An American pizza chain has shuttered dozens of restaurants across the US just months after announcing the closure of hundreds of sites this year.
Papa Johns International, which provides pizza delivery and takeout services, has closed locations across 17 US states so far this year. The company had 3,487 sites across North America as of the end of March, the vast majority of which operate under franchise agreements.
Back in February, the firm announced it would close up to 300 locations through to the end of 2027, with two-thirds of those closures expected to take place this year.
Papa Johns has been battling falling sales for a number of reasons, among them shifting consumer preferences away from pizza, soaring operating costs, and an increasingly cost-conscious dining public.
Rival Pizza Hut has similarly shuttered a number of its restaurants, with parent company Yum Brands now reported to be weighing up a sale of the chain.
Papa Johns has been battling falling sales for a number of reasons, among them shifting consumer preferences away from pizza, soaring operating costs, and an increasingly cost-conscious dining public.
Rival Pizza Hut has similarly shuttered a number of its restaurants, with parent company Yum Brands now reported to be weighing up a sale of the chain.
Papa Johns recorded a 2% drop in North American same-store sales according to its 2025 annual report, while North American same-store sales fell a further 6.4% during the first quarter of this year, according to Fast Company.
Shares in Papa Johns International have fallen roughly 21% year to date, in stark contrast to the broader S&P 500, which has climbed almost 8% over the same period.
Over the past five years, the pizza chain’s stock price has collapsed by almost 70%.
More than 40 Papa Johns locations appear to have closed their doors so far this year, Fast Company reported. The following US states have seen closures of Papa Johns locations:
- Alabama – one location
- Arizona – four locations
- California – five locations
- Colorado – one location
- Florida – five locations
- Georgia – one location
- Illinois – one location
- Michigan – two locations
- Missouri – one location
- North Carolina – three locations
- New York – one location
- Ohio – one location
- Oklahoma – one location
- South Carolina – one location
- Texas – 12 locations
- Virginia – two locations
- Wisconsin – one location
Papa Johns has yet to reveal which branches are earmarked for closure as part of its overhaul strategy, and has equally remained tight-lipped over the number of jobs that could be at risk.