REVIEW: Papa Johns New and Improved Pan Pizza (2026)

Let’s start with the box. Papa Johns kept the fancy PANS packaging (bringing back Kelley’s pun), but swapped the shiny black for a sleek matte green. The front of the box is interestingly designed with written descriptors of “reasons to believe” in this new pan and improved version: crispy garlic parmesan crust, Italian seasoning, and six cheeses, edge-to-edge cheese and sauce. Normally, that kind of copy makes my eyes glaze over, but in this case, it got me hyped!

When I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was the cheese lace along the edges—strong Detroit-style vibes. Unlike the 2016 version, this one wasn’t burnt at all. Instead, I got a clean, crispy cheese shatter.

As I ate, I peeled off some of the pizza cheese so I could focus on the dough underneath. The crust was softer and fluffier, exactly what you want from a pan pizza.

Then came the real delightful surprise: cheese baked into the bottom of the pan. When you get a bite with crispy crust and caramelized cheese (or cheese doily, as I like to call it) underneath, it delivers a savory, umami punch that honestly reminded me of how Cheez-It crackers hit. That sharp cheese tang that makes the sides of your tongue water and immediately makes you crave the next bite.

Full disclosure: the Midwest was hovering around zero degrees, with wind chills hitting negative fifteen, when I took this home. Despite my best efforts, the bottom cheese lace softened a bit in transit. Still good, and honestly, nothing an air fryer couldn’t easily fix.

Halfway through, I realized why I hadn’t once reached for the garlic dipping sauce. Papa Johns bakes the Special Garlic Sauce directly into the pan, along with the parmesan cheese lace, underneath the crust. I could see the lace on top, but the garlic flavor was quietly doing its thing below, seasoning every bite without needing an extra dip.

Papa Johns’ New and Improved Pan Pizza was dang good, and I’m impressed by how consistently Papa Johns keeps delivering innovation. My only wish is the option to swap in its new NY-style deli pepperoni in the app. If that ever happens, this would be a no-notes pan pizza for me – but honestly, that’s just a nice-to-have. If “2026 is the new 2016,” this pan pizza gets it right this time.

Purchased Price: $11.99
Size: Only available in medium
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 slice) 350 calories, 20 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 950 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 17 grams of protein.