Papa John's to Close 300 Restaurants Nationwide

Struggling pizza chain to shutter 200 locations by end of 2026

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Papa John's Pizza announced plans to close approximately 300 restaurants across North America by the end of 2027, with around 200 of those closures happening by the end of this year. The company cited underperforming locations not meeting brand expectations as the reason for the mass closures.

Why it matters

The Papa John's closures come amid broader challenges in the pizza industry, with competitor Pizza Hut also announcing plans to close 250 stores in the first half of 2026. The move highlights the competitive landscape and changing consumer preferences that national pizza chains are navigating.

The details

Papa John's chief financial officer Ravi Thanawala told CNN that closing underperforming locations will allow the brand to 'transfer sales to a nearby restaurant.' According to Papa John's annual report, the company operated just over 3,500 locations across North America at the end of 2025. The company did not specify which individual restaurants will be closed.

  • Papa John's announced the closure plans during a late February 2026 earnings call.
  • Roughly 200 of the 300 planned closures will happen by the end of 2026.
  • The remaining 100 closures are expected by the end of 2027.

The players

Papa John's

A major national pizza chain that operates over 3,500 locations across North America.

Ravi Thanawala

The chief financial officer of Papa John's.

Pizza Hut

A competing national pizza chain that also announced plans to close 250 stores in the first half of 2026.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

The Papa John's closures highlight the ongoing challenges facing national pizza chains as they navigate a competitive landscape and shifting consumer preferences. The move raises questions about the long-term viability of some national pizza brands and the future of the industry as a whole.