Why does Papa John’s give you a pepper with your pizza? The real reason behind the tradition

❘ Published: 2024-03-26T12:45:25

Papa John's

Have you ever wondered why Papa John’s puts a pepper on the side of your pizza? The reason comes from a truly heartwarming tale.

The history behind Papa John’s Pepper

The little pepper that you get with your pizza has become a staple of Papa John’s, and whilst it is a delicious addition to any leftover crusts, the reason it’s put there is for more than just flavor.

The founder of Papa John’s, John Schnatter

John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s Pizza, started off his career as a dishwasher in his dad’s bar. When they started serving pizzas to customers, they would always put a pepperoncino inside every box. This mildly spicy addition became John’s signature in the food he served, and he wanted to carry on this tradition when he opened up his own chain of restaurants.

John founded Papa John’s Pizza in 1984, when he converted a broom closet in the back of his father’s bar into a pizza kitchen. Schnatter even sold his car to purchase $1,600 worth of used pizza equipment and began selling pizzas to the bar customers.

What kind of pepper does Papa John’s use?

This yellow pepper is called a pepperoncini or banana pepper and is an Italian pepper that is usually picked and has a zesty and spicy flavor.

Papa John’s use pepperoncini peppers

You might recall the world actually running out of pepperoncini peppers in the 90s. In an interview with Thrillist, Chief Ingredient Officer Sean Muldoon revealed that this shortage was probably entirely Papa John’s fault as they were putting so many of them into their pizza boxes.

These peppers usually come from Turkey, and Muldoon estimates that about 25% of the world’s crop of banana peppers goes in Papa John’s pizzas.

How should you eat the Papa John’s pepper?

Although these spicy Italian peppers might end up being something that gets left behind in your pizza box, you should try pairing them with your favorite pie.

Whether you tear it up and put it directly on your slice, or eat it along with your crusts and some dip, it’s like a nice little palette refresher for your pizza.

Muldoon adds his suggestion on how to eat Papa John’s pepper, “I like to bite off the tip of the pepper, then spread the juices in a circle around the pie.”