Latest news with #PapaJohn'sPizza
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Papa John's Announces Major Menu Change
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Papa John's has announced a new pizza available on menus this month: the Garlic 5-Cheese Crust pizza. The new pizza's base is inspired by the chain's garlic bread, with a garlic-Parmesan crust and topped with Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Fontina, and Provolone cheeses. Why It Matters The new pizza arrives at a time of significant competition in the fast food industry, which faces slim margins and changing consumer habits amid economic uncertainty and inflation. Papa Johns CEO Todd Penegor previously said the brand would be focusing on innovating and improving its core menu in the company's second quarter earnings call. The Papa John's Pizza logo is shown on May 09, 2024 in Austin, Texas. The Papa John's Pizza logo is shown on May 09, 2024 in Austin, To Know Papa John's has described its original dough as made from six simple ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, water, oil, and yeast, and said that the dough underpinned prior innovations such as Epic Stuffed Crust and NY Style Crust. The company is now promoting a limited‑time price of $11.99 for a Large 1‑Topping Garlic 5‑Cheese Crust Pizza at participating locations. Competitors have previously pursued crust innovations, including Little Caesars' pretzel mashups, Domino's Parmesan Stuffed Crust and Pizza Hut's Cheesy Bites. Papa John's reported that North America comparable sales rose 1 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, while international comparable sales increased by 4 percent, and the company disclosed system‑wide restaurant sales of $1.26 billion for the quarter. The company had earlier reported a near 3 percent decline in North America same‑store sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 and described consumer wallet pressures and competitive promotional intensity on the May earnings call. "As food costs have risen, many customers have bypassed eating out and instead opted to stay home and save money," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. "Additions like the Garlic 5-Cheese Crust pizza at a lower price are an attempt to reestablish a connection with customers who haven't been as active in recent months but the company hopes can be enticed to return." The new item follows a series of menu and corporate moves by Papa John's in 2025, including making the Shaq‑a‑Roni a permanent offering, international product innovation such as a Croissant Pizza, and a C‑suite restructuring, all occurring as the chain reported a modest return to North America comparable sales growth in the second quarter. What People Are Saying Mark Gabrovic, vice president of culinary at Papa Johns, said in a statement: "The Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza adds a smoky flavor and crisp texture to the crust and enhances the taste of our savory garlic-Parmesan and sweet pizza sauces. We've taken our iconic dough and elevated it with a crust that's flavorful and unmistakably Papa Johns. I encourage everyone to enjoy it from the outside in to get a bite of the crust first." Shivram Vaideeswaran, SVP of Brand Marketing at Papa Johns, said in a statement: "Our dough has always been the heart of everything we do. It's a recipe rooted in simplicity and integrity—just six ingredients, perfected over decades. That foundation is what empowers us to innovate boldly with menu items that are different and unique, especially with our crusts. The Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza is the best example - every bite is perfect from our high-quality toppings on our six simple ingredient dough, to the craveable five-cheese and garlic parmesan blend on the crust." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "New offerings that entice people through the door, encourage bigger tickets, and keep the product pipeline fresh. Brands are experimenting in hopes of squeezing out more margin in an increasingly crowded market." What Happens Next Papa John's has projected system‑wide sales growth of 2 percent to 5 percent for 2025 and North America sales flat to up 2 percent. The popular pizza chain also aims to have 85 to 115 North American restaurant openings for the year. "In the hyper-competitive world of fast-casual dining, pizza chains are constantly searching for ways to boost both margins and volume," Thompson said. "The fast-food industry is in a constant cycle of reinvention. With input costs and wages on the rise, operators are looking for ways to drive more transactions as customers become more price sensitive."
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
What is Bitcoin Pizza Day and how it became a crypto holiday
Sometimes simple moments in life turn into historic ones. Like it happened with Laszlo Hanyecz , an early Bitcoin miner who spent some of his digital currency on a pizza purchase and unknowingly created history. Bitcoin Pizza Day is celebrated in the memory of that simple moment that reshaped the way we think about money and investment. Today, cryptocurrencies are used for everyday purchases and even recognized by some governments. But 15 years back, its valuation was close to nothing. A lighthearted yet crucial moment occurred on May 22 when two early adopters had a quirky exchange, marking the first real-world purchase made with Bitcoin - two large size Papa John's Pizza . This explains why the day is annually celebrated as Bitcoin Pizza Day - to mark an important moment in the history of digital money. It's no surprise that every May 22, the crypto community enjoys the day with their favourite pizza on what is now known as Bitcoin Pizza Day. The slice that started it all To make it clear, Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer and early Bitcoin miner, wasn't short of money when he decided to spend some bitcoins on a pizza purchase. In an interview he revealed he thought it would be really cool if he just traded the 'internet sourced money' for a real world good purchase. On why he chose to buy pizza, and not anything else, he explained that food is a basic necessity and that every geek understands pizza. On the bitcointalk forum, he offered 10K bitcoins in exchange for pizza and soon somebody accepted the offer paying for the pizzas that shortly arrived at his doorsteps. Hanyecz estimated the person would have spent around $30-$40 at the time on the bitcoins which approximately value over $1 billion currently. However, at that time, nobody would have imagined it could create this much fortune as they weren't worth anything. For Hanyecz, it wasn't about price but proof: that Bitcoin could be used to buy something tangible in the real world. What he didn't know at the moment was that he was creating history. It marked the first documented commercial transaction using Bitcoin, a point when the cryptocurrency transformed from an idea into a functioning, spendable currency. Hanyecz while looking back at the day still can't believe there is a day in his honour. From $40 to over $1 billion Today, those same 10,000 BTC are worth over $1.1 billion. On Pizza Day 2025, Bitcoin even surged to an all-time high above $111,800. The story has become legend. Hanyecz himself mined the coins when Bitcoin was valued at less than a penny. In interviews, he's expressed no regrets, saying the transaction 'made Bitcoin real' to him. 'I was winning the internet that day,' he once joked, recalling the novelty of paying for a meal with digital tokens created out of thin air. How pizza sparked a movement Since that 2010 exchange, Bitcoin has evolved into a global financial asset. It's used today to purchase homes, cars, airline tickets, and even pay for taxes in some jurisdictions. Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated with themed events, online tributes, and of course, pizza parties, reminds the community of Bitcoin's revolutionary journey, from cypherpunk curiosity to financial powerhouse. The man behind the meal What's often missed in this tale is the extent of Hanyecz's Bitcoin pizza spending. Between May and August 2010, he spent nearly 100,000 BTC on pizza which is more than $11 billion at today's prices. He posted his offer on the Bitcointalk forum and kept it open until it became unsustainable to mine 'thousands of coins a day.' As a developer, Hanyecz was more than just a hungry enthusiast. He was the first to show that Bitcoin mining could be accelerated using GPUs, a discovery that helped spark the arms race in mining power. He also developed the first MacOS Bitcoin client, contributing significantly to the ecosystem's early infrastructure. Why Bitcoin Pizza Day still matters Bitcoin Pizza Day is more than just a meme, it showed that Bitcoin could be transacted, traded, and valued in a tangible way. This marked an important step in Bitcoin's evolution into a tool for commerce, investment, and financial independence. What makes this day significant in history is that it reminds us that no matter how powerful, every technology has a humble beginning. A simple idea of exchanging Bitcoin for pizza helped turn the cryptocurrency into what it is today. (Images courtesy: iStock) Making sense of Bitcoin, blockchain and future of cryptocurrency One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
