# Papa Johns - How do they manage to make some of the greatest pizza on earth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705 "2017-10-13T05:16:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/101 "2017-10-14T14:08:45Z")
I’ve eaten PJs once, at my ex-wife’s insistence, on our honeymoon. Five years later we separated. Not a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/102 "2017-10-14T14:31:49Z")
Pizza is a business. On a business-grading system, Papa John’s is powerful enough to get the OP posting. Were pizza being judged on being pizza, a premise some posters are working from, it’d be a different story, thus the confusion. No one like McDonalds either. . ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/103 "2017-10-14T14:34:19Z")
Hey! I like McDonalds! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/104 "2017-10-14T14:40:09Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I was not aware of this macho pizza war. Real Chicago-style pizza is a wonderful thing - and even more so if it’s eaten IN Chicago. > Defensive much? By “macho” I mean somewhat tongue-in-cheek regional food boosterism. Come on, don’t you remember Jon Stewart dissing Chicago deep dish on his show? Overall, I actually prefer Chicago as a pizza town, because of the variety, but I haven’t really found a truly great NY slice here, so for tha particular style, NY has the edge. Also, real Chicago-style pizza can be any of three things. We have deep dish, stuffed, and a type of thin crust that is cut into squares. The last one, to me, is what Chicago pizza really is all about. That’s the one we eat 95% of the time. Deep dish and stuffed is special occasion food. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/105 "2017-10-14T14:45:49Z")
The ultimate standard for pizza is what Pal Joey’s (our local pizzeria) used to sell back in the old days, where enough grease and oil would soak through the box on the way home to form a quarter-inch thick layer on the car seat. They don’t make 'em like that anymore. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/106 "2017-10-14T15:13:23Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Neapolitan _pizza_? How does that work? Do they divide the circle of the crust into three parallel stripes of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, or is it more like a target, with a chocolate outer band, then a vanilla middle band, and a strawberry bullseye? > > Or is it one of those weird rectangular pizzas? Then at least the stripes would work. > > But whoever thought chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry would be good on a pizza anyway? If one can differentiate between New York pizza and New York cheesecake, one should be able to differentiate between Neapolitan pizza and Neapolitan ice cream. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/107 "2017-10-14T15:28:06Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I enjoy having my fingernails pulled off one by one much more than being blinded with a hot fireplace poker or buggered by a post hole auger. Thanks for the gut buster! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/108 "2017-10-14T16:57:41Z")
> [@MinnesotaBorn\_Raised](#): > > Simple, better ingredients and better pizza. They started in 1984 and over 30 years later manage to have 4700 locations and growing, all due to the sheer amazing-ness and quality of their legendary Pizza. I’ve eaten at hundreds of mom and pop pizza places and local pizzerias all over the US from Chicago to New York to Boston to Minneapolis to Seattle to Houston to Detroit to Miami and nothing comes close to Papa Johns. If Papa Johns is so fucking great, why do you keep eating at all those other places? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/109 "2017-10-14T17:27:41Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The ultimate standard for pizza is what Pal Joey’s (our local pizzeria) used to sell back in the old days, where enough grease and oil would soak through the box on the way home to form a quarter-inch thick layer on the car seat. Oh, you mean PIZZA. You need to move back to Chi. I’d ask why this isn’t in Cafe Society, where discussions of food belong, but I remembered it was about Papa John’s. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/110 "2017-10-14T17:58:52Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Who buys pizza from a restaurant? Everyone knows you can make it better and cheaper yourself! Here’s what you do. First plow a field and sow with hard winter wheat. Six months later, rent a combine harvester… Ahh, you must be a student of Escoffier. Want a perfect steak, first by 160 hectares and a heard of Angus… ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/111 "2017-10-14T18:08:34Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > [Would it help if I told you the water probably isn’t key?](http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/01/does-nyc-water-make-a-difference-in-pizza-quality.html) I was kidding, I tend to do that at times! And FTR, St Louis and the area has some darn good tap water. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/112 "2017-10-14T18:32:46Z")
I don’t like tomatoes. They come off any burger before I eat it. I tolerate tomato sauce on pizza. The other toppings and cheese are what I love. Some dine-in pizza places think “good” pizza needs thick, chunky tomato sauce. That’s just nasty and gross. I avoid those restaurants. I was in Chicago for a conference. A bunch of us went out for authentic Chicago pizza. To my horror it had that thick, chunky tomato sauce. I ate two slices to be polite. The acidity gave me the shits and I missed several of the workshops that I had signed up for the next day. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/113 "2017-10-14T18:36:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I don’t like tomatoes. They come off any burger before I eat it. > > I tolerate tomato sauce on pizza. The other toppings and cheese are what I love. At least some burger places let you have it your way. 😉 Oddly, while I hate tomatoes, I have no problem with sauce (or ketchup where appropriate). ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/114 "2017-10-14T18:39:02Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > They don’t. They don’t even make the best pizza in town. Far too sweet. > > Schenectady has dozens of better places; the local one actually went out of business. > > The rule for pizza is iron-clad: The quality of the pizza is inversely proportional to the number of restaurants in the chain. Good rule. I have no restaurants at all and I make a pizza better than all of them. I have never, ever seen my favorite pizza in a restaurant: basil pesto sauce, goat cheese, black olives, and walnuts. Topped with fresh grated parmesan. ---
**Author:** ![fervour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@fervour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fervour)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/115 "2017-10-15T01:15:26Z")
> [@MinnesotaBorn\_Raised](#): > > Simple, better ingredients and better pizza. They started in 1984 and over 30 years later manage to have 4700 locations and growing, all due to the sheer amazing-ness and quality of their legendary Pizza. I’ve eaten at hundreds of mom and pop pizza places and local pizzerias all over the US from Chicago to New York to Boston to Minneapolis to Seattle to Houston to Detroit to Miami and nothing comes close to Papa Johns. . . . Papa Johns sucks. And they have that shit, who I assume is the CEO, as their spokesperson. He can’t even get a decent hair color job. How could one expect him to be able to fix a pizza? Isn’t he the guy that said his employees didn’t deserve healthcare. I have no idea what Marco’s political affiliation is. Wisely, Marco’s keeps silent on that sort of thing. But Marco’s is the best pizza chain. I hope they don’t come out with some stupid political statement so I have to boycott them. But Marco’s pizza actually tastes good. I only eat Papa John’s if someone else has brought it in as a freebie. There’s no point cutting off your nose to spite your face. Marco’s is pricey but good. There’s no point in eating at Papa John’s----you might as well go to Little Caesar’s----which is actually cheap and good—but not top shelf. ---
**Author:** ![MinnesotaBorn\_Raised](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@MinnesotaBorn\_Raised](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinnesotaBorn_Raised)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/116 "2017-10-15T21:55:05Z")
Marco’s is very good! They’ve been around longer then Papa Johns but still have less locations, but they have been growing a lot in recent years. I won’t post links but Google “marco’s pizza fastest growing chain” and “marco’s pizza expansion” I had to laugh I went to this local joint recently and they got a sign posted saying they need to add like a 90 cent surcharge to credit card orders due to rising ingredient costs and tight profit margins! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA EPIC FAIL 1)You do business in this day and age credit card processing fees should be already included in the prices. I get my paycheck direct deposited because it’s 2017, I don’t carry cash. Money is direct deposited, and I use my card to make purchases. That is more secure and safer then carrying cash and if I lose cash, i’m out of luck. Why would I carry cash? And crying over a 2-3% in credit card processing fees on a $10-15 order then have the nerve to tell me to go to an atm and pay like a $2-4 ATM fee LMAO NO I DONT THINK SO 2)Pizza has some of the highest profit margins on any food. How do Little Ceasers make money selling their $5 pizzas or how do places like Dominos have their always “on sale” 7.99 carryout large 3 topping special thats been going on for YEARS! Pizza is one of the things that is ALWAYS “on sale” Are people ever stupid enough to order a pizza at regular price? [Top 5 food mark-ups where restaurants make huge profits](https://www.aol.com/2010/09/08/top-5-food-mark-ups-where-restaurants-make-huge-profits/) 3)If the 2-3% credit card processing fees are the difference between your business being a success and you going bankrupt, then you’re business is crap and a huge failure and you need to step back and reevaluate your business plan and come up with something better. 4)Makes me laugh seeing them trashtalk the big chains and how customers love them and how they’re so legendary and godly and local, yet they’re hurting and have to addon stupid surcharges and nickel and dime their customers because they’re on the brink of folding. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Obviously customers are voting their wallet and their pizza isn’t as good as the second coming of Jesus Christ that they’d make you believe BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/117 "2017-10-16T02:38:36Z")
> [@MinnesotaBorn\_Raised](#): > > 2)Pizza has some of the highest profit margins on any food. That honestly would surprise me. Do you have a cite for that? The cheese alone really eats into the margin. I honestly have no idea how these places can turn out giant pizzas for $5. I, cooking at home, can’t do that. (I actually agree on your points about credit card processing, though.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/118 "2017-10-16T14:01:13Z")
According to [this article](https://www.pizzatoday.com/departments/back-office/make-20-percent-profit-margin-can-2/), the profit margin in the pizza industry as a whole is 7%. The guy writing the article is exceptional with a 20% profit margin. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/119 "2017-10-16T14:14:54Z")
pizza ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705/120 "2017-10-16T14:23:10Z")
Edit time elapsed. TL;DR - Papa John’s sucks donkey balls, the OP is wronger than wrong, local pizza rules. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/papa-johns-how-do-they-manage-to-make-some-of-the-greatest-pizza-on-earth/798705.md?page=7)