Papa Johns and Google Cloud Team Up to Deliver AI-Powered Pizza Experiences

Rhea-AI Summary

Papa Johns (PZZA) and Google Cloud have announced an expanded multi-year partnership to transform the pizza ordering and delivery experience using artificial intelligence. The company has established an innovation team called PJX that will utilize Google Cloud's AI, data analytics, and machine learning capabilities.

The partnership aims to enhance customer experience through several key initiatives: anticipating customer needs using BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Gemini; creating hyper-personalized loyalty experiences; implementing predictive ordering and personalized marketing; developing AI-powered chatbots for customer service; and optimizing restaurant operations with a new Google Cloud-based point-of-sale system.

Through this technological transformation, Papa Johns expects to achieve increased order frequency, higher-value orders, reduced customer service costs, and improved customer satisfaction.

Positive

• Strategic partnership with tech giant Google Cloud for AI implementation
• Expected increase in order frequency and higher-value orders
• Anticipated reduction in customer service costs through AI automation
• Implementation of new POS system for improved operational efficiency

Negative

• Significant technology investment and implementation costs
• Potential operational disruption during POS system transition
• Dependency on third-party technology infrastructure

Google Cloud will help elevate the Papa Johns customer experience by anticipating personal cravings and optimizing delivery routes, among other AI-powered upgrades

ATLANTA and SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Google Cloud today announced an expanded multi-year partnership with Papa Johns to revolutionize the pizza maker's ordering and delivery experience using the power of artificial intelligence (AI). Through the partnership Papa Johns has created an innovation team, named PJX, that will leverage Google Cloud's AI, data analytics and machine learning (ML) capabilities to provide a more frictionless and consistent experience for customers both inside its restaurants and throughout its digital channels.

Through its partnership with Google Cloud, Papa Johns expects to drive success through increased order frequency, higher-value orders, reduced customer service costs, improved customer satisfaction (via a chatbot powered by Google Cloud's technology) – and ultimately, more joyful pizza experiences.

"At Papa Johns, our aspiration is to be the best pizza makers in the business. Being the best means we are crafting great pizza and providing every single customer a superior experience along every part of their journey – from ordering, to delivery, to our loyalty program," said Todd Penegor, President and CEO, Papa Johns. "Our partnership with Google Cloud will enable us to take personalization to the next level. We're not just reacting to orders – we're anticipating our customers' needs and proactively providing tailored recommendations and offers. This isn't just about convenience; it's about creating a truly joyful and personalized pizza experience that builds lasting loyalty."

As Papa Johns works to revolutionize the pizza industry through a commitment to unwavering quality and a seamless customer experience, PJX will focus on using Google Cloud's AI to improve customer support, drive advanced personalization and build proactive experiences "from click to crust." Key projects for the team include:

• Anticipation of customer needs: Using Google BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Gemini, Papa Johns will proactively suggest orders through push notifications or email, based on learned customer preferences and anticipated needs for upcoming occasions like birthdays or sporting events.
• Hyper-personalized loyalty experiences: By applying Google's generative AI (gen AI) models against its data, Papa Johns can help optimize loyalty program rewards and benefits. In addition, the pizza maker will be equipped with real-time personalization that dynamically adjusts the website and app experience for users, such as presenting unique discount codes or advertisements based on previous orders, customer preferences, location, and more.
• Predictive ordering and personalized marketing: Using Google Cloud's AI, Papa Johns will be able to predict customer ordering patterns to provide relevant promotions and ordering shortcuts. This also includes AI-driven marketing campaigns that can deliver personalized offers, content, and timing based on preferences.
• AI-powered customer interactions: Papa Johns plans to build an AI-powered chatbot that can handle common customer inquiries, seamlessly escalating complex issues to live agents. The pizza maker will also incorporate AI-powered voice ordering via the app to further enhance convenience.
• Optimized restaurant operations: Papa Johns will transition to a Google Cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system that lays the foundation for AI-driven dispatching, route optimization, and intelligent automation of key restaurant processes.

"Throughout its history, Papa Johns has been at the forefront of technology innovation – and its innovation team understands that AI has the power to transform the customer experience into something truly special," said Matt Renner, President, Global Revenue, Google Cloud. "Google Cloud's portfolio of data, analytics, and AI capabilities is helping Papa Johns deliver proactive, hyper-personalized service that goes above and beyond for its customers, building relationships that will keep customers coming back for more."

"PJX will bring together teams from Papa Johns and Google Cloud to elevate the experience of Papa Johns customers at nearly every touchpoint – from the moment they first crave pizza and engage with Papa Johns, all the way to enjoying the first bite of their pizza order," said Kevin Vasconi, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Papa Johns. "By building on our heritage as a tech pioneer in the pizza industry, we are embracing what has always made Papa Johns so well-loved – our commitment to Better."

About Papa Johns
Papa John's International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) opened its doors in 1984 with one goal in mind: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.® Papa Johns believes that using high-quality ingredients leads to superior quality pizzas. Its original dough is made of only six ingredients and is fresh, never frozen. Papa Johns tops its pizzas with real cheese made from mozzarella, pizza sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes that go from vine to can in the same day and meat free of fillers. It was the first national pizza delivery chain to announce the removal of artificial flavors and synthetic colors from its entire food menu. Papa Johns is co-headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. and Louisville, Ky. and is the world's third-largest pizza delivery company with more than 6,000 restaurants in approximately 50 countries and territories. For more information about the company or to order pizza online, visit www.PapaJohns.com or download the Papa Johns mobile app for iOS or Android.

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

 

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SOURCE Google Cloud

FAQ

What AI technologies will Papa Johns (PZZA) implement through the Google Cloud partnership?

Papa Johns will implement BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Gemini for predictive ordering, AI-powered chatbots, personalized marketing, and loyalty program optimization.

How will the Google Cloud partnership affect Papa Johns (PZZA) customer experience?

The partnership will enable proactive order suggestions, personalized loyalty rewards, AI-powered customer service, and optimized delivery routes.

What business benefits does Papa Johns (PZZA) expect from the Google Cloud AI integration?

Papa Johns anticipates increased order frequency, higher-value orders, reduced customer service costs, and improved customer satisfaction.

What operational changes will Papa Johns (PZZA) implement through the Google Cloud partnership?

The company will transition to a Google Cloud-based POS system and implement AI-driven dispatching, route optimization, and automated restaurant processes.