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Papa Murphy‘s Gears up for its Halloween Tradition - Jack-O-Lantern Pizzas!

Take ’N‘ bake pizza pioneer focuses on operations readiness and customer service excellence as it preps for Halloween

VANCOUVER, Wash. – October 20, 2009 – Halloween at Papa Murphy‘s Take ’N‘ Bake Pizza has always been one of the chain‘s busiest days. Over the past few years, however, costumed families have turned out in even larger numbers to bag their biggest special treat – the original Jack-O-Lantern Pizza. In preparation for another record Halloween season, Papa Murphy‘s 1,150+ stores in the U.S. and Canada plot out their game plans well in advance to ensure smooth operations and satisfied customers.

Salt Lake City Papa Murphy‘s franchisee and Jack-O-Lantern Pizza creator Lamont Theall admits that a lot of preparation is required, but his team looks forward to it every year. "On Halloween, we typically start prepping dough and shredding cheese before the sun comes up! It‘s a marathon event for all of us, but we encourage the crew to dress in costume and have fun with it. Smiles on their faces will ultimately transfer to our customers‘ faces, and in the end, that‘s what it‘s all about."

A smile also adorns this Papa Murphy‘s seasonal favorite. Though widely imitated in the recent past, the original Jack-O-Lantern Pizza is made right in front of customers with freshly-grated cheese and premium pepperoni slices, arranged to resemble a Jack-O-Lantern‘s face. Like Papa Murphy‘s other signature pizzas, the Jack-O-Lantern Pizza takes 12-18 minutes to bake in customers‘ home ovens. Price and participation varies nationwide.

About Papa Murphy‘s
Papa Murphy‘s is the fifth-largest pizza chain in the country and the pioneer and leader of the take ’N‘ bake pizza segment. Papa Murphy‘s operates over 1,150 franchised and corporate-owned locations in 32 states and Canada. The Vancouver, Wash.-based company offers custom-made pizzas featuring high-quality, fresh toppings generously layered on pizza dough that is made fresh each morning in each store. By baking Papa Murphy‘s pizzas at home, customers get to experience the home-baked aroma of a convenient, delicious meal that the brand is known for. In addition to handmade pizzas, the company offers a growing menu of take ’N‘ bake items, including Cheesy Bread, Cinnamon Wheels, and chocolate chip cookie dough. Papa Murphy‘s has been voted "Best Pizza Chain in America" for seven consecutive years by consumers nationwide in the Restaurants and Institutions "Consumers‘ Choice in Chains" survey and is a four-time recipient of Pizza Today‘s Chain of the Year award, most recently in 2009. For more information, visit www.papamurphys.com.