Everything you need to know about opening a Papa John’s in the UK

With over 3,400 stores, Papa John's is one of the largest pizza delivery franchises in the world and is rapidly expanding in 32 global markets

Papa John’s tried and tested pizza franchise formula, combined with its experienced British management team, gives the company a solid foundation for a promising future.

Annual system-wide sales exceed $1 billion, and now Great Britain is spearheading the international expansion of the brand. Papa John’s aim is to open a further 250 UK stores over the next five years.

Since the first UK stores opened in the summer of moo, customer feedback has been excellent. In that time Papa John’s has won the UK Pizza Delivery Operator of the Year prize, awarded by the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association, four times.

Prospects for the right franchisees are excellent, particularly bearing in mind that home delivery is the fastest growing sector of the market. Pizza is universally popular and unaffected by seasons or fashions. Independent research shows that in the UK pizza consumption is expanding to similar levels as those in the United States, where people currently eat three times as much pizza.

Papa John’s provides unparalled training for franchisees. You will have four weeks’ initial training on the company’s Restaurant Owner’s Certificate programme, which is based at Papa John’s Quality Control Centre in Milton Keynes. Further training courses are offered to franchisees and their team members on an ongoing basis.

Papa John’s also provides extensive and continuous support from a dedicated Franchise Business Manager, while its Business Excellence managers and Restaurant Support Centre Staff will assist you with recruiting and training new staff, marketing, product control and pricing.

What does it take to be a Papa John’s franchisee?

Papa John’s is looking for individuals, couples or business partnerships with exceptional interpersonal and people skills. These are essential, as you’ll be dealing with customers and leading your team on a daily basis. You also need to have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Papa John’s franchisees are organisers with a can-do attitude - they are people who get things done.You will need to be dedicated and passionate, as well as being able to adapt to a proven way of working.

The company is looking for people who are not afraid to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in, which means doing everything from making pizza to administration. People with the right combination of drive, enthusiasm and business experience are ideal Papa John’s candidates.

Being a Papa John’s franchisee is a challenge that calls for initiative, determination and no small amount of dedication. But if you have a comprehensive understanding of business, it’s a fantastic opportunity - one that can be personally, professionally and financially rewarding.

Fast food or food experience is not a prerequisite, as most Papa John’s franchisees did not have previous catering or retail experience. The most successful franchisees are entrepreneurial owner/ operators who have excellent people skills.

How much does a Papa John’s franchise cost?

This may vary and depends on several factors such as the site chosen and building costs, but typically an investment of between £170,000-£225,000 (excluding freehold and VAT) is required, of which one third should be in liquid funds.

The initial agreement is for lo years. Subject to lease and other considerations, the franchise agreement is renewable by the franchisee, currently at no additional charge.

The franchise fee is £18,500 (plus VAT) for each franchise unit. You will also be responsible for the rent, rates and utility costs of the store for the term of the franchise agreement.

What’s included in the franchise package?

At the start of the franchise agreement there is an initial fee payable for each unit, which gives you:

• The right to use the Papa John’s trademarks.
• The Papa John’s system for preparing, marketing and selling food products.
• The right to Papa John’s information, specifications, know-how and other confidential and proprietary knowledge. Included in the total investment cost, there is also an allowance for management training and initial marketing support prior to opening.

Most of the start-up costs are for building fit-out and equipment, which will vary depending on your site.The package normally includes all fixtures and fittings, signage, internal signs, the estate agent’s fee, legal fees, the franchise and marketing fees, project management costs and pre-opening expenses.

Papa John’s has enjoyed 22 quarters of successive growth and has over 175 stores in the UK. It has also recently completed the construction of a state of the art dough plant and quality control centre in Milton Keynes, which provides the supply and logistics for one half of the Papa John’s ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ pledge and, with the capacity to serve double the number of existing stores, represents the future of the company.

Papa John’s success story: Gurinder Atwal

Despite owning three successful fish and chip shops, Gurinder Atwal decided to kick off 2010 with a new challenge - opening a Papa John’s pizza store in his hometown of Gravesend.

Gurinder explains:, have six years’ experience in the fast food industry and own three fish and chip shops in Essex, but pizza is definitely the way forward.The pizza takeaway industry is growing at such a rapid rate, and that’s why I decided to open a Papa John’s store.”

He adds:“I did my research and chose Papa John’s not only because the company is already very successful, but because it has such potential to grow and expand further, with the possibility of opening hundreds more stores.

“I’m really proud to become part of a business that makes such a quality product. I have complete confidence in Papa John’s ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ promise and you can really taste the difference because the company uses 100 per cent fresh dough, 100 per cent of the time.

“Papa John’s has been fantastic, supporting me every step of the way. It has an excellent training programme, as well as good business insight and brand awareness. It’s an exciting company to work with, and I would definitely encourage other young and enthusiastic entrepreneurs to become Papa John’s franchisees.”