Revenue at the pizza brand, which operates around 450 locations in the UK, rose by $0.8m (£0.6m) at company-owned restaurants in the UK, driven by improved operational performance.
The pizza franchise attributed the performance to its recent brand relaunch, new partnerships with aggregators, and a stronger focus on customer experience and loyalty.
Globally, Papa Johns’ system-wide restaurant sales reached $1.21bn (£920m) – a 2% increase on the prior year. This was supported by higher international comparable sales and sustained net restaurant growth over the last twelve months.
Internationally, comparable sales increased 7.1% and total international revenue increased approximately $6m (£4.6m) as transformation initiatives in the UK and other priority markets resulted in better performance across all lines of business.
“This year, our focus has been on returning to profitability and it is encouraging to see that the changes we have introduced: relaunching our brand identity, optimising our media visibility, partnering with aggregators; have resonated with our customers and driven real momentum for the business,” says Chris Phylactou, managing director, UK & Europe, at Papa Johns.
“By reinforcing our commitment to quality ingredients, rewarding our loyal fans and delivering exceptional customer service; we have been able to realise these strong financial results, setting the foundation for continued growth and long-term success for Papa Johns in the UK.”
Earlier this year Papa Johns launched a Devoted to the Dough campaign centred on quality, ingredients, taste, and innovation. Sales returned to growth in the second quarter of the year thanks to it rationalising its estate - closing more than 40 sites last year and refranchising a further 60 - and other investments in branding and marketing.