Food

Papa John’s goes after the lunch business

The company has introduced Papadia sandwiches as it targets a new daypart.
Photograph courtesy of Papa John's

Papa John’s hopes lunch will help it regain sales.

The Louisville, Ky.-based chain Monday announced a new selection of sandwiches called Papadias, which come in four varieties and are made with the company’s pizza crust and served with pepperoncini and a choice of sauces.

The sandwich is a take on the piadina, an Italian folded flatbread sandwich from Northern Italy.

“The Papadia is great for people on the go who are looking to mix up their traditional lunch routine,” Paul Fabre, senior vice president of product innovation at Papa John’s, said in a statement.

The varieties include Italian (Alfredo sauce, sausage, salami and cheese with banana peppers); Philly Cheesesteak (steak, onions, green peppers, cheese and a Philly sauce); Grilled BBQ Chicken and Bacon (grilled chicken, bacon, onions, cheese and a barbecue sauce); and Meatball Pepperoni (meatballs, pepperoni, pizza sauce, cheese and Italian seasoning).

The new sandwiches follows Papa John’s introduction of a Garlic Parmesan crust, the first flavored crust in the company's history.

Papa John’s has been working on a complete overhaul of its business following the downfall of founder and former CEO John Schnatter. Its North America same-store sales rose 1% in the third quarter last year, and the chain has overhauled its executive team under new CEO Rob Lynch.

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