Papa Johns texted pizza deals to numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, a new class action claims.

On Nov. 6, Armando Aguirre filed a class action lawsuit against Papa Johns International in California federal court.

The pizza chain allegedly sent him at least 15 marketing texts over three months even though he registered his phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry in 2009.

The texts at issue

The complaint claims the messages arrived between Feb. 4 and May 4, 2026, all from the same short code. Each of the messages opened with “Papa Johns” and included a link to the company’s website.

The texts reportedly covered a rotating lineup of deals, including:


  • A new pan pizza with six cheeses

  • A heart-shaped pizza for date night

  • Papa Pairings for $7.99 each

  • A March 14 offer for a second pizza at $3.14

  • New oven-toasted sandwiches

  • A $7.99 combo with a sandwich, wings and cheesesticks

Aguirre claims he never ordered from Papa Johns, joined Papa Rewards, created an account or texted the short code. He also says he never gave the company his number or signed anything that allowed it to text him.

Federal rules bar companies from sending marketing calls or texts to numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry without the owner's signed written consent. A few narrow exceptions exist, such as a purchase within the past 18 months.

Why the plaintiff calls it willful

The complaint alleges the text messages reflect a deliberate campaign rather than an honest mistake. It points to the steady stream of messages through a dedicated short code, which companies must apply for while promising to follow federal texting rules.

The proposed class action claims Papa Johns also had no record of consent for Aguirre's phone number.

The legal claims

The lawsuit brings two claims:


  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which bars marketing texts to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry without consent

  • California Unfair Competition Law, which prohibits unlawful and unfair business practices

Aguirre seeks up to $500 per text or up to $1,500 per text if the court finds Papa Johns acted willfully. He also wants a court order that stops the texts and requires the company to check its lists against the registry.

Who the lawsuit covers

The proposed class covers anyone in the U.S. who, over the past four years, received more than one Papa Johns promo text in a 12-month period at a number on the registry for at least 31 days. A California subclass covers class members who lived in the state or had a California area code.

As of this writing, there is no settlement, no claims process and no money available.