VIDEO | UPDATED: Lines of people reported outside Papa John’s Pizza shops

LIBERTY – About 100 people were lined up outside the Pappa John’s Pizza shop at 1375 Belmont Ave. shortly after noon today.

Lines outside Papa John's

Video

Lines were also reported outside the Papa John location on Elm Road in Warren as people rushed to buy a pizza for 23 cents.

At the Boardman/Poland Papa John’s, the 23 cent pizza offer started at noon. Before the doors even opened, more than 50 hungry people had lined the Papa John’s building, 1307 Boardman Poland Road.

Boardman Fire Department Lt. Tom Roberts, set the occupancy limit to four people to assure the employees of Papa John’s that there wouldn’t be a mad rush to the counter.

Employees started making pizzas at 9 a.m. and had knocked out nearly 300 pies before noon. General Manager Mark Barkley waited on customers and didn’t skip a “thank you” or “have a great day.” Barkley, along with three other workers, were non-stop as the line of patrons continued to file into the store.

Customers had the option of a 14 inch cheese pizza, normally priced at $10.99, or a 14 inch one topping pizza that on any other day would run them $12.58.

Papa John’s Pizza is offering customers in Northeast Ohio a large, one-topping pizza for 23 cents as an apology for a T-shirt meant to taunt Cavaliers star player LeBron James. Papa Johns is limiting purchases to one per customer. The offer is good all day today.

The company, whose corporate headquarters is in Louisville, Ky., is seeking customer forgiveness for a Washington, D.C., store’s decision to distribute shirts printed with James’ No. 23 and the word crybaby before Game 6 of the Cavaliers’ first-round playoff game against the Washington Wizards.

Wizards’ center Brendan Haywood had chastised James for complaining to referees about the fouls James was receiving from Wizards’ players after Cleveland’s win in Game 4 of the series.