Papa Johns Partners with Google Cloud to Enhance AI in Pizza Ordering

• Formation of PJX Innovation Team: Papa Johns establishes PJX to leverage Google Cloud’s AI, data analytics, and machine learning for enhancing customer experiences.
• Anticipating Customer Needs: Utilizing Google BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Gemini, the company plans to proactively suggest orders via push notifications or emails, based on customer preferences and events like birthdays or sports games.
• Hyper-Personalized Loyalty Experiences: By applying Google’s generative AI models, Papa Johns aims to optimize loyalty rewards and dynamically adjust digital experiences with personalized discounts and ads.
• Predictive Ordering and Marketing: AI will help predict ordering patterns to offer relevant promotions and shortcuts, including AI-driven marketing campaigns tailored to individual preferences.
• AI-Powered Customer Interactions: Plans include developing a chatbot for common inquiries and integrating AI-powered voice ordering to enhance convenience.
• Optimized Restaurant Operations: Transitioning to a Google Cloud-based point-of-sale system to enable AI-driven dispatching, route optimization, and automation of key processes.
• Leadership’s Technological Vision: CEO Todd Penegor, appointed in 2025, previously led a similar AI partnership at Wendy’s. He recruited Kevin Vasconi, former CTO at Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s, to oversee this digital transformation. Both executives emphasize the importance of leveraging AI to regain Papa Johns’ position as a tech leader in the pizza industry.
• Historical Context: Papa Johns was the first national pizza chain to offer online ordering to all U.S. customers in 2001. The current AI initiatives aim to build upon this legacy by introducing advanced technological solutions to meet modern customer expectations.

Why This Matters: This strategic partnership signifies a shift in the quick-service restaurant industry towards AI-driven personalization, aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. By integrating advanced AI technologies, Papa Johns seeks to provide a more tailored and efficient service, setting a precedent for innovation in the food service sector.