Papa John's Announces December and Fourth Quarter Comparable Sales Results

Papa John's Announces December and Fourth Quarter Comparable Sales ResultsLOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Papa John's International, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) today announced that domestic systemwide comparable sales for the five weeks ended December 28, 2003 decreased 2.5% (composed of a 1.2% decrease at company-owned restaurants and a 2.9% decrease at franchise restaurants). Domestic systemwide comparable sales for the quarter ended December 28, 2003 increased 0.7% (composed of a 2.4% increase at company-owned restaurants and a 0.2% increase at franchise restaurants).

For the most recent full quarter of industry data available (September, October and November 2003), transactions in the U.S. quick service restaurant pizza category declined approximately 4%, representing the seventh consecutive quarter of flat or declining transaction results.

Total systemwide international sales increased 16.2% for December and 7.9% for the quarter, on a constant U.S. dollar basis, over the comparable periods last year. As noted in the prior year, all 17 franchised Papa John's restaurants in Venezuela included in the 2003 comparable sales base were closed throughout December of 2002 due to the political situation in that country. Excluding sales results for Venezuela in both years, total systemwide international sales increased 6.1% for December and 4.7% for the quarter.

At December 28, 2003, there were 2,790 Papa John's restaurants (570 company-owned and 2,220 franchised) operating in 49 states and 15 international markets. Papa John's also franchises 135 Perfect Pizza restaurants in the United Kingdom. For more information about the company, visit Papa John's at http://www.papajohns.com .

For more information, contact:
David Flanery
Senior Vice President of Finance
(502) 261-4753

SOURCE Papa John's International, Inc.