In March, Papa Johns heavily promoted its Epic Stuffed Crust Pizza, one of its priciest menu items, while simultaneously running its $6.99 Papa Pairings deal, aiming to attract both premium and value-seeking customers. The balance-pricing strategy paid off.

It used to be "Better Ingredients, Better Pizza." But is this pizza chain sliding off the rails like a slab of melted mozzarella? Hold onto your pepperoni, this is the shady side of Papa Johns' menu.