2016 Pi Day Deals

— -- Happy Pi Day, America. What was first a nerdy celebration of the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter has become another reason for companies to promote discounts on things from pizzas to computers.

Be sure to call a business beforehand to check restrictions and inventory for Pi Day, which was founded by physicist Larry Shaw at the San Francisco Exploratorium in 1988.

Here are some Pi Day deals:

Blaze Pizza Today, the fast-casual pizza chain backed by basketball star LeBron James is offering $3.14 pizzas all day. The chain has 115 restaurants in 27 states and Canada.

Bojangles': Buy three baked Sweet Potato Pies for $3.14 at Bojangles', based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The chain has 657 restaurants, mostly in the southeastern United States.

Microsoft: Microsoft is discounting certain Dell laptops by 31.4 percent, including the Dell XPS 13 9350 Signature Edition laptop.

Pizza Hut: Pizza Hut is giving the public a chance to win 3.14 years of free pizza in gift cards to those who solve three math problems by Princeton mathematician John H. Conway. The contest is open only to legal residents of the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., who are at least 18.

Whole Foods Market: Save $3.14 on a large pie from Whole Foods' bakery, where selection varies by store. Or save $2 on large "take and bake" pizza, excluding frozen pizzas.

Your Pie: The southeastern chain will offer pizza and craft beer combos for $3.14 today at its 28 locations in 10 states.