Registry · PZZA
Does Papa John's International, Inc. support Israel?
Yes — Papa John's International, Inc. has documented support for Israel on record. Every claim below links to its source.
Filed under: Fast food & restaurant chains · Companies that support Israel
Background
Grassroots boycott campaigns endorsed by the BDS movement list Papa John's over its franchise presence in Israel and its Israeli franchisee's actions, including pizza donations to soldiers during the Gaza war. The roughly 42 restaurants in Israel are owned and operated by a local franchisee (the Richter family since 2020), not by Papa John's International, which has stayed silent on the war, has no corporate PAC, and shows no Israel-linked giving through its foundation. The company's own 10-K notes that Middle East franchisees suffered boycotts and reduced sales as a result of the conflict.
The National (brands hit by boycotts) BDS movement (boycott call naming Papa John's) Walla (franchisee pizza donations)
Timeline of documented support
Documented support
| Type | Date | Amount | Recipient | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations in Israel | 2016-03 | — | Papa John's Israel (franchised market) Papa John's International entered Israel through a franchise agreement, opening its first Israeli restaurant in Tel Aviv in March 2016 with local franchisee Assaf Greenberg of PJI Pizza Ltd. (ten stores initially planned). The market has since been run by the Richter family franchise (from 2020), which has grown the chain to over 40 branches; the company's fiscal 2025 Form 10-K reports 42 franchised Papa Johns restaurants in Israel, all owned by the local franchisee rather than the corporation. | |
| Franchisee action | 2023-10 | — | Israeli soldiers stationed in southern Israel Owners of the Papa John's franchise in Beersheba donated dozens of trays of pizza to Israeli soldiers at bases and posts across southern Israel throughout the Gaza war, responding to requests via local coordination groups (in one case sending about 20 trays for an order of two or three, and 30 trays to a remote base). This was an action of the local Israeli franchisee, not of Papa John's International, which has made no public statement on the conflict. |
Frequently asked questions
Did Papa John's International, Inc. donate money to Israel or Israeli causes?
We have no records of cash donations, but Papa John's International, Inc. has documented support of other kinds (Operations in Israel, Franchisee action). See the records on this page.
Where does this information come from?
Every record on this page links to its source — news reports, official company statements, tax filings, or government records. 6 distinct sources are cited for Papa John's International, Inc.. Our methodology page explains the full verification process.
Sources & citations
Record last updated: 2026-07-20
- Papa John's press release (via Franchising.com) franchising.com
- SEC 10-K FY2025 (store counts and Israel risk disclosure) sec.gov
- Ynetnews (Israeli franchise owners' expansion) ynetnews.com
- Walla (franchisee pizza donations) sheva7.walla.co.il
- The National (brands hit by boycotts) thenationalnews.com
- BDS movement (boycott call naming Papa John's) bdsmovement.net