Shaquille O’Neal and Papa John’s launch ‘Shaq-a-Roni Pizza’ featuring company’s largest slices
You can now eat Shaq’s favorite pizza. The Shaq-a-Roni launched in late June at Papa John’s Pizza with the pizza giant’s largest slices to date, officials shared.
NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, a Papa John’s board member and franchise owner, came up with the idea for the 16-inch extra-large pizza that’s topped with extra cheese and has 66 pepperoni. It’s cut into eight slices versus the 10 in Papa John’s standard XL pie.
But it’s not too big for the 7-foot-1-inch retired NBA star to devour it in a single sitting.
“Can I eat a whole pie? Yes, of course I can,” O’Neal told USA TODAY in a June 2019 interview.
Through Aug. 23, Papa John’s says it will donate $1 from every Shaq-a-Roni sold to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community to “support communities as they work together for equality, fairness, respect and opportunity for all.”
In March 2019, Papa John’s announced that O’Neal was joining the company in three ways: an investor, new member of the board of directors and brand ambassador.
Papa John’s president and CEO Rob Lynch said in a statement to USA TODAY that O’Neal has made a large impact for the brand.
“It’s been just over a year since he came on board so it’s the perfect time to launch a pizza that celebrates his role in our pizza family,” Lynch said. ”Shaq believes in the power of pizza to bring us all together so it’s only fitting his namesake pizza will also raise money for important causes in our communities.”