Papa John's Apologizes for Racist Delivery Voicemail

Papa John's extremely offended by former employees' reprehensible action – against everything we stand foron.fb.me/12JHJq4

— Papa John's Pizza (@PapaJohns) May 27, 2013

Papa John's has apologized over Twitter and Facebook for the racist voicemail a customer received on Sunday night in Sanford, FL. According to The Daily Dot, the message was an accidental "butt-dial" from a delivery driver who had just dropped a pizza off at the customer's house. In the voicemail, the Papa John's employee criticizes the man and his wife for being bad tippers (though they gave $5 for a roughly $15 delivery) and then proceeds to sing slur-filled opera to his co-worker. It's very bizarre and very offensive.

This isn't the first time Papa John's has dealt with racism among its employees. Last year, the pizza chain fired an employee in New York City who called a customer 'Lady Chinky Eyes' in her receipt. The employees involved in the racist voicemail have also been fired. "Their thinking and actions defy ... the company's values, and everything for which this company stands," wrote Papa John's CEO John Schnatter on Facebook. Below, a video the customer filmed that plays the voicemail, and the Facebook apology:

Video: Papa John's Pizza (Sanford, FL) Racial Slurs caught on Voicemail

The Facebook Apology:

Friends, I am extremely concerned to learn about the reprehensible language used by two former employees in one of our restaurants. Their thinking and actions defy both my personal and the company's values, and everything for which this company stands. The employees responsible for this absolutely unacceptable behavior were immediately terminated.

My heartfelt apology goes out to the customer involved, his family, and our community at large. I am very sorry that anyone would be exposed to these hurtful and painful words by any person involved in any way with our company.

Thank you for your important comments. I have personally reached out to our customer to share my own thoughts and offer my deepest apology.

Sincerely,

John Schnatter
Chairman and CEO
Papa John's

· Racist opera butt-dial voicemail gets Papa John's employee fired [The Daily Dot]
· Papa John's Pizza (Sanford, FL) Racial Slurs caught on Voicemail [YouTube]
· All Papa John's Coverage on Eater [-E-]