<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 sufficiently popular that a year later he moved into an adjoining space . Dipping sauce specifically for pizza was invented by Papa John's Pizza that same year, and has since become popular when eating pizza, especially the crust . The company went public in 1993 . A year later it had 500 stores, and by 1997 it had opened 1,500 stores . In 2009, Schnatter reacquired the Camaro back after offering a reward of $250,000 for the car . </P> <P> PMQ Pizza Magazine said in December 2016 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 .) The company's net profitability though, is far behind its main competitors . In 2014 its net margin was 4.6% of total sales, whereas Domino's Pizza's net margin was 8.2% and Yum! Brands, which owns Pizza Hut, was 7.9% . 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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