(papajohns.com) – North Arlington, VA

How I heard of this place: I remember hearing of Papa John’s when the first franchise opened in Bellingham, WA at a time when I was still in school. Some friends ordered a pizza from Papa John’s for an afterschool club meeting, which became my first taste of their “Better” pizza.

Type of cuisine: A pizza joint at heart, Papa John’s has striven, since the doors of the first hole-in-the-wall opened in 1983 to offer “a quality pizza using Better ingredients“, such as fresh dough, fresh-cut vegetables, real meats and cheeses, and an all-natural sauce. Having grown to “more than 3,500 restaurants in all 50 states and 29 countries“, Papa John’s now offers sides, including breadsticks, buffalo wings and chicken strips, applepie and cinnapie.

Ambiance: Since we ordered two pizzas for the three of us, delivered, we lost – this time – our opportunity to see the inside of the store, let alone the exact location of this franchise.

What I ordered: We decided to try their special (two large pizzas for $21, $25 after tax), after my new roommate, Andra, came home from work and announced that it was time to sit back, order pizza and enjoy a relaxing evening at home. Chris and I could not refuse! We ordered two large, extra thin crust pizzas (each came with two toppings). One with pepperoni and mushrooms and the second with pepperoni and pineapple.

On a return visit, Saturday, May 7, 2011: After over ten miles of walking and 45 minutes of kayaking along the Potomac, my daily adventurer and I needed sustenance! The Cheesecake Factory lunch of salmon and mashed potatoes was not going to cut it seven hours later! Craving pizza, we called Papa John’s to find out about their daily special: Order one large specialty pizza, and get a second large pizza with two toppings, all for $21.99 ($25 after tax). We took them up on the offer and had our two selections delievered within thirty-five minutes. The first, a thin crust BBQ Chicken Bacon specialty pizza, with sweet BBQ sauce, topped with a generous helping of cheese, thinly diced morsels of chicken breast and crumbled bits of crispy bacon. For our second large, we went with my dining companions choice, a repeat of the last time: thin-crust pepperoni and pineapple pizza, with red sauce, plenty of cheese, spicy pepperoni and sweet, canned, diced pineapple.

What I loved: I loved that the bread did not overpower the flavor of the ample, gooey, melted cheese. I loved that the cheese made its way to the ends of the crust, so the crust was hardly more noticable than the center of the pizza. I loved that the pepperoni was spicy!

Why I loved it: I loved that the two pizzas were enough to fully satisfy three hungry thirty-somethings on a quiet evening at home, full of laughter. I loved that the pizza was finger-licking good. The addition of garlic sauce to the box made one of our diners most happy. And the coupons that came with the box, for future orders, make for a great incentive to return to Papa John’s.

Cost: Average ($10-$20 per pie)