Papa John's Appreciation Day is backed by tens of thousands as the pizza chain prepares for food fight over Obamacare

PUBLISHED: 00:14 EST, 17 November 2012 | UPDATED: 01:26 EST, 17 November 2012

Down-heartened pizza tycoon John Schnatter received some pre-holiday cheer on Friday when a conservative group declared it to be national Papa John's Appreciation Day.

Upset following President Obama's re-election which confirmed the Affordable Care Act into law, Schnatter was boosted by 'Rebooting America' and their drive to encourage thousands to buy two pizza's today.

Reminiscent in tone to August's Chick-fil-A's Appreciation Day, but not as succesful, Rebooting America claimed more than 21,000 Facebook users acted with their stomachs to back the pizza chief's stance against Obamacare.

Papa Johns Pizza Founder John Schnatter was backed in his fight against Obamacare by an appreciation day for his pizza chain today

Devastated by Mitt Romney's failure to secure the presidency and with it a repeal of the health care legislation, Schnatter has been threatening to raise the price of a pizza by 14 cents and to lower worker's hours.

'Schnatter has received intense media scrutiny in addition to being demonized as an evil rich guy by the Left,' said the Facebook page for Papa John's Appreciation Day.

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'Obamacare is a fiscal nightmare and because of it, many small businesses aren’t hiring now. Some are even closing their doors. Obamacare is now, as John Boehner said, ‘the law of the land.

'In solidarity with John H. Schnatter, we propose that November, 16th, 2012 be National Papa John’s Appreciation Day.

Rebooting America posted pictures (left and right) of Papa John's Appreciation Day backers filling their boots with pizza

Security staff at an Indiana mall eat their Papa John's pizza to back John Schnatter in his battle against Obamacare

'The Left thinks we are discouraged; they think they have won. Let’s send a clear message this Friday, like we did on Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, that we are here to stay and that we won’t stop fighting.'

The event has been organised by Rebooting America, which formed the after President Obama's crushing election victoy.

'We’re standing up for a business owner that was bold enough to tell investors and the American people that the Affordable Care Act will hurt profits,'Justen Charters, the group’s president, told POLITICO.

At the end of trade on Friday it seemed that the Papa John's appreciation day did not quite match Chick-fil-A's day, when 600,000 people flooded through the doors of the chicken chain.

That event, organised by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee resulted in record sales as people protested against the branding of Dan Cathy as a homophobe for comments made about gay marriage during the summer.

With over 21,000 fans - National Papa John's Appreciation Day was a qualified success

Rebooting America encouraged customers to buy two pizzas and to give the second to a homeless or unemployed person.

The Papa John's Appreciation Day is the latest installment in what is rapidly becoming a politically charged consumer saga over Obamacare and its effect on businesses.

Obamacare requires businesses or franchises with more than 50 workers must offer an approved insurance plan or pay a penalty of $2,000 for each full-time worker over 30 workers.

The program mandates that only employees working more than 30 hours a week are covered under their employers health insurance plan, chains like Olive Garden and Red Lobster are already considering reduced worker hours.

Florida based restaurant boss John Metz, who runs approximately 40 Denny's and owns the Hurricane Grill & Wings franchise has decided to offset that by adding a five percent surcharge to customers' bills and will reduce his employees' hours.

Cutting more than pizza: In the wake of President Obama's reelection Papa John's CEO John Schnatter said he'll cut worker's hours to pay for health care reform

Rebooting America were formed the day after President Obama won his re-election

With Obamacare due to be fully implemented in January 2014, Metz has justified his move by claiming it is 'the only alternative. I've got to pass on the cost to the customer.'

'Obviously, I'd love to cover all our employees under that insurance,' said Metz.

'But to pay $5,000 per employee would cost us $175,000 per restaurant and unfortunately, most of our restaurants don't make $175,000 a year. I can't afford it.'

Indeed, Metz is adding the surcharge because he believes that eventually firms will be fined for not covering staff who complete over 30-hours in a week,

In November, a poll for Kaiser Health Tracking found that 43 percent of the United States had a favourable opinion of Obamcare, while 39-percent had an unfavourable one.

'Instead of indirectly charging customers by raising prices, he is directly charging and making a political statement,' said Paul Fronstin, director of the health research program at the Employee Benefit Research Institute in Washington.

'Potentially 43 percent of this person's customers may find the explicit charge a turnoff, and vote with their feet and their money and choose not to eat there.'

Papa John¿s faces food fight over Obamacare - POLITICO.com Print View

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some people and organisations just do not know when enough is enough. As the majoritsy of the republicans are aware the central points of the Obamacare are actually republican proposals - so what is the issue? The republican party is doing more to destroy their own country rather than cooperate with the democrates - what a pack of idiots - what stupidity!

- Walter , Stuttgart, Germany, 17/11/2012 08:55

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Papa John Appreciation Day? Oh Crud. It's Chick-Fil-A all over again.

- MockingCathy , Land of the Free, United States, 17/11/2012 08:26

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No one cares.

- annie , Boston, 17/11/2012 08:15

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As pointed out, he's a multi-millionaire. So he's gonna have to pay more income tax too. It's a tough life.

- fishbait , Inland NW, 17/11/2012 07:47

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Southern Belle: Speaking of sickness, two people I work with became sick after eating Papa Go-To-The-John. No Papa-Go-To-The-John; no diarrhea-rama. Good riddance Poopie John. Do yourself a favor, search -Papa John food poisoning- before eating there, you'll be glad you did. I thank Obama Care from the tip of my tongue, to my very bowels; literally. DON'T EAT AT POOPIE JOHNS!!!!!

- Demand Sider , Saint Paul, United States, 17/11/2012 07:35

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I just wonder if those conservatives will continue to support Papa John's even after they implement their extra charge. It might just be 11 cents, but it's still going to pay for Obamacare.

- Annicka , Colorado Springs, United States, 17/11/2012 07:28

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This pizza chain has made millions selling fats and carbs to low and middle income consumers, most who spend their money on pizza rather than healthy food. Now he's to cheap to budget for health care. What a creep!!!!!

- Just not convinced , Canterbury, England, 17/11/2012 07:24

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I'm going to stuff my fat face to show my unqualified support of people not having health insurance. USA USA USA!!!

- George Babbitt , Zenith, Winnemac, 17/11/2012 07:05

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He must be crying into his castle's moat. If he can still afford to give away 1,000,000 pizzas during the Super Bowl, finances must not be too bad.

- pugglemom , Phoenix, United States, 17/11/2012 06:51

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The fast food industry work their employees so hard for pennies. When they become sick, from working soo hard for companies like Papa John. These companies have the gull to refuse them health care.SICK

- msmickied , southern belle, 17/11/2012 06:32

Click to rate Rating 21

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