As a high school student working at a local pizza pub in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Papa John's founder John Schnatter realized that there was something missing from national pizza chains: a superior-quality traditional pizza delivered to the customer's door. His dream was to one day open a pizza restaurant that would fill that void.

In 1984, "Papa" John Schnatter knocked out a broom closet located in the back of his father's tavern (Mick's Lounge), sold his prized 1972 Z28 Camaro, purchased $1,600 worth of used restaurant equipment, and began selling his pizzas to the tavern's customers.

The customers loved the pizza so much that John was able to expand by moving into adjoining space eventually leading to the opening of the Today, there are approximately 3,000 Papa John's restaurants operating in 49 states and 29 international markets.
More importantly, Papa John's remains committed to its heritage of making a superior-quality, traditional pizza.