While working at a local pizza place, John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's realized there was something missing from pizza chains across the country: a superior-quality traditional pizza that was delivered to customer's door. His dream was to one day open a pizza restaurant that would fill those criteria.

In 1984, "Papa" John Schnatter knocked out a broom closet located in the back of his father's tavern, Mick's Lounge, and sold his prized 1972 Z28 Camaro. He then went on to purchase $1,600 worth of used restaurant equipment, and started selling his pizzas to the tavern's customers. The pizza was so successful, that Schatter was able to expand into an adjoining space, ultimately leading to the opening of the first Papa John's ... Showed first 120 words of 457 Size (words) ...

... Continuing with another 115 out of 457 Size (words) ...2001, 2002). Papa John's finished well above the national average for all fast food chains.

The new, once single franchize company now rivals the Big Pie: Pizza Hut, which recently won a lawsuit over Papa John's trademark slogan, "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza." A federal judge ordered Papa John's to stop using the slogan and to pay Pizza Hut $467,619.75 in damages.

Schnatter has done many things for Jeffersonville, Indiana, but the one that most people know about is his $5 million gift to the University of Louisville to make the building of long-awaited Papa John's Cardinal Stadium possible.

The new stadium that opened in September is state-of-the-art in every way and probably is the best stadium of ...Essay still continues 100 more words...