this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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Economics

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Papa Johns is the latest pizza chain to close hundreds of locations following a tough quarter as customers pull back on spending.

The company revealed during Thursday’s earnings call that approximately 300 underperforming restaurants in North America will close by the end of 2027, with about 200 of them shuttering this year.

The affected restaurants are those “not meeting brand expectations or lack a clear path to sustainable financial improvement, as well as locations where we can effectively transfer sales to a nearby restaurant,” said Ravi Thanawala, Papa Johns chief financial officer and president of the chain’s North America operations.

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[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 45 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

Y'all were cheap and palatable 20 years ago when I always had a half-off coupon for an XL pie and your owner wasn't publicly a massive bigot

Rest In Piss

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 8 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Little Caesars and Hungry Howies are better options and cheaper.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

I never buy pizza from someone who's first language is not italian.

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 1 points 46 minutes ago

Caesar was from Rome

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 12 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

The first is gas station level quality, and th second is entirely unfamiliar to me. How about I just make my own, or order from a local restaurant instead?

[–] Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world 11 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

gas station level quality

I won't take this gas station pizza slander! Casey's, a regional gas station franchise in the central US, is better than pretty much every national pizza chain.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

Remind me where I've driven past a Casey's

[–] plateee@piefed.social 5 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

IIRC, Mr Papa John has long since left the company and Shaq took over.

Their pizza still sucks though.

[–] thlibos@thelemmy.club 3 points 15 hours ago

Blackrock Inc. owns the most shares in Papa John's. Shaq just owns around a dozen franchises in the Atlanta area and was on the Board of Directors until he stepped down in 2024.

[–] blarth@thelemmy.club 5 points 19 hours ago

I actually enjoyed their pizza but refused to buy it after the papa showed his true colors.

Shaq should rebrand.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 2 points 19 hours ago

Shaq didn't join to make the pizza better; he just makes it look shorter.