Posted on 05/08/2008 2:58:54 PM PDT by buccaneer81
Rush for 23-cent pizzas closes Papa John's stores Chain seeks police help at 6 local shops Thursday, May 8, 2008 9:34 AM Updated: Thursday, May 8, 2008 05:24 PM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Overwhelmed by the response to a promotion offering 23-cent pizzas, Papa John's closed its Columbus stores before dinner today.
Columbus Police officers were called before 5 p.m. to help close the pizza shops because of concerns that the large crowds could become unruly, said Amanda Ford, a police spokeswoman.
She said there are about 20 Papa John's locations in the city, but officers were beginning by assisting at shops on Morse Road, E. Hudson Street, Parsons Avenue, S. Hamilton Road and Kathy Run Lane. They were asking the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for help at a location outside the city on W. Broad Street.
“That’s where they’re having the most issues” with crowd control, she said of the six locations.
The regional manager for the stores also requested special-duty officers to work outside all of the Columbus locations from 6 p.m. to midnight.
“They’re worried about vandalism if people show up and can’t get their 23-cent pizza,” Ford said.
The pizza chain offered the promotion in several Ohio cities as a public-relations gesture after a Papa John's franchise in Washington, D.C., printed T-shirts last week referring to Cleveland Cavaliers’ star LeBron James as a “crybaby.”
The shirts were printed during the Cavaliers’ playoff series with the Washington Wizards. James wears number 23.
If they offered me a pizza for free, I’d turn it down. I hate pizza.
Nah. It was probably fun. The late comers , more than likely got rain checks.
Pizza is ok but I guess I’m not hungry enough to stand in line for a free one.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Mark your calendars:
McDonald’s to give away free chicken sandwiches
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2012575/posts
Pizza is great but Papa John’s I had just once, because it sucked.
I wonder how they kept people from going from store to store, and getting extra pies? How did they keep it one to a family?
I doubt it. The locations mentioned in the story are either in the hood, or very close to it.
Oh yeah? Well what if they paid you 23 cents? Would you eat it then?
I love pizza, but I CANNOT stand Papa Johns. Have no clue where that company came from and why it got so big.
I was talking about overall.
I passed the Macedonia, Ohio Papa John’s about three o’clock. The line was 4 people wide, and a couple hundred feet long. Sorry, but I put some value on my time!
Oh they got rain checks alright. It's pouring rain here.
From what I understand, their founder was one of the co-founders of Pizza Hut.
Papa Johns is OK - it’s Dominos that sucks. I’m not sure I could tell the difference between chewing on their pizza or wet cardboard.
And to think.... it was the Washington, D.C. franchise that started the whole mess.... Sounds like more that just one marketing genius needs to be fried/.. oops fired...
People were standing in it? Yall must really like pizza.
I used to be a regional manager for Little Caesar’s way back when Papa Bush was in office. I really feel for the crew and managers of these stores. I know what kind of abuse they’re taking, all because some head office Dilbert thought 23 cent pizza sounded like a really neat marketing scheme.
Papa John’s will be paying for this for a long time.
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