How Does Papa John’s Papadia Compare to the Piadina? | Eater
"This large fast-service pizza chain recently introduced the Papadia, a flatbread-style “pizza-sandwich” it bills as a lunchtime disruptor. The Papadia is explicitly inspired by the traditional romagnolo piadina, but according to a self-described piadina aficionado the resemblance is superficial: the dough tastes and chews like standard pizza dough rather than the simple, griddle-cooked, lard- or olive-oil–enriched piadina, and the filling was essentially an unsealed calzone—heavily loaded with salami, sausage, banana peppers, alfredo sauce, and rubbery mozzarella, served with a small container of room-temperature marinara. The review finds it enjoyable in a guilty-fast-food way—likening it to a meat-lover’s pizza folded in half—while criticizing the chain’s vague, corporately framed nod to authenticity and the common practice of sanitizing regional specialties for mass markets. The chain’s size and market reach (thousands of franchises and a top-ranking fast-service position in the U.S.), along with its controversial corporate history and founder’s 2018 resignation, mean the product is positioned to succeed commercially even if it disappoints purists seeking a true piadina experience." - Terrence Doyle
