Yesterday Papa Johns’ CEO John Schnatter made headlines when Politico reported he’d warned on a conference call last week that Obamacare could impact pizza prices nationwide in a crisis I personally can’t help from calling a pizza-pocalypse:
“Our best estimate is that the Obamacare will cost 11 to 14 cents per pizza,” Schnatter said, “or 15 to 20 cents per order from a corporate basis.”
For this reason, he’s strongly supporting Mitt Romney for president. So that his 6,500 employees can remain uninsured, so that you, fast-food pizza lovers of America, will not have to pay an extra 11¢ for your pizzas.
“We’re not supportive of Obamacare, like most businesses in our industry,” Schnatter said, “but our business model and unit economics are about as ideal as you can get for a food company to absorb Obamacare.” He noted “If Obamacare is in fact not repealed, we will find tactics to shallow out any Obamacare costs and core strategies to pass that cost onto consumers.”
In other words, if we have to have these plebeians insured, they’ll just make up for it by passing along the incredible burden do you at the cost of 11¢ per pizza, and their business will be fine. Except HuffPo reports Judy Nichols, owner of a Texas Papa Johns franchise, isn’t so sure. Expressing anxiety about opening more restaurants and increasing payroll over the 50-strong count that would mandate employers provide healthcare, she said:
“I have two options, I can stop offering coverage and pay the $2,000 fine, or I could keep my number of staff under 50 so the mandate doesn’t apply.” Or, she has a third option: She can raise her prices by 11 fucking cents a pizza so that Debbie in shipping doesn’t die of cancer. But nah, that’s apparently unthinkable. “Obamacare is making me think about cutting jobs instead,” she said.
Seriously—wouldn’t we all be happy to pay an extra 11 cents a pizza to be free of the worry that if we fall off our bike or trip going downstairs we could end up $50,000 in debt? Or for those of us who already insured, to be free of the worry that if you change jobs and get a new insurance company, that they won’t cover the treatment you’ve been receiving because it counts as a “pre-existing condition”?
Would tacking 11 cents onto the pizzas below (15 cents per order) be worth such freedom? I’m guessing to almost everyone except Schnatter, the answer is yes.
August 08, 2012 at 5:50 pm, Don Drater said:
Only meth heads and welfare recepients (Romney voters) would eat that shit anyway…
November 11, 2012 at 7:39 am, Scott Sizemore said:
Most americans, love Pizza..lol..U must be black..:)
August 08, 2012 at 6:39 pm, DREGstudios! Art & Design said:
Republicans would have us believe Obamacare is bad for America. Is there any doubt that a Romney administration would favor the rich and increase the income gap in our country while leaving millions of our citizens uninsured and unprotected? Mitt is a pariah in Mormon Clothing and will stop at nothing to expand an empire of greed for the rich in this country. Can his sacred Mormon underwear gain him enough donations to buy this election? See for yourself as Mitt dons his tighty-whities sent from the Good Lord Himself at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2012/05/mitt-romneys-magic-mormon-underwear.html.
August 08, 2012 at 6:52 pm, Bob Vance said:
Man, well their pizza is still good. I guess ill keep using http://www.papajohnsfreepizza.com to evade these higher prices.
August 08, 2012 at 8:39 pm, Allan Sportiello said:
Here is a note: nobody likes your fucking fake frozen pizza anyway.
August 08, 2012 at 10:09 pm, Jeremy Arthur Vandelay said:
Why is this being turned into such a ridiculous story? He's not going on an attack, he's simply acknowledging that this creates a cost to employers, and luckily a HUGE, NATIONAL PIZZA CHAIN can easily absorb the cost.
Not so for smaller companies with 1 or 200 employees. That's all he's saying, and it's the truth. What does the quality of their pizza have to do with math?
August 09, 2012 at 12:00 am, Denis Freeland said:
Then WHY doesn't he (didn't he) say that he is against the GWBush war to create terror which adds 70 cents to the cost of a pizza – and provided NO benefit to the USA – and therefore WONT support Romney?
August 09, 2012 at 12:02 am, Andrew Novak said:
i dont think that the war added cost to pizza obama care does because employers have to pay for some of that health car
August 09, 2012 at 12:07 am, Denis Freeland said:
Sure – I am pointing out that
a) healthcare DOES provide a benefit.
b) the price of pizzas has gone up to fund terror – which provided NO benefit (the exact opposite) – whether he acknowledges it or not. He is being disingenuous.
August 09, 2012 at 12:10 am, Andrew Novak said:
i dissagree with both the war in iraq and obama care to me they both create unessesary costs to middle and uperclass
August 09, 2012 at 12:10 am, Andrew Novak said:
and the war also for the lower class
August 09, 2012 at 12:28 am, Denis Freeland said:
Why did those supporting the counter productive war, now protest medical help for the poorest members of society ?
I gladly pay to help the poorest members of society have healthcare – that so many countries around the world already provide for their citizens. This year is the 100th anniversary of healthcare in Norway – it is NOT some new fangled revolutionary idea ! If you have a different view about healthcare for the poorest – I respect that – it is personal belief.
The GWB initiated wars which delivered nothing, just made the world a much more dangerous place – could have paid for Obamacare several times over just from their initial costs.
I am puzzled / confused by these "values", that "war" which places an incredible burden on a healthcare system (ON GOING costs for the next four generations, and taxpayers like yourself will fund), but the wars are praised.
August 09, 2012 at 12:34 am, Andrew Novak said:
the iraq war benifited people who owned or invested in oil companies which were richer people. obama care make middle and upper class pay for the lower classes health care, in which way is that equal
August 09, 2012 at 12:39 am, Denis Freeland said:
Andrew Novak
http://truecostblog.com/2009/08/09/countries-with-universal-healthcare-by-date/
32 of 33 developed (*) nations have universal healthcare , the US being the (pre Obamacare) exception. It doesnt mean that the US is wrong – but if they believe they are right, they should explain to their citizens why they are different.
There are certain costs that a "modern society" has (in order to justify that title). I believe that includes a judicial system with state provided defenders , such as the US has, and universal healthcare, which the US doesnt.
Waging unneccesary wars is NOT a requirement of a modern society. Instead of complaining about his 10c per pizza, he should be seeking the war crimes indictment of those who created the debt that hinders Obamacare.
(*) UN Development Index =>0.9
August 09, 2012 at 12:44 am, Andrew Novak said:
but if all people want to be equal why make people who work hard and earn a larger salery pay for people who dont work hard enough to pay for their health care
August 15, 2012 at 9:45 pm, Greg Armbruster said:
"i would be happy to pay for all peoples healthcare who cant afford it, unlucky people and the lazy unachieving shmoes a-like"(of those people are underacbieving lazy shmoes)
August 15, 2012 at 9:46 pm, Greg Armbruster said:
Says denis /
August 15, 2012 at 9:46 pm, Andrew Novak said:
i think if someone wants something they should work to get it they shouldent depend on social programs to give them a free ride
August 09, 2012 at 4:07 am, Joey Buttons said:
#FirstWorldProblems
August 09, 2012 at 4:39 am, Frank DiMarco said:
People are so dumb,food costs have gone up so much more for so many other reasons.That if they think the 10 or 11 cents for healthcare is going to make people stop ordering their crappy pizza, he is just as dumb as the people eating his crap. I bet he and the other executives have a great healthcare plan.
August 09, 2012 at 5:21 am, Jesse Charboneau said:
just reducedy delivery tip to $1.89. ludicrous
August 09, 2012 at 6:57 am, Ben Glover said:
Herman Cain?
August 09, 2012 at 6:58 am, Ben Glover said:
Papa John for Prez!
August 09, 2012 at 3:21 pm, Joey Buttons said:
Why can't they just look at the bright side? If more people had healthcare then more people would be inclined to eat their shitty artery clogging pizza ! #WinWin
August 09, 2012 at 4:07 pm, Kim Hebert said:
Why aren't more people drinking Brawndo the Thirst Mutilator? It has Electrolytes! #Idiocracy
August 09, 2012 at 4:11 pm, Kim Hebert said:
Ben, Papa John is actually the 21st century version of Santa Claus, or in some circles, John the Baptist. Obama is the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
August 09, 2012 at 7:48 am, Lauren Wellicome said:
Wonder what Papa John thinks of all of his UK employees getting free healthcare from the NHS.
September 09, 2012 at 10:51 pm, Free Wood Post – Papa John’s CEO says costs will rise $.04 cents a pizza to cover Mitt Romney’s hair « Ye Olde Soapbox said:
[...] Papa Johns CEO warns Obamacare will ruin country by raising pizza prices 11 cents (deathandtaxesmag.com) [...]
April 10, 2013 at 2:16 pm, Here’s an extremely drunk Papa John barely able to stand at a basketball game | Death and Taxes said:
[...] best part is that Josh is a complete douchebag who threatened to sack employees – rather than raise the price of his pizza 20¢ – if Obamacare got passed. Which is [...]