Papa John’s is hoping Shaquille O’Neal’s idea for a new specialty pizza—the Shaq-a-Roni—will be a slam dunk.
The Shaq-a-Roni is an extra-large pie topped with extra cheese and extra pepperoni and cut into Papa John’s largest slice size to date. It comes with a marketing push that offers an exclusive augmented reality (AR) experience on Snapchat. Using the Snapchat app, fans can simply point their camera at the pizza box to reveal a 3-D surprise.
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The pizza is available for pickup or delivery for $12. Papa John’s will donate $1 to the Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community for every Shaq-a-Roni pizza sold. According to its website, the foundation supports communities “as they work together for equality, fairness, respect and opportunity for all” while empowering them to “overcome divides through civility and unity.”
“It was important to me for the Shaq-a-Roni to be bigger than just pizza,” O’Neal, a Papa John’s board member and franchisee, said in a statement. “By giving my new pie a try, one dollar will be donated to [the Papa John’s-operated foundation] to support COVID-19 relief, the fight against racial injustice, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) and general community involvement.”
Papa John’s CEO Rob Lynch said the company is “committed to serving our communities, especially during this challenging time in our country.” He added, “We’re excited to combine all the best ingredients for coming together in support of our neighbors—a Shaq-sized pizza topped with extra ingredients with a donation from every purchase going back into our communities.”
