The first Papa Johns restaurant has opened in Northern Ireland – with 19 more on the way over the next decade.

Papa Johns is the latest big name food chain to set up in Northern Ireland and claims to be the world’s third-largest pizza company with more than 450 restaurants across the UK and 6,000 worldwide.

Its originated in Jefforsonville, Indiana when it began operating from a broom closet and since then expanded to serve pizza to customers in more than 50 countries across the globe.

The company’s first Papa Johns restaurant in Northern Ireland opened on Friday at Broughshane Street in Ballymena with the location of a second store to be announced by March 2026.

placeholder image — Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Jackson Minford, opening a new Papa Johns store in Ballymena, delivered in partnership with franchise operator Rana Group, marking the first step in the brand’s plan to open 20 new restaurants across Northern Ireland over the next decade. Picture: released by Papa Johns / Liam McBurney/PA Media Assignments

It follows the signing of a milestone franchise agreement with Rana Group, which will see 20 new Papa Johns restaurants open across Northern Ireland over the next decade.

Each new store will create between 15 and 20 jobs, providing a significant boost to local employment. By the end of the decade, the 20 new stores will have generated up to 400 jobs across Northern Ireland.

Papa Johns operates 450 sites across the UK and is continuing to invest in both new store openings and innovation across its menu and digital platforms.

The company said this latest agreement in Northern Ireland reflects the brand’s broader strategy to deliver high-quality, handcrafted pizzas to more customers while creating local employment and business opportunities in communities throughout the UK.

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The franchisee, Rana Abhol, brings more than 25 years of experience in the pizza industry to the new Northern Ireland venture.

Having started his career taking phone orders and working his way up to regional operations director for a rival brand based in Northern Ireland, Rana joined Papa Johns in 2017 and has since built a strong track record of growth within the business.

Rana currently operates more than 25 Papa Johns locations across the UK and is passionate about creating opportunities for local people as the business expands.

"This new agreement is an exciting milestone for Papa Johns, reinforcing our momentum and long-term vision for sustainably growing in the UK" said Chris Phylactou, managing director U.K. & Europe at Papa Johns.

"We are proud to bring our Better Ingredients, Better Pizza ethos to more communities in Northern Ireland and the UK, offering our customers even more opportunities to enjoy the Papa Johns experience.

"This expansion will create hundreds of local jobs and allow us to play a meaningful role in the communities we serve - not just as a consumer brand, but as a committed partner in local growth and development."