Papa John's Ad Characterizes Pizza Hut Lawsuit as David vs. Goliath

Business Wire, August 21, 1998

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 1998--A full-page ad appearing today in USA Today and The Dallas Morning News characterizes a lawsuit filed by Pizza Hut against Papa John's (NASDAQ: PZZA) as a David vs. Goliath scenario -- with the pizza giant suing the up-and-coming Papa John's. The Papa John's ad titled "What's The World Coming To? Now Goliath Is Suing David For Pain and Suffering," highlights previous Papa John's wins in the marketplace, including prestigious industry awards.

"We must really be hurting Pizza Hut in the marketplace for them to take a chance going head-to-head with us again on the same issues of better ingredients and better pizza," says John Schnatter, founder and CEO of Papa John's. "We have already won this battle against Pizza Hut twice before and we will continue to prevail. We felt we owed the public a response to this nonsensical lawsuit waged by the industry Goliath."

Named "Best Pizza Chain in America" by consumers in Restaurants & Institutions' prestigious Choice in Chains survey for two consecutive years (1997 and 1998), Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the recognized quality leader in the pizza category. At August 20, 1998, there were 1,716 Papa John's restaurants (1,264 franchise and 452 company-owned) operating in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Mexico. For more information about the company, visit Papa John's on the Internet at http://www.papajohns.com.

CONTACT: Papa John's International, Louisville

Christopher J. Sternberg, 502/266-2934

or

Karen Sherman, 502/266-2987