Better Pizza Can't Save Papa Johns!

A sinking feeling.

Looks like Shaq can't save a major pizza place....

Even with MAGAland supporter John Schnatter being wiped away from Louisville and New Albany, Indiana, Papa Johns Pizza is still struggling.

Schnatter, the founder of Papa Johns Pizza started in the mid 1980s in New Albany.

He became a prominent figure in the area. His pizza would come with a signature jalapeño pepper on the side. 

He was their spokesman and CEO for the most part. Until 2018, he was forced out by the board when he allowed his free speech disrespect the only group that put at least 30% of the brand.

Schnatter called Blacks, Niggers. He vehemently opposed having Black leadership and said that our money is only good for one thing, welfare.

Schnatter opposed NFL players kneeling during protests of police violence. 

Schnatter now is a doing fitness and trolling. He even called Papa Johns crap.

Now the company is struggling. Since his remarks, I haven't eaten the pizza. I have messed with Papa Johns since 2015 when he made remarks about former president Barack Obama.

His free speech led to my avoidance which is free association.

It is reported that the company is planning on closing 300 facilities in the United States.

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.

A specific list of locations wasn’t announced. Papa Johns had about 3,500 locations at the end of 2025, according to its annual report.

It is the results of private equity firms. This is why capitalism is failing America.

In addition to the closures, the company cut about 7% of its roughly 700-person corporate workforce.

That means 14 to 30 workers who had minor or moderate roles will be unemployed along with the corporate owned stores. The franchised Papa Johns will likely survive only if they are keeping up with their investor fees.

Eating out is no longer a luxury.

The closures follow a brutal fourth quarter for the chain, which reported a 5.4% decline in same-store sales in North America. CEO Todd Penegor said in a statement the results “reflected a weak consumer backdrop and elevated promotional environment.”

Penegor is trying to engineer a turnaround for Papa Johns, focusing mainly on the menu. He recalibrated restaurants’ ovens to ensure better cooking and is improving its offerings. The chain most recently rolled out a new pan pizza.

Rival Pizza Hut announced earlier this month that it was closing about 250 locations in the first half of this year. Parent company Yum! Brands is undergoing a strategic review of the embattled brand.

Domino’s Pizza is the clear winner among the fast-food pizza chains. Earlier this week, the chain reported a 3.7% increase in same-store sales for the fourth quarter, fueled by value offerings and a new brand campaign.

Domino's had struggled in the 1990s when the turnaround was the Noid. The character became an iconic figure in the franchise. It lead to the company bouncing back.

It's founder wants to make a private city in Florida. Tom Monoghan, the founder of Domino's wants to build Ava Maria into a major community in the Naples area.

Question, why are most of the millionaires and billionaires, white men?

Why are they hoarding the wealth?

Why is capitalism only benefiting the elite while the working class is struggling?

Why is private equity firms the cause of companies going out of business?