Late last week, the founder of Papa John's pizza chain, John Schnatter, warned customers against eating too much pizza. The unexpected advice was given during an interview with BBC's Radio Four program in the UK. Schnatter got himself into trouble when he said:
Pizza's actually healthy for you if you don't eat too much of it. You can't eat five or six slices but if you eat one or two slices it's very nutritious.
The BBC presenter, Adam Shaw, was quick to respond pointing out that he's not sure Papa John's "investors would want to hear you [Schnatter] tell people don't eat too much of our pizzas." Although some may see this as a horrible slip, I think Schnatter is responsibly representing the everything-in-moderation diet. Perhaps, if the creator of Garden of Eatin' blue corn tortilla chips had warned Oprah not to eat an entire bag, she would not have gained the weight.
What do you think of his comment? Was it wrong for him to state the truth because it could negatively affect the sale of pizzas?
Alexander McQueen
hey, good for him. there are more important things in life than making money. people are still going to eat sh*ttons of pizza. and it doesnt matter how much you eat, you still order a whole pizza. papa john's is awesome though so i don't think they'll be going out of business just because their founder said not to be a fatty!
1I think this shows that he is a responsible human and businessman... if he shows that he and his company are committed to moderation and health (and he's right, pizza can be very healthy in moderation, my licensed nutritionist great-aunt praises this all the time) , people who choose products with company values in mind may be drawn to papa johns
2I don't think it's irresponsible because most people already know that you're not supposed to inhale a whole half pizza in one sitting. That said, I can never have just one piece, but that's why I only order it once every 6 weeks or so, so that's my form of moderation.
3It's not like he's telling people to not have ANY pizza at all; he's just saying to eat it in moderation. I don't see how that would affect pizza sales at all. Besides, most people are pretty loyal to their favorite pizza makers; I personally only order from Papa John's.
4it's not like he said 'don't eat pizza' - he's just saying 'don't eat a pie every day'. there's a big difference there. and if you think about it, he's being smart so that they don't get sued when people gain a LOT of weight and say that the franchise said that they were healthy when they aren't really.
5I actually love Papa Johns's pizza, but haven't had it in about a yr. Ha.
6If anything, his honesty (and the surrounding publicity) isn't going to change sales... and if it does, it'll be for the better.
7I think this will be viewed very favorably as responsible stewardship. I am sure he/they are trying to head off backlash from the health movement on the pizza industry.
8I say good for him too - he's taking a responsible stance and we all know that people who are known to overindulge in the first place aren't going to stop buying and eating pizza. Nothing lost in my eyes, but he gains a lot of respect from the "health" community.
9Bravo to him.
10I love this, he is right. I'm sure he's a pizza lover but he eats it in moderation just like everyone else should. His advice is great, Papa John's is awesome! Lol
11Nice that he's doing that, but seriously, people should just know that it's not okay or good for you to eat 5 or 6 slices of pizza. Duh.
12It's healthier to endorse moderation of any food, regardless of who you are, rather than fear foods for being "bad."
13Finally, someone in the fast-food industry taking responsibility of their products! Personally, I seeSchnatter as a mindful businessman who is well aware of the health issues in North America and how his products are contributing to the problem. It goes to show that people in high positions don't always think about the money.
14Let them hire Phelps as a spokesman and they will sell plenty of late night pizza.
15People also said Truett Cathy would hurt business by mandating that all Chick-fil-a chains be closed on Sunday, and he seems to be doing just fine.
Better health is being promoted more widely than it has been in decades, and being conscious of what you eat is no longer just for athletes and dieters. Papa Johns has already added options like whole wheat crusts to their menu, and by publicly condoning portion control, I think he made the right move. It reminds people who may have given up pizza as a "junk" food that they can have it, too. Whole grains, tomato sauce, protein-packed cheese and vegetable and/or lean meat toppings really IS a healthy meal if you don't overdo it. And as someone already said, you have to buy the whole pizza regardless of how much you eat in one sitting... sticking to a couple of slices just means you'll get more meals out of it.
16People don't need someone to tell them what is good and what isn't. We don't need a warning label on cigarettes that tell us they're unhealthy, we already know, and even still a large number of the population smokes. By that same token, having someone tell you not to eat six slices of a drippy pizza, is meaningless. Pizza is an American staple, along with fried foods, apple pie, and beer, all of which are unhealthy unless eaten in moderation.
17i don't think it's negative. it's great that he spoke out and said it... he's promoting the product but putting a healthy spin on it. no matter what you're going to get the whole pizza... why not enjoy it in moderation?
18Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.