<Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> papajohns.com </Td> </Tr> <P> Papa John's Pizza is an American restaurant franchise company . It runs the third largest take - out and pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States, with headquarters in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, a suburb of Louisville . </P> <P> The Papa John's restaurant was founded in 1984 when "Papa" John Schnatter knocked out a broom closet in the back of his father's tavern, Mick's Lounge, in Jeffersonville, Indiana . He then sold his 1971 Camaro Z28 to purchase US $1,600 worth of used pizza equipment and began selling pizzas to the tavern's customers out of the converted closet . His pizzas proved so popular that one year later he was able to move into an adjoining space . Dipping sauce specifically for pizza was invented by Papa John's Pizza that same year, so it is claimed although any number of other pizza places have historically provided pizza sauce for dipping when requested, and has since become popular when eating pizza, especially the crust . In 2009, Schnatter got the Camaro back after offering a reward of $250,000 for the car . </P> <P> As of December 2016 PMQ Pizza Magazine said that the company was the third - largest take - out and pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States . (According to PMQ, Little Caesars is the third - largest pizza chain; however, it does not deliver .) Company headquarters are in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, a community within the merged government of Louisville . Its slogan is "Better Ingredients . Better Pizza . Papa John's ." </P>

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