A Pizza Story

Papa John's Pizza was founded by John Schnatter in 1984, shortly after he graduated from business school. According to legend, John worked at pizza places in high school and college. After school, he headed back to his hometown of Jeffersonville, IN and sold his prized 1971 Camaro for start-up funds. He purchased used kitchen equipment, and began selling pizzas out of the back of his father's tavern.

Twenty-five years later Papa John's Pizza had grown to third place in America and John Schnatter wondered whatever happened to the Camaro that made it all possible. He launched a campaign to track it down, offering a $250,000 reward for return of the car. The original family John sold it to contacted him and connected him with the new owners. John happily handed over the hefty reward for the car, and paid the original buyers $25,000 for their help.

The car is now on display in Louisville, KY at the Papa John's headquarters which, incidentally, is another interesting aspect in the history of Papa John's. Insiders say the running of their corporate headquarters is modeled after NORAD. All of Papa John's locations, nationally, are linked fiber optically. The Louisville inventory control center supervises over 2,600 stores, redirecting supplies and delivery vehicles to areas experiencing surges in demand.

That, in the end, is the defining characteristic of Papa John's pizza. The motto, "Better ingredients. Better Pizza." relies on those regular deliveries of the freshest possible products. Their dough is always hand-tossed and made with high-protein flour and filtered water. Their sauce is all natural and the veggies are fresh--either delivered from local markets or brought in from the finest locations, as in the case of the olives, which come from the best groves in Spain--and chopped in store. And the meats and cheeses are all the highest quality, real, no-filler, goods available.

In 2002, Papa John's became the first pizza chain to offer online ordering--making delivery of their delicious, pure ingredient pizzas, especially convenient. Online you can find all of their regular selections plus current special offers. There are also special online Papa John's coupons available worth taking advantage of, such as those on ShopAtHome.com. When you place your order, it is sent to the nearest Papa John's location, made to order, and at your door before you know it.

From John Schnatter's humble beginnings and aspirations of quality ingredients making the best pizzas his customers had ever tasted--to world-wide success. Papa John's has offered fresh, hand-crafted pizzas, available conveniently since 1984--and all thanks to a Camaro.

Submitted by Ann Marie from ShopAtHome.com