Todd's Take: Papa Johns Franchisees Show What it Takes to be Better

Todd Penegor is one month into his 100-day onboarding plan as the new CEO of Papa Johns. Each day, he has met with and learned from many great people within the Papa Johns family. One of the highlights has been learning firsthand from the franchisee partners operating restaurants across North America. This has given Todd a deeper understanding of the brand’s strengths and allowed him to identify opportunities for achieving new levels of excellence in each Papa Johns restaurant, every pizza crafted, and every customer touchpoint.

In Los Angeles, Todd met with franchisees from the area, including Bobby Barrios, the husband-and-wife team Jarvis and Josslyn Young, James Goeppinger, Johnathan Miller, and Mones Abdelwahab. Additionally, he connected with franchise partners tackling the challenges of operating in high-cost markets like Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Together, they are working on creating the right model for delivery and pricing, ensuring they still provide the great experience and value customers expect. 

Franchise Advisory Council members Bill Green, Matt O'Donnell, and Nadeem Bajwa also joined Todd for a roundtable discussion. Nadeem, who operates Papa Johns restaurants in the Midwest, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Florida, recently signed a deal to open 50 new restaurants over the next five years. His journey with Papa Johns is particularly inspiring, having started as a delivery driver over 30 years ago and growing into one of the brand’s largest franchisees.

In Cleveland, Todd met with franchisees Dennis Shen, Steve Raneri and Musa Jundi. Musa has done an excellent job leading his teams, embedding themselves into the neighborhoods they serve. His restaurants foster a welcoming environment that team members and customers alike can be proud of. The energy and connection felt in Musa’s restaurants are no coincidence—this type of culture is built intentionally and cultivated with purpose.

At a restaurant managed by franchisee Yasir Hussein, Todd spoke with Adrianna, the General Manager, who shared the ambitious goals her team has set for the year. Despite their young ages, team members like Adrianna are learning to build success for themselves and their teams, embodying one of the most rewarding aspects of the franchising model. Who knows what the future holds—perhaps Adrianna will one day become a franchisee herself.

Whether it’s someone just starting their career like Adrianna, growing their business and community like Musa and Yasir, or building the future of the restaurant industry like Nadeem, the Papa Johns promise means fostering better connections with the people and communities the brand serves and providing better opportunities to improve those communities and the lives of the people who call them home.

SPONSORED BY:
Papa Johns
Searching for a franchisee ownership opportunity with a proven, streamlined operating system? Franchise with Papa Johns today. Learn More