"Better Ingredients. Better Pizza." is the simple message
that Papa John's Pizza delivers.
Setting
itself apart by focusing on quality, the fast food pizza operation
with the old fashioned name is cashing in on its mission to best
the competition by using fresher ingredients and authentic flavors.
The
gamble seems to be paying off, as the chain has grown to become
the largest take-out and delivery pizza restaurant in the US behind
Pizza Hut and Domino's. From a basic recipe that helped lure customers
to a local tavern owned by his father, Papa John's owner John
Schnatter has taken his quest for "the Perfect Pizza"
to produce more than $280 million in revenues (2009) at 3,000
Papa John's locations across the nation, 200 in the UK, and 50
worldwide.
Papa
John's history
Early
on, John Schnatter realized the value and popularity of pizza
while working part-time as a pizza delivery boy during his high
school and college days.
Upon
graduating, he began working for his father, who was co-owner
of the tavern Mick's Lounge in Jeffersonville, Indiana. In 1983,
he sold his car (a 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28) for $2800 to buy
out the bar's co-owner and began serving pizza to customers under
the Papa John's banner.
His
pizza proved so popular that three years later Schnatter had his
first franchise, as he embarked on a series of innovations that
got the fast food pizza industry buzzing.
Papa
John's firsts
Today,
Papa John's is recognized as the first major pizza chains to deliver
fresh (not frozen) dough to its franchises, and were the first
to include immensely popular dipping sauces.
By
2002, the chain also became the first to offer online ordering
which now accounts for almost half of all Papa John's orders nationwide.
(Online ordering is also now available in Canada, the UK and Ireland,
and South Korea.) In
addition to delivery, Papa John's also focuses on party catering
with complete packages of pizza, drinks and dessert, or a custom
menu for specific catering choices order in person, by phone or
online.
By
2009, after more than two decades in operation, John Schnatter
had realized his dream by taking his pizza from a neighborhood
bar to a wildly successful chain operation, and made his fortune.
But there was another happy ending in store...
Schnatter
gets his Camaro back
Having
sold his beloved Chevrolet Camaro back in 1983, Schnatter later
spent years trying to get it back when he hit upon the idea of
creating a Web site to publicize his search with a $250,000 reward
to whoever found it. Hearing about the search, Kentucky owner
Jeffery Robinson delivered the car to a grateful Schnatter and
collected the "finder's fee".
Looking
much as it did when he first sold it in 1983, the Chevrolet Camaro
Z28 is now on display at Papa John's headquarters in Louisville,
Kentucky as a monument to personal sacrifice, ingenuity, and reward.
Small Original Crust Pizza, Large Original Crust Pizza, Big Papa
Original Crust Pizza,
Small Thin Crust Pizza, Large Thin Crust Pizza, Big Papa Thin
Crust Pizza, The Works, The Meats, Spicy Italian, Garden Fresh,
Tuscan Six Cheese, Spinach Alfredo, BBQ Chicken & Bacon, Hawaiian
BBQ Chicken
Toppings
- Pepperoni, sausage, spicy Italian sausage, ham, hickory-smoked
bacon, grilled chicken, onions and peppers, baby portabella mushrooms,
roma tomatoes, black olives, sweet pineapple, extra cheese
Papa John's.com -
The official site with information on special offers, menu and
nutrition information, locations finder, online ordering and catering,
company history and background, and a guide to franchise ownership.
Papa
John's Pizza - Wikipedia - The complete history including
biographical details on its founder, corporate earnings and company
stats, photos, related references and resources.
Papa
John's Franchise Information - Overview
from Entrepreneur.com with information on franchise growth and
rankings, costs and startup fees, and what to expect in terms
of corporate help and support.