Papa John’s announced Monday the launch of the new Shaq-a-Roni pizza in collaboration with board member and restaurant owner Shaquille O’Neal. Designed to deliver a bigger pizza experience, Papa John’s will donate one dollar from every Shaq-a-Roni sold through August 23, 2020 to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, which supports communities as they work together for equality, fairness, respect and opportunity for all.
“It was important to me for the Shaq-a-Roni to be bigger than just pizza. By giving my new pie a try, one dollar will be donated to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community to support COVID-19 relief, the fight against racial injustice, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, UNCF (United Negro College Fund) and general community involvement,” says O’Neal, Papa John’s Board Member and franchise owner.
Conceived by O’Neal himself, the Shaq-a-Roni is an extra-large pizza made with Papa John’s fresh, never-frozen six-ingredient dough, topped with extra cheese and extra pepperoni, then cut into Papa John’s largest slice size to-date.
“From the work of The Papa John’s Foundation to the efforts of our local franchisees and team members, Papa John’s is committed to supporting our communities, especially during this challenging time in our country,” adds Rob Lynch, president and CEO of Papa John’s. “We’re excited to combine all the best ingredients for coming together in support of our neighbors – a Shaq-sized pizza, topped with extra ingredients, with a donation from every purchase going back into our communities.”
The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community benefits organizations like UNCF and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which has been a Papa John’s Foundation grantee since 2019. Last year, Papa John’s partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America for the company’s inaugural national day of service and continues to engage with the organization through ongoing initiatives, such as the Youth of the Year celebrations. This year, Papa John’s has committed $500,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help fund leadership development programs and the learning experience for youth and communities, and a two-year grant of $500,000 to UNCF to support their mission to provide equal access to college education.
The larger-than-life pizza is also accompanied by an exclusive Snapchat AR experience for fans who order the Shaq-a-Roni. Using the Snapchat app, customers simply point their camera at the pizza box to reveal a 3-D surprise. Next month, the brand plans to unveil additional AR surprises across its social channels.
