dough Box locations.
Pi Day
For Dessert:
1. Burger King is offering a Free Hershey's Pie or Cinnamon Apple Pie with a purchase of $3.14 or more.
2. Crumbl is also getting in on the Pi Day fun with a limited-time dessert inspired by the holiday. Leading up to March 14, the bakery chain is featuring its Cookie Dough Pie, a rich treat made with a graham-style crust filled with cookie-dough cream cheese and topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips. On Pi Day itself, Crumbl is adding an extra surprise—each location will offer a bonus pie-inspired flavour for one day only, with the exact dessert varying by store. While new to Canada, Crumbl cookies are now available in Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.
A few of those new locations include Richmond (11720 Steveston Hwy #125, Richmond, British Columbia V7P 1N6), Edmonton (5041 Mullen Rd, Edmonton, Alberta T6R 0S9), Guelph (1005 Paisley Rd unit 6, Guelph, Ontario N1K 1X6), and Dartmouth (165 Hector Gate, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3B 0E5). Check out full details and a full list of Canadian locations.
About Math Educator Ron Lancaster
Ron Lancaster is an Associate Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (252 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1V6), where he taught mathematics education for 17 years following a 21-year career as a middle and high school teacher. A global consultant, author, and speaker, Ron has presented at hundreds of conferences and contributed more than 150 articles to leading mathematics education publications. He is especially known for his engaging Math Trails, media work, and efforts to make mathematics meaningful in everyday life. His contributions have been recognized with awards from the Fields Institute and the Ontario Association for Mathematics Education (OAME).
Ron Lancaster and the Ontario Association for Mathematics Education (OAME)
Ron has had a long and meaningful connection with the Ontario Association for Mathematics Education (OAME). His first presentation for teachers took place at the 1983 OAME Annual Conference in Waterloo, ON where he spoke about the Rubik’s Cube. He has been a member since 1986 and credits that early experience of being surrounded by teachers who loved both their students and mathematics with shaping his professional path. Over the decades, Ron has attended nearly every annual conference, presented at OAME chapters across the province, and built a strong network of peers through the organization.
Of all the talks he has given, some of the most memorable have been those delivered alongside others. One highlight was the 1997 OAME Annual Conference, where he co-led a three-hour “Toronto Math Trail” minicourse with his Grade 7 students from St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School in Oakville, ON (1080 Linbrook Rd, Oakville, ON L6J 2L1).
Ron reflects that his more than 35-year association with OAME has shaped his professional growth in ways he could never have imagined. He encourages teachers—especially those just starting their careers—to attend conferences, lead workshops, write articles, and build their professional networks through organizations like OAME. In spring 2026, Ron will once again present at the OAME Conference in London, Ontario (April 30–May 1) at Fanshawe College (1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., London, Ontario Canada N5Y 5R6), marking his 42nd OAME conference as a speaker.
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