Major pizza chain closes dozens of stores across US
Related: Everything That Went Wrong With Papa Johns Pizza
Papa Johns has quietly closed 44 underperforming stores across 17 states this year, following an announcement in February to shutter approximately 300 locations by the end of 2027.
The closures are attributed to declining sales and intense competition from other fast-food chains, particularly chicken-centric restaurants like Raising Cane’s and Dave’s Hot Chicken, Fast Company reported.
Texas has been most affected, with a dozen Papa Johns locations closing, while Arizona, California and Florida also saw multiple store closures.
Papa Johns’ North American sales have seen significant declines, including a 2 percent drop in 2025 and a 6.4 percent decrease in the first quarter of 2026.
The struggles are not unique to Papa Johns, as other pizza chains like Pizza Hut are also closing underperforming stores, indicating a broader challenge within the pizza restaurant sector.
