Papa John’s is launching new all-toppings, crustless “pizza shells” — and social media isn’t enjoying it.
The Indiana-based restaurant chain plans to launch “Papa Bowls” statewide next week.
Customers have three options to choose from – Garden Veggie, Chicken Alfredo, and Italian Meats Trio. The dishes are priced at $7.99 each and will officially go on sale to loyalty members this week.
Customers have three options to choose from – Garden Veggie, Chicken Alfredo, and Italian Meats Trio. The dishes are $7.99 each. Papa John’s
Papa John’s is hoping the crust-free option will reignite the public’s love affair with pizza, which seems to have waned since the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s a general thought that there might be a little bit of pizza fatigue,” Scott Rodriguez, the company’s senior vice president of menu strategy and innovation, told CNN.
“Because that’s all we’ve had in recent years.”
However, judging by the Twitter reactions, Papa John’s needs to work harder to sell the concept to the general public.
One Twitter user referred to it as “s- in a bowl.”
Another Twitter user, Mike Scollins, posted a photo of Pizza the Hutt from the Mel Brooks film Spaceballs, saying it was “my Papa John’s pizza bowl begging me to kill it.”
One Twitter commenter wrote: “Papa Johns will now literally sell you a trough of cheese and shredded pepperoni that’s literally all they call it a ‘bowl’ but it’s just mashed cheese served to you in a miniature trough…Italy , I’m sorry.”
Papa Johns offers a bowl that consists only of toppings and no crust. I think they stole the recipe I use to make my own granola.
— ItsVirtualAPodcast (@ItsVRAPodcast) August 17, 2022
Another Twitter user quipped, “Papa Johns offers a bowl with just toppings and no crust. I think they stole the recipe I use to make my own granola.”
“This just came in: Papa Johns is out of ideas and just throwing crap in a bowl. Are you excited???” tweeted another naysayer.
The Post has solicited comment from Papa John’s.
Papa John’s and its rivals Pizza Hut and Domino’s are struggling with labor shortages that have slowed growth.
The Indiana-based restaurant chain hopes the crustless, all-toppings concept has reignited the public’s appetite for pizza. Bloomberg via Getty Images
The company reported that sales at its North American restaurants rose nearly 1% in the second quarter — down from 5% in the same period last year.
In the second quarter of 2020, sales increased by 28%.