Papa Johns franchise
Papa Johns is a delivery and carryout pizza chain known for its garlic dipping sauce and fresh dough. Besides street restaurants, it franchises units in malls, campuses, stadiums and military bases. At the end of 2025 there were 3,294 Papa Johns locations in the US, 2,832 franchised and 462 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $281K–$890K
- Franchise fee
- $5K–$25K
- Royalty
- 5%
- Locations, 2025
- 3,294+174 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchisor based in
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Financing
- None offered
From Papa John's Franchising, LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Papa Johns franchise costs
Opening a standard or small-town Papa Johns costs an estimated $281,485 to $890,267. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
| Non-traditional restaurant | $125,000 to $423,302 |
|---|
Source: Papa John's Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 23
Papa Johns franchise fee
The franchise fee is $5,000 to $25,000, for a standard restaurant depending on incentives ($5,000 for non-traditional and small-town restaurants). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Papa John's Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 14
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5% of net sales (6% for small-town restaurants), paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 5% of gross sales |
Source: Papa John's Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 15
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Papa Johns publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it gives fiscal 2025 average and median sales for standard U.S. franchised and company restaurants. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Papa John's Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 70
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2,689 (+31) | 531 | 42 |
| 2024 | 2,752 (+63) | 539 | 27 |
| 2025 | 2,832 (+80) | 462 | 82 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Papa John's Franchising, LLC, 2026 filing, page 78
How Papa Johns compares
Of the 9 pizza franchises on this site, Papa Johns is the 2nd cheapest to open and the 4th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Papa Johns | Typical pizza |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $281K | $573K |
| Royalty | 5% | 5.3% |
| Closed or left per year | 1.9% | 2% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +6.5% | +6.1% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 6 of 9 |
Typical is the median across the 9 brands in pizza franchises.
Other pizza franchises
Papa Johns franchise questions
Does Papa Johns help with financing?
No. Papa Johns does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
How long is a Papa Johns franchise agreement?
The initial term is 10 years. Renewal is usually possible if you're in good standing, often for a fee and a remodel.
Is Papa Johns growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 325 franchised locations opened and 151 closed or left, a net change of +6.5%. About 1.9% of locations closed or left each year. That is in line with the 2% typical for pizza franchises.
How does Papa Johns compare with other pizza franchises?
Of the 9 pizza franchises here, Papa Johns is the 2nd cheapest to open (low end $281K against a $573K median) and the 4th largest by number of locations. Its 5% royalty is in line with the 5.3% median.
Does Papa Johns say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it gives fiscal 2025 average and median sales for standard U.S. franchised and company restaurants. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Papa Johns based?
Papa John's Franchising, LLC is based in Louisville, Kentucky.