There is an Italian pepperoncino pepper inside every box of Papa John’s pizza. The reason behind this goes back to owner John Schnatter’s days as a dishwasher at his father’s pub where the free pepperoncini was “his thing.” There was a worldwide pepperoncini shortage in the ’90s, and Papa John’s blames themselves.

Why do you get a pepper with Papa John’s pizza?

According to Sean Muldoon, Papa John’s Chief Ingredient Officer, a staple at Rocky’s was to “garnish” every pizza the restaurant sold with a pepperoncini pepper. “It was just a nice extra touch that their customers really appreciated, and John noticed,” he told Thrillist.

What is the pepper that comes with Papa Johns?

Pepperoncinis. Our signature whole pepperoncini peppers are subtly sweet, medium-heat chilies grown in the Mediterranean regions. They’re packed in our tangy brine, and served on the side in every Papa John’s Pizza box.

Sometimes confused with its much spicier cousin, the Hungarian wax pepper, this pepper actually has very little heat (it’s five times milder than a jalapeño). For this reason, it imbues pizza with a subtle, sweet, distinctive spice.