Papa John’s announced that founder John Schnatter will deliver more than 100 slices of pizza to the Ledge at the Skydeck Chicago—at the top of Willis Tower, formerly Sears Tower—attempting to set a world record for the world’s highest pizza delivery at more than 1,300 feet.
The Chicago visit is the seventh stop of a multi-city tour called Papa’s Road Trip, which is part of the pizza chain’s 25th anniversary celebration. Earlier this summer, Schnatter set out on the Road Trip in a replica of the Z28 Camaro he sold in 1984 to open his first Papa John’s restaurant in the back of his father’s tavern. Schnatter is offering a $250,000 fee to the person who locates his original Camaro.
“As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, when I embarked on this road trip, I promised everyone that I’d leave no stone unturned as I searched for my Camaro,” Schnatter says. “It meant a lot to me. There’s no better view than the Skydeck Chicago, so if the car is out there, I have a good shot at seeing it.”
The Ledge is a series of glass bays 103 stories up that extend just more than 4-feet outward from the Skydeck and offer a straight look down.
“Willis Tower has always been one of our country’s most iconic landmarks,” says Randy Stancik, general manager of Skydeck Chicago. “That tradition continues as we welcome Papa John’s world record attempt to our Skydeck.”
Schnatter will be joined on the delivery by Steve Walker. Walker, a 19-year Papa John’s employee and delivery driver, was beaten and carjacked in suburban Chicago while working last month. Neighbors raised $16,000 to replace his car that was crashed and burned by the carjackers.
In addition to the Skydeck delivery, Schnatter will make several stops in the city throughout the day, including surprise deliveries to unsuspecting customers in the Chicago area.