Papa Johns is gearing up to add around 400 jobs across the UK as part of a new franchise deal to roll out 20 additional restaurants.
The pizza chain has joined forces with the Rana Group, which already runs 25 Papa Johns locations in the UK, to open the new restaurants across Northern Ireland over the next ten years.
The debut site launched in Ballymena on 5 December, with a follow-up location to be revealed by March 2026.
Each new restaurant is expected to generate between 15 and 20 jobs.
The move marks a return to growth for Papa Johns, which closed 74 UK stores last year due to “challenging” economic conditions. It currently runs 450 locations across the UK.
The chain’s pre-tax losses increased from £19.3m in 2023 to £21.8m in 2024, while turnover fell 7.5% to £88.7m.
However, in November Papa Johns reported its strongest quarter since the Covid period, with revenue at its company-owned UK restaurants increasing by £800,000.
Chris Phylactou, Papa Johns’ UK and Europe managing director, said the Northern Ireland franchise partnership demonstrates the brand’s “momentum and long-term vision for sustainably growing in the UK”.
Papa Johns was founded in 1984 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, by “Papa” John Schnatter.
Its first UK restaurant opened in Grays, Essex, in 1999.