The US-based company, which has more than 450 restaurants across the UK, said the move comes as part of efforts to boost its performance despite a rise in sales at the end of last year.

Pizza chain Papa John’s will close 50 of its ‘underperforming’ stores in the UK – despite a rise in sales at the end of last year.

The company, which has more than 450 restaurants, said it was trying to improve its operation on British shores. The company ended 2023 on a high, generating more than $1. 3 billion (£1 billion) in the last three months. This equates to a 10% increase on the previous year, Wales Online reports.

Papa John’s is the second largest pizza brand in the UK – behind Domino’s. Papa John’s currently has 118 branches and 406 franchise stores.

The first Papa John’s stores in the UK were opened in Essex in 1999 and in 2013 it opened its 200th store in the UK. Papa John’s has closed 22 branches over the past year but at the same time opened 15 new locations.

However, CEO Rob Lynch said the company needed to make more money in the UK and make its pizza stores stronger, even though sales were starting to rise. One of the spokespersons of the company said: Papa John’s is our second largest global market in the UK and its demand is increasing day by day.

As we mentioned in January, we are conducting a comprehensive review of our existing UK restaurants to assess viability. Based on our current analysis, we plan to close approximately 50 locations owned by underperforming companies.

The strategic closure of these restaurants will allow us to reinvest in the right locations with the right partners, optimizing the brand for long-term growth. Papa John’s said they are taking care of their team, and said they “will be the first to know” about any stores that may close. Papa John’s spokesperson said we will provide alternative roles within our company to the team members whose restaurants are closing for any purpose.

This follows news that Revolution Pubs will close eight of its branches as its young target audience feels the pressure of the cost of living crisis. The group has classified the sites scheduled to be closed as “unprofitable.”