The pizza chain is reintroducing pan pizza for the first time in six years, made with six cheeses and garlic sauce-infused crust
Papa Johns is bringing back pan pizza for the first time in six years after the original version was removed from menus in 2019.
The new pan pizza debuts on Jan. 29 and features caramelized edges with Parmesan cheese; the brand’s signature garlic sauce baked into the crust; a six-cheese blend of mozzarella, provolone, fontina, asiago, Parmesan, and Romano; edge-to-edge toppings; and no artificial colors or flavors.
“We've been working on this since it came off our menu in 2019,” Jenna Bromberg, CMO of Papa Johns, said during a press conference for the product release. “We wanted this pizza to be differentiated, high-quality and distinctively Papa John's. … We worked on the recipe until we found one we could execute consistently to deliver that experience every single time.”
Bromberg said the major differences between Papa Johns’ pan pizza 2.0 and the previous iteration include improved oven calibration, more cheese, and the new garlic sauce-infused crust.
Papa Johns’ competitors have had pan pizza on their menus for years: Pizza Hut’s pan pizza debuted in 1980, and Domino’s latest version of pan pizza launched in 2012. However, Papa Johns believes its differentiated recipe was worth the wait.
“We set the bar, and we really, really wanted to make sure that we not only set but raised the bar on what pan pizza should be,” Mark Gabrovic, vice president of culinary for Papa Johns, said. “So, we took all of the ‘should’ elements [of pan pizza] and allowed ourselves some innovative opportunities to think about what it could be and blended those together. I think we've built something that's differentiated in the market.”
The pan pizza is accompanied by a new marketing campaign called “Papa’s Pan Drop,” which involves a “360-degree campaign” across TV, online video, social channels, and PR alongside new packaging and vivid food photography.
Executives emphasized that this is the first of several major menu launches coming in 2026. Shivram Vaideesawaran, senior vice president of brand marketing, said Papa Johns is currently testing three types of oven-toasted sandwiches on ciabatta bread: truffle steak and mushroom, Philly cheesesteak, and chicken bacon ranch.
Papa Johns’ pan pizza will be available nationwide starting at $11.99 for a one-topping medium-sized pizza.
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