Current Events > Secrets about Papa John's pizza from a stadium worker(me)

(+) Yeah! (+)

So I work at Met Life Stadium at a stand where we make pizza. Last year we switched to a new pizza but before for 5 years we worked on Papa John's.

So Papa John's has this specific way they want there pizzas way to protect their brand. Like cooking temps and stuff. Cool. They have people in Papa John's family come and provide training one on one to the pizza makers. One thing though they demanded was that we DO NOT wash the pizza trays. Ever. Even if it was dropped on the floor...

They instead want you to pick up the tray and put the pizza on the tray then put it in the machine right from the floor. Mind you it's possible for customers to see what's happening in the cooking area of the stand.

Even if it's been months before it's been washed. They don't want you to ever wash them or they'll freak out and say it's not the Papa John's way or procedure.

The reasoning was that all the germs would be killed by going through the pizza machines heat. The machine cooks at 475 degrees I believe so they said the heat would kill the bacteria and germs. It sounds like pseudoscience to though because it's only the machine for a short while. They said that Washing the trays would cause the water to mess with the tray and mess with the authetic flavor... That was there reasoning for why they didn't want us to wash it. Idc whenever I had to work with the trays in the dishes I would wash them anyway. I'm not gonna risk getting caught on camera or seen by a customer following some dumb policy. Then who would protect me I'd be seen as a dirty kitchen worker lol

But yeah this was just a story I wanted to share since Papa John's is in the news at the moment. I'm glad we switched to a new pizza anyway it's much better we even have Alfredo pizza options. It's unbranded but that shows brand doesn't mean everything because this new pizza is way better. Stadium Papa John's Pizza is so crappy

ew lpl
---

Literal trash pizza lol
---

sigless user topic
---

I may be a sigless user but these are facts I promise you

You dont wash seasoned cookware
---

This is literally a practice at most mom and pop joints that CE supposedly loves
---

If they dont get dropped on the floor that would be fine. Bacteria dies at 165F.

And the flavor thing may be true, thats what people do to season cast iron pots
---

CapnMuffin posted...

You dont wash seasoned cookware

That's weird though why not? What if someone coughed on it lol

Well that temp would kill bacteria
---

Better ingredients, better pizza, floor germs
---

thronedfire2 posted...

If they dont get dropped on the floor that would be fine. Bacteria dies at 165F.

And the flavor thing may be true, thats what people do to season cast iron pots

That's true. But the pizza stays in the machine for only a few minutes is that enough to kill everything?

Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...

thronedfire2 posted...

If they dont get dropped on the floor that would be fine. Bacteria dies at 165F.

And the flavor thing may be true, thats what people do to season cast iron pots

That's true. But the pizza stays in the machine for only a few minutes is that enough to kill everything?

Yeah

It only takes a few minutes to fully cook a raw piece of chicken and get it to 165 internally
---

People over react to things being dropped on the floor.
---

The heat will kill more than the water.
---

Yeah but I rather wash stuff just to be safe. The heat + water should be better than without

When I worked at Domino's it was the same way with the mesh trays the pizzas cooked on.
---

Of course it's going to kill the bacteria. It's really not a big deal. And I agree, people do overreact to dropping things.
---

ChainedRedone posted...

Of course it's going to kill the bacteria. It's really not a big deal. And I agree, people do overreact to dropping things.

well bacteria is one thing but id prefer less dirt in my pizza
---

Wait, are they cast iron trays?

Yeah, you don't wash that shit.
---

And lol @ eating pizza that wasn't cooked in a brick oven
---

I know you often cant wash cast iron cookware because sometimes its made with special chemicals to prevent sticking and optimize heat distribution.
---

Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...

That's weird though why not? What if someone coughed on it lol

For the reasons they told you when they said not to wash the pizza pans, although I've heard everything varying from go ahead and wash with soap to scrape and rinse with no soap. I'd expect pizza trays to be ok with just wiping off without a rinse. To compare, milk pasteurizes at 165 degrees for just 15 seconds.
---

Why do people still believe you shouldn't wash cast iron?
---

AlabamaLove posted...

Why do people still believe you shouldn't wash cast iron?

All the cast iron I have says not to wash it with soap.
---

The pan were something like this

https://imgur.com/C4AAXaL

TC thank you for sharing. Keep making good pizza.
---

We dont wash our pizza pans after every use. Just wipe down the inside with a towel and thats it.

AlabamaLove posted...

Why do people still believe you shouldn't wash cast iron?

Because if youre seasoning it, itll take away all that flavor.
---

let me speak to your manager
---

CyricZ posted...

TC thank you for sharing. Keep making good pizza.

Thanks dude I appreciate that

Seems like a lot of horseshit.

I worked at papa johns and for sporting events they've always sent actual employees.

And the trays are washed a shit ton. They used to talk about how we had to stop sending back dirty trays because of how much extra time was spent cleaning them in the factories.

Cool story and all but seems like a fib.
---

pizza is love
---

Serious Cat posted...

AlabamaLove posted...

Why do people still believe you shouldn't wash cast iron?

All the cast iron I have says not to wash it with soap.

Back in my food service days, we would soak our cast iron cookware in soap and water, and then we'd scrub it with steel wool. Now, I wonder why we even bothered with cast iron at that place.
---

Yeah, Domino's does the same thing for their pizza screens. If it hits the floor, they just run it through the oven and put it back into the stack once it's out.

Pizza Hut however, does wash theirs after a pizza has been baked on it.
---

AlabamaLove posted...

Why do people still believe you shouldn't wash cast iron?

The seasoning gets you flavor and, to a degree, some non-stick attributes. Same reason some of the best burgers around the world are cooked on flat tops that haven't been washed in ages. A good scrape, maybe a quick wipe down with a cloth now and then, but never soap.
---

gatorsPENSbucs posted...

Seems like a lot of horseshit.

I worked at papa johns and for sporting events they've always sent actual employees.

They were employees. They were like high ranking executive types I believed they were related to the family they stressed it was a family business

gatorsPENSbucs posted...

And the trays are washed a shit ton. They used to talk about how we had to stop sending back dirty trays because of how much extra time was spent cleaning them in the factories.

Cool story and all but seems like a fib.

I'm not lying they really told us not to wash the pans

You're all over the place. Trays and pans and screens are 3 totally different things.

Trays are what the dough comes in.

Pans are what pan pizzas are made in. With raised edges. Like pans.

Screens are what the pizzas go on in the oven. These are the things that if they touch the floor you run through the oven. If it was an issue every pizza place in the world would go out of business instantly.
---

Okay cool thanks for your insight

gatorsPENSbucs posted...

You're all over the place. Trays and pans and screens are 3 totally different things.

Trays are what the dough comes in.

Pans are what pan pizzas are made in. With raised edges. Like pans.

Screens are what the pizzas go on in the oven. These are the things that if they touch the floor you run through the oven. If it was an issue every pizza place in the world would go out of business instantly.

Yeah, I had to read the topic twice to make sense of what was being talked about.

Sidenote: the trays aren't cleaned either but don't really get reused. Just shipped back.
---

Tag
---

Idk I'm not really a pizza or cooking expert. I was just surprised that they didn't want us to wash the "screens" and wanted to share my experience with CE

Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...

Idk I'm not really a pizza or cooking expert. I was just surprised that they didn't want us to wash the "screens" and wanted to share my experience with CE

I was surprised to learn it too when I got into pizza. It varies place to place, but it is mostly industry standard.
---

BignutzisBack posted...

Better ingredients, better pizza, floor germs

Under rated post
---

CEs_EFG posted...

BignutzisBack posted...

Better ingredients, better pizza, floor germs

Under rated post

This lol

Can confirm this is true, although usually we would leave all the screens on the floor till close and then run them through the oven before stacking them n the racks.

However papa johns is easily the worst pizza place for other reasons i dont really care to go into right now
---

So that's why their pizza tastes terrible

Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...

Idk I'm not really a pizza or cooking expert. I was just surprised that they didn't want us to wash the "screens" and wanted to share my experience with CE

Maybe you should be horrified when places don't heat their dishes to 400-500 degrees instead.
---

@Tony_Biggie_Pun

Damn you work so close to where I live. I'm like five minutes and only once did I go to a Giants game but I did not get papa john's. I can't remember the last time I had papa john's even though there is one right around the corner from me.
---

Oh nice. yeah I like working out there. I've been working there since I graduated highschool in 2011. I live in NYC though

Jersey is pretty cool if I had a real job I'd even consider moving out there rents are easier to pay

Corrupt_Power posted...

AlabamaLove posted...

Why do people still believe you shouldn't wash cast iron?

The seasoning gets you flavor and, to a degree, some non-stick attributes. Same reason some of the best burgers around the world are cooked on flat tops that haven't been washed in ages. A good scrape, maybe a quick wipe down with a cloth now and then, but never soap.

Here's the thing, "seasoning" isn't really flavor when it comes to cast iron. It's a huge misconception. Also you shouldn't scrape a cast iron pan, because that actually takes away the seasoning. Gently cleaning with soap and water is how you should do it.
---