Papa Johns Pan Pizza

Basic Information:

Pizza: Papa Johns Pan Pizza

Number of Locations: many nationwide
Location Reviewed: 3010 North Main Street in Anderson, SC
Website: https://www.papajohns.com/
Date of Review Visit: March 2026
What I Ordered: pan pizza (12") with pepperoni and sausage
Price: $15.24 (pizza only, includes tax but not drink or tip)
Photos:

Summary Review: 2 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: Papa Johns' usual crust is known for having a fresh bready taste but being very bulky.  Now comes the even bulkier pan crust.  The thickness and texture is similar to Domino's pan pizza, but this pan pizza has parmesan cheese baked all the way to the edge, which gives the crust a mild cheesy flavor.  I kind of like the cheesy flavor, but I would still prefer a true deep dish crust on my pan pizza.  Score: 8/10

Sauce: Papa Johns is well-known for using sauce that is way too sweet.  It even tastes too sweet to me, and I like sweet sauces.  Aside from the sweetness, the quantity and texture are quite appealing.  Score: 7/10

Cheese: Aside from the parmesan cheese near the edge, this is the most undercheesed pizza I have had recently.  Look at all that bare sauce!  I thought about giving a score of 0 on this category, but.... Score: 1/10

Toppings: The sausage just sits there and adds no real flavor.  Papa Johns used to have better sausage than this.  The pepperoni is not overly spicy, and it blends nicely with the sweetness of the sauce.  Both toppings appear in high quantity.  Score: 7/10

Overall Taste: The overall taste is fairly uninspiring.  The parmesan on the crust definitely comes through, as does the sweetness of the sauce, but those 2 flavors don't really combine that well.  Score: 6/10

Pizza Appearance: This pizza has a very bare appearance due to the lack of cheese.  I have always thrown out the infamous peppers and garlic sauce that come with every Papa Johns pizza.  That fact does not directly impact the appearance of the pizza, but I needed to mention it somewhere.

Dining Atmosphere: (not applicable; like most Papa Johns locations, this location is take out only)

Customer Service: The service was quick and friendly on my visit, as usual at Papa Johns.

Monetary Value: The price is not crazy, but the quality is not particularly high.  Thus, there are better values on Papa Johns menu.  I personally prefer the epic stuffed crust.

The Final Judgment:

Papa Johns used to be my favorite among the big national pizza chains, but I'm not sure I can say that any more.  This pan pizza may be the worst pizza Papa Johns has ever offered, and I prefer the pan pizzas at Pizza Hut and Dominos to this one.  Score: 64/100