10 Papa John's Ordering Hacks You Should Know

Papa John's just might be the best major fast food pizza chain around. It's debatable, but in my book, it kicks the crap out of Pizza Hut and Little Caesars, no doubt about it. Regardless of whether you're ready to swear allegiance to Papa John's or not, though, there are quite a few tips to keep in mind the next time you opt to place an order with the establishment. That is, of course, if you want to ensure you get the best the chain has to offer — which you do, duh.

As someone who is slightly obsessed with Papa John's Stuffed Crust Pizza, and has been for quite some time, I have a lot of experience ordering from the chain. Along the way, I managed to uncover several ordering tips that not only help me save a bunch of money, but also enable me get the biggest bang for my buck — i.e., sauce and topping proportions exactly how I prefer, enough garlic butter to assuage my never-ending cravings, and more. I also checked out some tips online, and altogether, you get the ordering tricks below that every Papa John's customer would be wise to take advantage of. So, stick with me, and you can consider Papa John's properly hacked.

This first Papa John's ordering hack is something every customer should live by: Always, always look at Papa John's website to see what current promotions and coupons are being offered at the location nearest you. Seriously, buying regular menu-priced pizzas is a waste at the chain. I'm sure it all boils down to marketing strategy, but it's almost as if the coupons are specifically designed to make you feel like time is of the essence. Whether the approach is that manipulative or not, the coupons will certainly save you a ton of cash on each order.

Papa John's specials are always changing, and some are even specific to particular stores. Regardless, there's always a special that gives you way more bang for your buck, and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of one every time you place an order. For example, right now, there's a special where you can get any large specialty pizza for $16.99. However, the regular menu price is $23.99, so the coupon saves you a whopping $7 — and that's just one example of many. With this in mind, even if you prefer to call in your order (that's not my jam, but to each their own), take a moment to look at online coupons first so you can ask for them on the phone.

Building off of the past hack — never overlooking current deals and coupons — you'll often find a slew of specials that entice you to order more than one pizza at a time. And let me tell you: They are the way to go. This sounds kind of wild, but often, I've found that ordering two pizzas costs less than one. Weird, but perhaps Papa John's really wants those pies to fly out the doors, and we're more than happy to oblige.

One of Papa John's longstanding specials that gives you reason to order more than one pie is the Papa Pairings coupon. It allows you to mix and match several items, including medium-sized one-topping pizzas, for just $6.99 each. This means you can get two medium pizzas for $13.98 plus tax. That already sounds great, but once you learn how much a single, regular menu-priced medium pizza costs, it'll make you want to jump for joy. Ready? It's $17.75 plus tax. Wow! If that doesn't sell you on buying two pizzas instead of one, I don't know what will. Even if you don't "need" that much pizza, the lower price alone is a no-brainer. Plus, leftover pizza is one of life's little pleasures. Do future you a favor and always opt for more than one.

Look, I get it. Getting a pizza delivered straight to your door is the ultimate in convenience, but you know what? When it comes to Papa John's, delivery simply isn't the way to go if you want to save some cash. And in this economy, who doesn't? Instead, it's all about carryout. Sure, simply sitting on your couch while you wait for lunch or dinner to arrive has some serious perks, but unfortunately, they don't extend to your wallet.

As is the case with most fast food pizza chains, Papa John's tacks on a hefty delivery fee to each order. In my area, it's $6.77 — yikes. Considering you can basically get another pizza (depending on the coupon) for the same amount, delivery doesn't sound so clutch, does it? Plus, you still have to tip the driver, so as you can see, the fees add up pretty quickly. That's why I can't recommend carryout orders enough. In addition to saving you cash, they also get pizza into your hands much quicker. After all, it only takes about 20 minutes for most stores to make your pizza, but delivery can take upwards of an hour. Oh yeah, and one more thing. Papa John's typically offers a coupon specifically for carryout orders, so going that route unlocks even more potential for deals.

Everyone knows the best part of Papa John's pizza is the little cup of garlic dipping sauce that accompanies every pie. The pepperonicinis are a nice touch, as well, but, oh man, is that garlic sauce drool-worthy. If you love the sauce as much as most of us do, I strongly recommend ordering extra. Why not go big, right?

Whether or not you think you will require more than one cup of Papa John's garlic dipping sauce for your pizza order, there are plenty of things you can use it for in the kitchen. Obviously, if you wind up with any pizza leftovers, having an extra cup for them is a no-brainer. However, just think how tasty it would be poured over roasted veggies or maybe even a baked potato? Yum! You can also turn Papa John's garlic dipping sauce into compound butter. If you do, the possibilities are limitless. Once it's hardened into more of a solid state, you can slice a piece off and put it on top of a steak or chicken, use it to make garlic bread, and so much more. Yes, please.

These days, every company wants you to set up an online profile, and I don't blame you if you don't like to hand over all your details to every one of them to keep on file. Still, Papa John's is one company I recommend biting the bullet for. It makes ordering easier in the future and saves you a ton of time.

One of the things I like most about having an online pizza profile at Papa John's is that it saves your recent orders, allowing you to put them in your cart with a single click. If you are a creature of habit when it comes to pizza toppings, this is a fantastic time-saving perk. Additionally, the profile saves me more time when it comes to selecting the location for your order and entering your payment method in the final steps. Sounds like a win.

In addition to setting up an online profile with Papa John's, you should also join the Papa Rewards program. As you might expect, it allows you to accrue points for your orders, which, down the line, you can turn into free breads, dipping sauces, and pizza. Um, yeah. Say less.

So, how does the Papa Rewards program work? Well, you get a point for every dollar you spend, and every 15 points that accrue are equivalent to $2 in what the company refers to as Papa Dough, AKA cash to be spent at the establishment. Thankfully, it's not actually dough. Best of all, you can spend your Papa Dough on anything on the menu, so you aren't limited to specific specials or items.

Joining the Papa Rewards program isn't automatic when you set up an online profile, so make sure to take this extra step. Otherwise, you'll be missing out on free food, and nobody wants that. Actually, it would be a real bummer. No, thanks.

If you order Papa John's over the phone, it's easy to forget about all the pizza customizations the company offers. We all have our preferences, though, so remembering to ask for your pizza exactly how you like it is a hack you don't want to overlook. From going heavy on your favorite topping or toppings to the amount of sauce to opting for well-done crust, Papa John's makes it easy to achieve the perfect pie for your tastes.

Our favorite pizza customization to take advantage of at Papa John's is extra sauce, something I highly recommend if you fancy yourself a sauce lover. If not, light sauce is a possibility, as well. Regardless, I always go for extra of the original pizza sauce, but you can also choose to swap it out for Alfredo, BBQ, Buffalo, or even no sauce at all (why you'd do that is bonkers to us, but still, it's an option). Papa John's will also cut your pie exactly how you wish — classic, square, or uncut — you just have to ask. The same goes for brushing some of the iconic house garlic dipping sauce on the crust. Yeah, you read that right. Whatever you fancy, don't sleep on Papa John's collection of pizza customizations. They are just what you need to ensure your pie suits your tastes perfectly.

If you're like us, you love the little packets of red chili flakes and Parmesan cheese that accompany a Papa John's pizza order. In my opinion, no pizza is complete without them, so they rarely last longer than my order. That's why I always like to ask for extra. Many times, I still use them up straight away, but guess what? When I don't, they certainly don't go into the trash. Instead, I save them and use them for other foods. After all, who doesn't need more chili pepper flakes and Parmesan on hand?

Ordering and saving extra chili flakes and Parmesan hacks isn't a revolutionary hack, by any means. Actually, you probably know someone with a drawer in their kitchen or maybe a compartment in their fridge full of little sauce packets (ketchup and soy sauce, anyone?). There's no shortage of uses for the ones that come along with your pizza, either. From pasta to veggies to potatoes to meat, the extra packets of red chili flakes and Parmesan cheese are sure to come in handy before you know it. Bonus points if you dump them out into shakers for easier sprinkling.

Tipping culture is a somewhat contentious topic, especially for takeout, but there's no denying it leads to better service and happier employees down the line. So, when it comes to ordering Papa John's, always make sure to tip the staff. Delivery drivers obviously deserve a bit more, but even a dollar or two for a pickup order is much appreciated. Tipping in cash is always a clutch move, too, because it typically means the staff gets access to their hard earned money faster.

If you are a regular at a Papa John's location, tipping can make a huge difference in how the staff treats you. Don't underestimate the power of cash, right? It's fair to assume that happy employees, who are well compensated, also make better pizzas. So, if you want your pies to come out beautiful and tasty every time and you want your local staff to not only remember you, but be happy to see your face, tipping is the way to go. According to reviews, Papa John's is one of the chain restaurants with the best customer service. Let's all do our part to keep it that way.

Here's the thing: We'll be the first to profess my love for Papa John's pizza as a whole, but even so, not every item on the menu hits the mark. So, what items should you avoid? Well, for starters, the gluten-free crust is a complete letdown. We're not gluten-free or anything, but we've had it before, and it was cardboard-like at best. It obviously serves a purpose for anyone with Celiac or a gluten-intolerance, but I have trouble seeing how anyone could truly enjoy it. Plus, of all the crusts Papa John's offers, it is by far the worst. I'll pass, and I recommend you do the same. In case you're wondering, the two stuffed-crust pizzas are the best. Order them for the tastiest results.

The other menu item to steer clear of at Papa John's is chicken wings. Not only are they fairly pricey — an eight-piece order costs $11.99 — but according to reviews, they are some of the worst fast food chicken wings of all time. Not a big selling point, huh? From taste to price to texture, Papa John's chicken wings are not to be desired. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from them and the gluten-free crust, and you can thank me later.