One Of The Largest Pizza Chains In Michigan Is Closing Locations

Michigan was recently named the 'pizza capital of the U.S.,' as many of the world's largest pizza chains got their start in the Great Lakes state. However, we may be seeing less of one iconic pizza place as the company has announced it will be shutting down 300 locations.

One Of The Largest Pizza Chains In Michigan Is Closing Locations

Papa John’s currently operates more than 3,200 restaurants in the U.S., making it one of the largest pizza chains in the country. However, by the end of 2027, Papa John's expects to close approximately 300 underperforming restaurants, mainly franchise-owned locations, with 200 closures likely to occur in 2026.

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The closures will affect Papa John’s restaurants that are at least 10 years old and that do not meet certain financial benchmarks. Papa John’s chief financial officer and president of North America, Ravi Thanawal, said the underperforming restaurants "are not meeting brand expectations or lack a clear path to sustainable financial improvement, as well as locations where we can effectively transfer sales to a nearby restaurant.”

The company intends to continue rolling out "exciting new products" that combine culinary research and development with innovation, including a recently piloted protein crust pizza.

The news comes just three weeks after Pizza Hut said it, too, was closing 250 “underperforming” locations in 2026 as fast-casual restaurant chains struggle with consumer spending dropping amid higher inflation and a high cost of living. The chain cited competition from rival Domino’s Pizza and declining store sales.