Papa John’s is offering free pizza for most of January. As part of the pizza chain’s deal, customers can buy any full-price pizza and get one of the same or lesser value for free.
The pizza deal, announced on Christmas—just three days after founder and former CEO John Schnatter stepped down—runs until Jan. 28. (Sorry folks, you won’t be able to take advantage of this deal for the Super Bowl on Feb. 4.)
Though Papa John’s became a sponsor and official pizza of the NFL in 2010, it’s has a tempestuous relationship with the league as of late. Last year, Papa John’s faced criticism after then-CEO Schnatter blamed lagging sales on the NFL—specifically player protests over police brutality during the national anthem.
“The NFL has hurt us,” Schnatter said during a third-quarter earnings call in November. “More importantly, by not resolving the current debacle to the players’ and owners’ satisfaction. NFL leadership has hurt Papa John’s shareholders. This should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago.”
Following those comments, the white supremacist publication the Daily Stormer embraced the pizza chain. Papa John’s later apologized and denounce neo-Nazis in a series of tweets.
Schnatter was succeeded by COO Steve Ritchie in December.
