Papa John’s Is Trying to Return to Quebec, Opening a Laval Location | Eater Montreal

"In Laval, on St‑Martin off Chomedey, I noticed Papa John’s has opened its first Quebec location in about a decade after a handful of short‑lived Montreal outlets in the late 2000s; the Kentucky‑based chain is much more prominent further west in Canada, with multiple locations in Toronto and especially Calgary and Edmonton. It arrives into an already crowded pizza scene—competing with chains such as Domino’s, Pizza Pizza, Double Pizza and even some Little Caesars suburban outposts, plus quality‑focused independents—so it faces an uphill battle. Its chances may also be hurt by recent controversies tied to founder John Schnatter (his 2017 criticisms of NFL kneeling players, his later use of a racial slur in 2018, subsequent resignations and harassment allegations), though Schnatter has since sold his final shares and the company has tried to repair its image with measures such as mandatory diversity training; whether that will help the brand succeed in Quebec remains unclear." - Tim Forster