Papa John's Pizza, Waukegan

"Better Ingredients. Better Pizza." By sticking to this motto throughout the years, Papa John's expanded from a back-tavern pizzeria to more than 3,500 restaurants in 30 years—the amount of time it takes, coincidentally, to grow a single building from a small seed.

Today, Papa John's franchises live up to the company's slogan by crafting quality pizza every day. Made from high-protein flour, the fresh dough supports a crown of colorful produce, which mingles with the sun-soaked sweetness of sauce made from California tomatoes. Some combinations edge toward classics, while others reflect evolving tastes, such as the Bacon Cheeseburger pizza that eschews traditional tomato sauce altogether.