How Rich Is The Papa John's CEO And What's The Average Pay Of Its Employees?

Pizza is a passion for many and a staple of numerous family dinners, particularly during the pandemic. But can rolling out dough really fill bank vaults with mountains of dollars?

Rob Lynch, CEO and president of pizza company Papa John's, has certainly tried hard to make the venture succeed. According to Bloomberg, Lynch took over at the helm of Papa John's following a stint as president of Arby's Restaurant Group, so his plentiful experience of running restaurants should place him in a healthy financial situation.

This would appear to be more than a little true. The Atlanta Business Chronicle records that when Lynch took control of Papa John's he received a starting salary of $900,000 and a welcome gift of $3 million. He also chose to acquire 68,461 shares in the company. Investment website Wallmine estimates Lynch's total financial worth to be $14.4 million (the result of his Papa John's salary and shares).

Although the cash rewards of working as Papa John's CEO seem to be as tasty as one of the firm's pizzas, the bank accounts of its more ordinary employees aren't necessarily close to bursting.

Research conducted by Indeed determined the average hourly payment of roles within Papa John's. While pizza cooks earn $9.86, delivery drivers take home $12.52 — even more than an assistant manager ($12.36). The highest recorded salary is that of truck drivers, who allegedly receive $18.93. Payscale notes the overall average wage of Papa John's workers as $9.58.

Despite Papa John's store-based employees not acquiring the golden welcomes that their CEO did, the company does offer non-financial benefits, such as training enrollments, health options, and pizzas at a reduced price (via Papa John's). The one great downside of being a CEO with a towering, pristine office is stunningly evident — you're too far away from the cheap pizzas.