An American pizza chain has shuttered dozens of restaurants across the US just months after announcing the planned closure of hundreds of sites this year. Papa Johns International, which offers pizza delivery and takeout services, has closed locations across 17 US states so far in 2026.
Closures Across 17 States
The company had 3,487 sites across North America as of the end of March, the vast majority operating under franchise agreements. In February, the firm announced it would close up to 300 locations through to the end of 2027, with two-thirds of those closures expected to take place this year. More than 40 Papa Johns locations have already closed their doors in 2026, according to Fast Company.
States affected include Alabama (one location), Arizona (four), California (five), Colorado (one), Florida (five), Georgia (one), Illinois (one), Michigan (two), Missouri (one), North Carolina (three), New York (one), Ohio (one), Oklahoma (one), South Carolina (one), Texas (12), Virginia (two), and Wisconsin (one).
Reasons for the Sales Slump
Papa Johns has been battling falling sales due to several factors, including shifting consumer preferences away from pizza, soaring operating costs, and an increasingly cost-conscious dining public. The chain recorded a 2% drop in North American same-store sales in its 2025 annual report, and same-store sales fell a further 6.4% during the first quarter of 2026.
Shares in Papa Johns International have fallen roughly 21% year to date, in stark contrast to the broader S&P 500, which has climbed almost 8% over the same period. Over the past five years, the pizza chain's stock price has collapsed by almost 70%.
Industry-Wide Challenges
Rival Pizza Hut has similarly shuttered a number of its restaurants, with parent company Yum Brands reportedly weighing a sale of the chain. Papa Johns has yet to reveal which branches are earmarked for closure as part of its overhaul strategy and has remained tight-lipped about the number of jobs that could be at risk.
