Papa John’s Pizza is an American restaurant company. It runs the third largest take-out and pizza delivery restaurant chain in the world, with headquarters in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, a suburb of Louisville.
The Papa John’s restaurant franchise was founded in 1983 by “Papa” John Schnattertaking a small corner of space of his father’s tavern, in Jeffersonville, Indiana. He then sold car to by some used pizza equipment and began selling pizzas to bar customers .
Its slogan is “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. Papa John’s.”
So they rolled out a new “deep dish” pizza. I’m not sure which chain was first in using “deep dish” to describe a pie that isn’t. The big chains offer a pie with a thick, bready crust and call it deep dish, but the original model, Chicago deep dish, doesn’t have a thick crust, and the emphasis is on the toppings.
For a limited time, Papa Johns is offering the new pie, in a 12″ version, with up to 3 toppings, for $10. That’s fairly good deal for the “value priced” end of the chain spectrum.
I ordered mine with sausage and olives, and a plain cheese with “classic crust,” for my friend.
We each had some that first night, bagged up the rest and threw it in the frig. If you’re a regular reader, you know I think the true test of a great pizza (for me) is how it tastes the next AM.
Not thrilled at all with this hot out of the box, it was even more disappointing the next day. Both pies were undercooked, to begin with. The “spicy sausage” isn’t, and the toppings are skimpy in quantity (including the sauce and cheese). The sauce tastes like it comes right from a can, and the cheese? Just not satisfactory.
Taste and texture aside, the ‘classic crust’ failed on all the same levels, and as well for pure aesthetics. If you owned a pizzeria would you be proud of a pie that looked like the one below?
If I’m to consume faux deep dish pies, my preferences would be to put this at third, behind Jet and Little Caesar’s bacon wrapped, but ahead of Dominos and Pizza Hut. Ultimately, my choice would be to pass on all five in favor of any local mom and pop shop.
Papa John, I don’t like your pizza, tho I could guzzle the garlic dipping sauce, even tho it’s probably not real food! 2 pies, 2 liter soda, deliver, tip, $27.
Deep Dish Sausage and Olive
Regular Crust Sausage
Papa Johns Deep Dish Pizza Review