It looks like the pizza industry has officially entered a “crust war,” with major pizza chains racing to roll out innovative new crusts to win over consumers and stand out in a highly competitive market.
From Little Caesars’ Pretzel Pizza to Domino’s (DPZ) Parmesan Stuffed Crust and Pizza Hut’s (YUM) Cheesy Bites, the competition is heating up with creative and experimental crust mashups. Not to be left behind, Papa Johns has been expanding its crust lineup to better adapt to customers’ ever-evolving preferences and dietary needs.
Related: Papa Johns announces wild new menu deal to win back customers
Papa Johns (PZZA) already offers a wide range of crust options, including its Original Crust, Garlic Epic Stuffed Crust, Epic Stuffed Crust, New York Style Crust, Thin Crust, and even Gluten-Free Crust.
Most recently, it launched its first-ever Croissant Pizza in the United Arab Emirates, later expanding it to select markets such as Korea, China, Chile, and Peru for a limited time.
Papa Johns launches the new Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza.
Image source: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Papa Johns introduces the new Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza
Building on this pizza crust momentum, Papa Johns announced the launch of the new Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza, featuring the brand’s signature six-ingredient dough with Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Fontina, and Provolone baked on the crust.
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To encourage customers to try this latest innovation, Papa Johns is offering a limited-time deal: a large one-topping Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza for $11.99.
The new Garlic 5-Cheese Crust Pizza and promotion are currently available for a limited time at participating Papa Johns locations nationwide and can be ordered in-store or online via its official website.
Papa Johns reverses sales declines with innovations and deals
This latest launch comes at a critical time for Papa Johns, which has been struggling with concerning declines over the last few quarters, challenged by a tough economic climate and reduced consumer spending.
These pressures combined caused the pizza chain to experience a nearly 3% drop in North America same-store sales during the first quarter of fiscal 2025.
Despite the disappointing results, Papa Johns moved forward with “urgency and confidence” by focusing on value deals while continuing to innovate its premium offerings.
Related: Domino’s rival adds a wild new pizza crust
In March, Papa Johns heavily promoted its Epic Stuffed Crust Pizza, one of its priciest menu items, while simultaneously running its $6.99 Papa Pairings deal, aiming to attract both premium and value-seeking customers. The balance-pricing strategy paid off.
In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Papa Johns’ North America same-store sales rebounded, increasing 1% year over year and signaling a potential turnaround.
“Papa Johns second quarter results exceeded our expectations and are evidence that our strategy is working. We returned to comparable sales growth in North America and achieved strong sales growth internationally, driven by transaction gains as we win more customer visits with a focus on our core pizza business,” said Papa Johns President and CEO Todd Penegor in a statement.