Papa Johns Closes 44 Stores in 17 States as 300 North America Shutdowns Advance
Updated
Updated · Fox Business · Jun 11
Papa Johns Closes 44 Stores in 17 States as 300 North America Shutdowns Advance
3 articles · Updated · Fox Business · Jun 11
Summary
44 Papa Johns stores shut in the first quarter across 17 states, with the heaviest closures in Texas, California, Florida and Arizona.
The cuts are part of a plan announced in February to close about 300 North American locations by 2027, targeting mostly franchise-owned stores more than 10 years old with annual sales below $600,000.
Papa Johns says removing weak restaurants should lift average unit volumes by at least 3% and let franchisees shift resources to stronger stores and priority markets.
The retrenchment comes with broader strain: filings also showed a 7% corporate workforce cut, while the chain faces inflation, supply-chain and labor costs plus tougher competition across the pizza sector.
Shares were down about 21% year to date through Wednesday's close and more than 69% over five years, underscoring pressure on the brand as rivals also trim locations.