Papa John’s: ‘Obamacare’ will push pizza prices higher
(Papa John's)
Pizza lovers can expect to pay a little more at Papa John’s in the future, thanks to President Barack Obama’s health care law, according to the chain’s founder, John Schnatter.
“Our best estimate is that the Obamacare will cost 11 to 14 cents per pizza, or 15 to 20 cents per order from a corporate basis,” Schnatter told investors last week, according to a report by Politico.com. He was referring to health care law changes that go into effect in 2014.
Schnatter, a supporter and fundraiser for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, said the higher health care costs for the country’s third-largest pizza takeout and delivery chain will be passed on to consumers.
“If Obamacare is in fact not repealed, we will find tactics to shallow out any Obamacare costs and core strategies to pass that cost onto consumers in order to protect our shareholders’ best interests,” Schnatter reportedly said.
The restaurant industry also is concerned about the impact of the health care law on already slim profit margins following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld key parts of the law. The National Restaurant Association called the ruling troubling for restaurant operators and business owners across the country because the law requires companies of more than 50 employees to provide affordable health insurance or face steep penalties.
According to Businessweek, McDonald’s expects the health care law to cost each of its 14,000 franchises between $10,000 and $30,000 annually, and Burger King, Quiznos and Dunkin’ Donuts also expect the law to hurt business, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
As of June, there were 3,973 Papa John’s restaurants operating in 50 states and in 33 countries, according to a report on the company’s second-quarter results.
Politico noted that another pizza chain’s top executive warned a sitting president years ago that his proposed health care law would also hurt business. WSB radio commentator and recent GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain issued the warning to Bill Clinton during a televised town hall meeting in April 1994 when Cain was CEO of Godfather’s Pizza. “Your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton.
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78 comments Add your comment
bigdawg88
August 8th, 2012
1:20 pm
Eh, I’ll pay an extra 15 cents for a pizza if that means someone else is getting health care. You should have done like the gas companies and tacked on an extra dollar. lol
SheeshLouise
August 8th, 2012
1:31 pm
Well “Papa John”, just THINK about how much YOU are contibuting to the high cost of healthcare YOURSELF!
Fefe1976
August 8th, 2012
1:39 pm
Well let’s see what will happen if we stop buying Papa John’s pizza. I bet our health will improve.
Ash
August 8th, 2012
1:46 pm
“Our best estimate is that the Obamacare will cost 11 to 14 cents per pizza, or 15 to 20 cents per order from a corporate basis,”
Well considering you have been gouging customers with your over priced pizza for years and years this seems like it should be nothing. 16.00 for a large pizza, yeah I feel sorry for you having to make sure your employees are insured a-hole.
Jimmy
August 8th, 2012
1:48 pm
Hilarious that a guy who includes a tub of garlic flavored butter with every pizza covered in greasy hog fat wouldn’t know to keep his stupid mouth shut about health care.
Debra
August 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
Papa John’s International Inc. founder, chairman and CEO John Schnatter saw an increase in total compensation in 2011, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Schnatter’s total compensation rose to $2.75 million in 2010 from $2.61 million in 2010.
Schnatter also owns nearly 6.1 million shares of Papa John’s stock, which is 24.7 percent of outstanding shares.
Schnatter was No. 11 on Business First’s 2011 list of highest paid executives of publicly traded companies that are based locally. That list was based on executives’ 2010 salaries.
Jude Thompson, former president and co-CEO of Papa John’s (NASDAQ: PZZA), earned $2.31 million in 2011. Thompson resigned in August.
Thompson was No. 20 on Business First’s 2011 list of highest paid executives. He earned $1.93 million.
Lance Tucker, Papa John’s senior vice president, CFO and treasurer, earned $827,794 in 2011. Tucker replaced CFO David Flanery, who announced his retirement in February.
The filing also gave notice of Papa John’s annual meeting, which is scheduled to be held Thursday, April 26 at the company’s headquarters, 2002 Papa John’s Blvd.
Papa John’s won’t provide their employees with health insurance.
And now Papa John’s is threatening to increase costs to consumers AND cut jobs as a result of the AHA ???
FYI: Back when unions were strong and the middle class thrived, the average CEO earned 20-30 times the wage of the average American worker. Now, with the decline of unions, the average CEO earns 500 – 600 times the wage of the average American worker.
CAN ANYONE CONNECT THE DOTS ???
Pizza
August 8th, 2012
1:51 pm
My best estimate is that if Papa Johns goes belly up, it will save between 11 to 14 dollars a month, or 121 to 168 dollars a year per American from a consumer basis.
Mike
August 8th, 2012
1:59 pm
Yea, I feel real sorry for him…..
Bill
August 8th, 2012
2:42 pm
Dear Papa John. You can make up the difference by not funneling our pizza money into right wing super PACs.
Independent
August 8th, 2012
2:48 pm
Dumb A$$es.. Obamacare does nothing to improve healthcare, but will raise costs, fees and taxes on everybody… just wait and watch…
Cutty
August 8th, 2012
2:53 pm
Ever checked the bottom of the box after you eat one of those pies? Yeah, sure it’s Obama’s fault healthcare costs are rising.
Guest
August 8th, 2012
2:53 pm
@ Independent
Can you please elaborate?
Rick
August 8th, 2012
2:58 pm
This law will not just effect the fast food industries, all small business, dry cleaners, oil change, there is not one area of your life this law will not change$$$$ wise. everyone panics when gas goes up $.10, what if everything you buy or service you use goes up $.10…just 1 mans view…By the way I don’t want to vote for either Obama or Romney.
Guest
August 8th, 2012
3:01 pm
@ Rick
Can you please elaborate?
Independent
August 8th, 2012
3:14 pm
Guest, It’s hundreds and hundreds of pages and nobody has read all of it.. but it really affects entry level jobs minimum wage.. young and minority where unemployment is through the roof like 25 %.. so if they can’t get that 1st job, it leads to life long gov’t dependency or worse.
Independent
August 8th, 2012
3:18 pm
these young folks, women and minoritties will not drink the Koolaid and vote for Obama like 4 years ago because the jobs situation is so bad for them !! No Hope and little change left !!
Mike L.
August 8th, 2012
3:25 pm
If fifteen cents is what it costs to insure your employees I would have gladly paid the increase (what percentage of your employees do you insure? / are profits that tight?), but now I’ll gladly not purchase your product again.
Mike L.
August 8th, 2012
3:34 pm
Independent, where do you get your health insurance from (hopefully not from Medicare)
Sandy
August 8th, 2012
3:38 pm
I agree with the majority of these posts. There would have been no problem for me to pay fifteen to twenty cents extra for a pizza so that the people who work for you could be able to get health insurance. Now, no way!!!
Guest
August 8th, 2012
3:40 pm
@ Independent
Still vague, baseless claims. The only figure I see is 25%, and you clearly just pulled it out of the air. You’re making some pretty serious indictments, so you should probably cite the data on which you’re basing your extrapolations.
Tom
August 8th, 2012
3:44 pm
This is not about Pizza, it is about everything you buy. The cost of everything you buy is going up because companies pass all costs on to the consumer. You had better vote with your wallet in November. The Supreme Court got it right, it is a tax that will be added to your total at the cash register for everything you buy.
JJ
August 8th, 2012
3:51 pm
I wonder when Papa John’s get their rebate from the insurance company if it will go to reduce the price of pizza or straight into the bonus pool for executives. That is the real problem with modern capitalism costs go to the consumer but profits only go to executives.
RLB
August 8th, 2012
4:11 pm
I think a lot of you are missing the point. This may happen with everything we buy. Companies will just pass this cost onto the consumer just like they always do. Ok, you pay an extra 15% on pizza, then it is your morning coffee and donut, then your grocery bill. Heck if you spend $100 a week on groceries, an extra 11-15% would increase your bill $11-$15. This bill needs to be repealed. It give the government and the IRS too much intrusion into privacy and not to mentiont he government does things the least efficient of any organization in this country. They will make a bondogle out of healthcare. Hold on to your wallets. The more this thing is analyzed, the more the cost keeps going up. We will get TAXED to death over it. I am tired of my taxes paying for other peoples %$#%^% “benefits”. This country got by for nearly 200 year without all of these social programs. If any one have ever studied history, one of the things that help ruin and collapse the Roman Empire was a huge cost on what was the first welfare system. Once people realize they can “vote” themselves more money, the country declines.
RLB
August 8th, 2012
4:17 pm
@Tom- good point. I think there should start being a line item on peoples receipts for “health care tax”. That will get people’s attention. Getting to see the actuall tax they are paying.
steve
August 8th, 2012
4:18 pm
Kind of ironic. If you eat their pizza you need affordable health care.
JacquieMX
August 8th, 2012
4:19 pm
LOL @ Jimmy!!! That is so funny! I agree — even though my teenager is gainfully employed at Papa John’s, that crap will kill you.
Obamacare Sux
August 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
Please lets vote Obama out.
Tom Hyberger
August 8th, 2012
4:29 pm
Stepping on your employees to make yourself and your stockholders rich is ok. Providing them with safety on the other hand is not your problem. I get that.
Gwar
August 8th, 2012
4:36 pm
@RLB
And you can choose not to do business with those companies. Nobody’s forcing you to eat at Papa John’s. If the price of their pizza is too high, don’t buy it.
Pizza Prices Will Go Up Under Obamacare « News « @griffinrc
August 8th, 2012
4:53 pm
[...] restaurant industry is worried about ObamaCare. The National Restaurant Association notes that the law requires companies which [...]
Rex Hump
August 8th, 2012
4:58 pm
To the people saying they will be happy to pay 15 – 20 more cents for a Pizza, if places like this have to issue price rises on products, what other companies will have to pass on the cost to the consumer? If you go out for lunch everyday, then it’s going to add up. It’s a tax, just what the SCOTUS said it was.
Kevin
August 8th, 2012
5:07 pm
“I am tired of my taxes paying for other peoples %$#%^% ‘benefits’.”
If you currently have health insurance, YOU WILL NOT BE TAXED! The ACA’s individual mandate “tax” is a penalty imposed on irresponsible people who choose not to insure themselves, and then use the emergency room as their doctor’s office, raising everyone else’s premiums. This has nothing to do with entitlements or welfare and everything to do with personal responsiblity, something you presumably champion. Get your facts straight.
John B
August 8th, 2012
5:23 pm
Papa John’s pizza is basically roofing cement with ketchup slathered on it. Who buys it, anyway? At trial, the court agreed with Pizza Hut’s argument that Papa John’s slogan did not constitute statements of literal fact – that “fresher ingredients” do not necessarily account for a “better” pizza; this ruling was overturned in 2000 when Papa John’s appealed the decision. Although the jury’s decision on the misleading advertising was upheld, the appeals court determined that Pizza Hut failed to prove, under the requirements of the Lanham Act, that the misleading advertising and puffery had a material effect on consumers’ purchasing decisions.[5]
GJ
August 8th, 2012
5:58 pm
F**K Papa John’s. Boycotted. Humanity>Pizza
Joe
August 8th, 2012
6:01 pm
Do you realize what an ignorant remark that is?
Love Obama Care in Lynchburg VA
August 8th, 2012
6:12 pm
I won’t be eating at Papa John’s any more!!!!! Companies give any reason to jack up their prices. If you believe this one you believe anything. I’m sure he will loose a lot of business “Rich” people don’t eat at Papa John’s.
thingspeoplesay
August 8th, 2012
6:16 pm
Soooooo are you kidding me??? I mean really? so what was the reason for Papa John’s raising their prices previously??? I kind of knew already but just like Chik fil A don’t say anything just make food. To say that Obamacare (actual title is Affordable Healthcare Act – FYI teabaggers and repubes- lol sorry couldn’t resist) okay where was I…oh yea to say that it will raise cost is based on what exactly…Everyone will be able to purchase health insurance…those small businesses that are affected only have to offer healthcare…this Act does not require or even state how much an employer will have have to pay into the plan. I’ve actually read all pages of this plan and there’s nothing wrong with it besides its not FREE!!!!! I actually think it should be at no cost to Americans, but hey at least its something, and I’ve had private insurance since I’ve been born…I’d love for those not fortunate as I have to have it. People get a life and grow a heart that are against this…Thank you for your time, Peace and Blessing to all!!!
john
August 8th, 2012
6:23 pm
what about the poor driver. some franchises pay their drivers a percentage of your order as compensation for their car use and their own gas. customers think the driver gets the 2.00 delivery fee. trust me they don’t. they have already lowered the drivers rate to compensate for the minimum wage increase this year. looks like your driver could take another rate decrease.
stephen w penrod
August 8th, 2012
6:28 pm
well a few cents more for a pizza is worth your employees getting healthcare ,and furthermore i think its high time shareholders interest are put on the back burner because they have , have had, and will continue to have health insurance. its time for company execs. to take a hit in the pocketbook just like the majority of us white collar workers have.nobody is worried if their workers can even afford a doctor visit, they more worried about if they still get to get their new bmw or lexus this year.
Math
August 8th, 2012
6:33 pm
@RLB
That’s 15 to 20 cents an order not 15%, it would be more like 1%.
Your $100 grocery purchase would raise $1 or so at that rate.
antitruster
August 8th, 2012
6:40 pm
pizza makers have no market power to raise prices. there are too many alternative competitors for any price increase to be implemented and maintained. I’ll just go somewhere else like the rest of the pizza consuming population. this papa john’s guy is your typical anti obama tea bagging reactionary republican mouthing off without thinking. after he looses business he’ll be the first to lead a new round of price reductions in order to regain his lost marketshare. but i’ll never return.
Independent
August 8th, 2012
6:48 pm
antitruster.. it is clear you ( Like Obama ).. have never run a business !! where do YOU work ???? I thought so !!!
Independent
August 8th, 2012
6:52 pm
I’ll bet these libs say they’ll pay more for a pizza ?? to get healthcare for employees…. probably show up with coupons for FREE pizza and don’t tip the delivery man !!
RGB
August 8th, 2012
6:56 pm
How disappointing it is that most of the commenters here reacted to this story by bashing an individual who has created thousands upon thousands of jobs across the USA. One idiot woman cut-and-pasted an arm’s length of information about how much money PJ executives made. I applaud and celebrate their success because it means the company is satisfying a consumer need and that people appreciate this. But jealousy is a weird disease: it makes everyone sick but the one who has it.
This story is but one small example of an Obamacare tax passed along in the price of goods and services. Many who have commented “don’t mind” paying a little bit more if it means someone gets health insurance. Guess what? Fewer people will have health insurance as the result of Obamacare. That you do not understand marginal economics speaks volumes about your ability to understand anything regarding our system of commerce.
It’s also disappointing that people act as though they really want more information regarding how Obamacare will increase the price of healthcare, decrease access to healthcare for millions of Americans, and bust the American economy in the gut–from which it will never recover. Yes, people are unfortunately more stupid than I ever realized. The Obama presidency has made it indelibly clear that one can fool some people all of the time.
But when the access to and quality of healthcare decline as the cost rises, remember one thing: YOU had a major role in making it happen and you’ll be getting what YOU deserve–along with your relatives, neighbors, and other Americans. Congratulations.
Destin Dawg
August 8th, 2012
6:58 pm
how could you be possibly be for Obama ??? he’s broken EVERY promise to all of us on JOBS.. to women, minorities, youth…. if you really think you’re better off after 4 years ?? vote for him
Destin Dawg
August 8th, 2012
7:00 pm
RGB…well said.. if we get 4 more years.. we deserve it !!
Destin Dawg
August 8th, 2012
7:06 pm
Debra is a loser
josephine costen
August 8th, 2012
7:26 pm
Guess who won’t be eating any more of your pizza – even though you are the closest to my home. You are obviously a BIG republican and this is your way of showing them support!!
Janet
August 8th, 2012
7:30 pm
Why is everything President Obama’s fault? George W, remember him? what was his accomplishments?
Stephen
August 8th, 2012
8:53 pm
Just an FYI: ObamaCare does NOT give ANYONE healthcare–it’s a penalty tax for NOT having it. Remember the difference.
RGB
August 8th, 2012
8:59 pm
If Janet doesn’t even know who the current president is, then asking her to understand elasticity of demand would be an impossibility.
Janet–please describe how former President Bush can improve the economy. Take all the time you need.
uncommon sense
August 8th, 2012
9:35 pm
For those who work “behind enemy lines” in the private sector as our President called it in his book, there is risk and reward. Most new businesses don’t make it. Many do. Few make it really big. The head of Papa John’s and the stockholders earned every penny due to the risk he and his investors took. This is why there are thousands of employees today.
From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.
Karl Marx
For further infomation on the latest interpretations of this key idea of Marx’s, please reference the Democratic platform discussions.
@ uncommon sense
August 8th, 2012
10:04 pm
“From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.”
This pretty much sums up the freeloaders who don’t buy health insurance being subsidized by responsible citizens who do. Obamacare’s individual mandate, first introduced by Republicans, addresses this inequity by imposing a penalty on deadbeats who get sick and run up bills in the emergency room that they can’t pay, driving up costs for everyone else. What the he** are you complaining about?
Mike
August 8th, 2012
10:36 pm
How much more money per pie will it take to make their pizza edible?
john
August 8th, 2012
10:57 pm
obama was left with the remnants of a bad presidency. gonna take at least 8 years to try to get back on the right track. can anyone tell me WHAT’S A MITT?
Debbie
August 9th, 2012
4:32 am
“McDonald’s expects the health care law to cost each of its 14,000 franchises between $10,000 and $30,000 annually…”
And what is their annual profit? 15 cents more per pizza is NOTHI(NG in order for employees to have health care. I would gladly pay it. Heck, I would gladly absorb the cost as an employer in order to look after my staff.
John Turner
August 9th, 2012
9:17 am
Independant is soooo right. Typical Libs saying they’ll “pay a few cents more for pizza so those people can get health insurance”……but they’ll be the FIRST ones to complain about the price when it actually happens, show up with as much free-stuff coupons as they can, and not tip the poor driver when they get their free pizza. lol
Road Scholar
August 9th, 2012
9:51 am
John: No I won’t. Don’t eat PJ; its crap! The greasy box tastes better!
So all those opposed are against making those who abuse the heathcare system pay their fair share? But your position on welfare and taxes is the opposite!
hocodavid
August 9th, 2012
11:03 am
Someone would have to pay ME a lot more than 11 to 14 cents to eat that disgusting pizza. Buy local.
antitruster
August 9th, 2012
11:49 am
its clear none of you (especially Independent and RGB) has ever run a business or studied business and basic economics. there’s no way papa john’s will raise price and maintain share. he can’t and survive. pizza is a commodity product with no market power. it would be like a farmer trying to raise the price of a bushel of his wheat. consumers would laugh at him like i’m laughing at this guy mouthing off about the costs of obamacare. the well functioning competitive free market will address any effort on the part of papa john’s to rasie price. it will eat his lunch along with his pizza market share!
Default Settings 2.0
August 9th, 2012
11:52 am
I have managed a bakery before. Sometimes , all you have left is about a ffteen cent per sale profit on most items after you figure in cost of sales. If you have run a retail food operation you know about this. Everybody thinks you are getting rich because of your posted prices; yet, most don’t understand the costs such as rent , utilities, taxes, labor, packaging , ingredients…. When you eat lunch today for less than ten dollars; have it served within five minutes in an air conditioned building with free toilets please don’t complain.
Jeff
August 9th, 2012
1:36 pm
“To say that Obamacare (actual title is Affordable Healthcare Act – FYI teabaggers and repubes- lol sorry couldn’t resist)”
It’s also known as Romneycare!
Jeff
August 9th, 2012
1:39 pm
@Default Settings 2.0 “Sometimes , all you have left is about a ffteen cent per sale profit on most items after you figure in cost of sales.”
Sounds like the old P.T. Barnum quote is true: “There’s a sucker born every minute.
Papa Johns Driver (currently)
August 9th, 2012
2:14 pm
I am a current driver working for Papa John’s. You all want to talk about the price increase? How about we talk about the employees of PJ’s for a minute.
I get $7.25 (minimum wage) for in-store time, and $5.38 when routed out on a delivery (i.e.–on my way to your house or your business and on the way back)
There is a $2.00 delivery fee on each delivery order. THE DRIVER DOES NOT GET THIS!!!! The only thing we get automatically is a 5% “commission” on the order. This, by the way, does not include discounts. If your whole order costs 20.00 and you have $5 off on a promo or coupon, I get $0.75 for taking that delivery. Sometimes that 75 cents isn’t even worth the gas if your place is more than a couple miles away.
But there is hope! If you are lucky enough to get 20 deliveries in one day–they raise your commission by half a percent. That means now that $0.75 I got for coming to your house becomes 82.5 cents. Oh goodie.
The “senior drivers” who have been with the company for a while get a raised percentage, but it only goes up one per cent after a time interval. The cap is 8% and it’s damn hard to get to. You have to sell your soul to this company.
The only reason I am still working this job is that I know kind souls still exist. If I came to your house and you give me $3 it’s a good day. If you give me 5, you’ll see a HUGE smile. If you tip more than $5, you might see me dance back to my car.
I work in one of the best delivery areas in my town, and other drivers aren’t so lucky.
Domino’s drivers, for example, only get one dollar per run they take. Plus they don’t even make minimum wage when in the store, they only make $5.25 all the time. That means if you’re at work for 4 hours with no deliveries, you’re basically slave labor. The commission drivers like me are lucky–if we take a $100 order we do get the $5.
I’m not impressed with Papa John’s. Sure, it’s a paycheck, but at my store there are 4 “senior drivers” who had an agreement for guaranteed full-time under previous management. These men do THE BARE MINIMUM when they are in the store, they complain all the time, and they get guaranteed overtime every week. They skirt the rules of what we can and can’t take EVERY DAY.
Ever wonder why it took an hour to get your pizza when it’s only 3pm? We’re not busy…it’s guys like this who take your order with another order halfway across town. Their measly $3 is more important to them than making sure you (the person really paying our paychecks) have to wait on your pizzas and making sure you don’t tip another driver (like myself) who had nothing to do with the situation.
I’m a college student, I work, I have an apartment, and I’m just a girl trying her damndest to make her way.
The next time you order out—please think of me. Please think of people like me–I am always covered in wash water, pizza sauce, and sanitizer. I am working behind my other drivers on the dishes they didn’t wash all the way, the prep that has expired, the floor that they didn’t bother to clean, and other duties that weren’t even assigned to me.
I might just be a pizza driver, but I’m one of the little ones who actually takes pride in what they do. I do not support John Schnatter’s ideals–hell I don’t know them and I don’t care.
The only thing that matters to me is when you see me on your doorstep with a smile and your order, please see me as someone who matters. Please don’t talk to me like I’m beneath you. Please remember I’m not the company: I’m just me.
And, if you play your cards right…you might just see me dance to my car!
Tip your drivers, be safe, and most of all, spread good will.
Thank you for reading
John
August 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
Another millionaire whiner. 14 cents more per pizza. He’s whining about THAT? By comparison, what was his executive compensation package this year?
Gary
August 9th, 2012
2:51 pm
You guys blaming Papa John’s are missing the point. You cant just give people free or low cost health insurance and not expect someone to pay for it. It will be paid for with higher taxes and higher costs of everything we buy, not just pizza. You cant get something for nothing. The problem was never lack of insurance, its overpriced medical care. If you bring the cost of health care down, then you attack the problem. The democrats’ solution all along has been lazy and sophomoric.
NuCent
August 9th, 2012
3:19 pm
if they raise prices, I’m buying dominos pizza–$6.99 for a large, 3 topping during the week
gerry
August 9th, 2012
3:25 pm
this could be their new slogan:
better ingredients —
better healthcare.
take your pick.
papa john’s
Jeff
August 9th, 2012
4:50 pm
Gotta get going, the boss is telling me to change the grease in the fryer. Why did I ever waste my money on college? I should demand a refund.
Karen
August 9th, 2012
5:56 pm
OBAMA 2012
OBAMA 2012
OBAMA 2012
YES, YES, YES!!!!!!!!
Karen
August 9th, 2012
5:58 pm
I WILL NEVER, EVER EAT PIZZA FROM PAPA JOHN’S..
MY PEROGATIVE!!! TOO GREASY ANYWAY, AND WAS NEVER THE FIRST CHOICE..
David
August 9th, 2012
6:48 pm
Dear Papa Johns: Not only have you stepped in it but you deliberately created a mess that you have stepped in. But I will offer you a capitalist, private-market means of cleaning up the mess that your company’s founder has created.
Your company has been in business for 30 years, of which I have been a customer for 25 of those years. For the record, I have worked in all four sectors of the modern economy, private sector, government sector, non-profit sector and the small business sector. During my time in the small business sector I owned my own business for 7 years. After small business I spent another 9 years of experience working at or near the minimum wage behind the counter in the food and beverage industry.
My questions to PapaJohns are the following: Of the 30 years that your founder has been Founder, Chairman and CEO as he rightfully styles himself, how many of those years has he had his healthcare provided by the company as a publicly traded company? And what was the cost to the company during the years that he had healthcare provided by the company?
Please do not try to fool a former small businessman. If you truthfully and honestly answer the question, I will take on an extra $1.50 a pizza in addition to delivery charge and tip in order to directly support your employees’ healthcare expenses.
Remember that we Republicans believe in accountability and personal responsibility so I truly do expect the Chairman, Founder and CEO to truthfully answer my questions unless he wants to appear a hypocrite.
Thank you for being a small business that I admire and thank you for being a great American company by supporting your employees healthcare and not letting them fall through the safety net and wind up on Medicaid (Medicaid is a government-funded solution funded by individuals like me to subsidize greedy free-rider corporate employers who do not fund their employees’ healthcare).
Sincerely, your loyal and fellow Republican (even before I was a PapaJohns’ customer),
David
ITK3
August 10th, 2012
10:04 am
buy real pizza at local places, not the mediocre stuff at these chains. Best pizza–brooklyn and the bronx—I miss NY.
Hello
August 10th, 2012
6:02 pm
It is scary when you read all the comments. I would like to think our education system would produce better results. This article states the impact that Obamas Health tax will have on his business. A sensible person would realize that all businesses will have the same impact and will have the same response. (usually increase price to cover cost or reduce product so folks don’t realize there is a price increase. Textbook box store solution)
David
August 10th, 2012
7:03 pm
But Obamacare couldn’t be bad, because it was, after all, originally drafted by the Republicans and The Heritage Foundation, who praised it at its first incarnation of Romneycare.
Funny how people forget so quickly.
mE
August 11th, 2012
7:06 pm
I’m willing to pay a few more pennies for pizza if this will help employed Americans afford insurance. Increase profits by gouging customers, while over working and under paying employees.
Crispy
August 12th, 2012
12:01 pm
During a quarterly conference call with investors he was asked about the impact of new health laws going into effect next year. he said that the impact was that it would increase the cost of making pizzas and that price increase would be added to the cost.
So what is the problem? Was he not supposed to answer the question honestly? Why the anger at Schnatter?
You don’t think the other pizza chains, none of whom are paying all their employees health care right now either, are going to do any different or have different opinions?
Or maybe you want to get a sandwich or a taco instead? Go ahead, but Quizznos and other chains have already come out and said that the new laws would hurt them also. How many food chains are you going to boycott before you finally realize that they are only being honest when they say that the new laws are going to affect them financially?
Sebastian
August 13th, 2012
8:22 pm
So the price of Papa Johns pizza will go up with Obama care. So what. I don’t remember Papa Johns going on the news and saying he has to raise prices because cheese costs more.Or pepperoni costs more. I’m sure he passes those costs on to his costumers too. I don’t by his junk anyway, but if did I’d have no problem paying the extra price if that meant everyone can have help insurance. I have been out of work for two years and have had no insurance since January.