The Short Answer
A medium is 6 slices, a large is 8 and an XL is 10. At three slices a head, which is our planning figure and not the chain's, a medium feeds 2, a large feeds 2 and an XL feeds 3.
The large is the size most people should order. It costs more than a medium and gives you two extra slices for it, which works out cheaper per slice. The XL repeats the trick.
| Size | Slices | Feeds | From | Varieties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 6 | 2 | $9.99 | 12 |
| Large | 8 | 2 | $12.99 | 15 |
| XL | 10 | 3 | $15.99 | 8 |
Slice counts are Papa John's own. "Feeds" is three slices a head, which is our figure. Prices checked August 2026 and vary by location.
Why This Menu Can Be Answered Without Guessing
Most chains sell a size and never say what is inside it, so every answer online is somebody's estimate. Papa John's prints a count on 85 of its 86 items: "6 slices" on a medium, "per order of 8" on the wings, "serves 6" on the large cookie. Every number in the table above came off the menu.
One figure here is ours and it is the only one: 3 slices a head. Papa John's does not publish that and neither does anyone else, because it depends on who is eating. Treat it as a floor. A table that has been drinking will clear four.
Order by the Slice, Not by the Size
The pizza that looks dearest is usually the cheapest way to feed people. The Large Shaq-a-Roni Pizza is $16.99 for 12 slices, which is $1.42 a slice. The Medium The Works Pizza is $13.99 for 6, which is $2.33. Same company, same evening, and one costs 65% more per slice than the other.
| Pizza | Price | Slices | Per slice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large Shaq-a-Roni Pizza | $16.99 | 12 | $1.42 |
| XL Cheese Pizza | $15.99 | 10 | $1.60 |
| Large Cheese Pizza | $12.99 | 8 | $1.62 |
| Medium Cheese Pizza | $9.99 | 6 | $1.67 |
| XL Pepperoni Pizza | $16.99 | 10 | $1.70 |
| Large Pepperoni Pizza | $13.99 | 8 | $1.75 |
Picking a Size for the Number of People
- One person. A medium, and you will have slices left for tomorrow. Ordering a large for one is not waste, it is lunch.
- Two people. A large. 8 slices splits evenly and beats a medium on price per slice.
- Three. An XL. 10 slices gives everyone three with one spare, and somebody always wants the spare.
- Four. Two larges rather than one XL. 10 slices leaves four people on two and a half each, which nobody is happy with.
- Six or more. Count slices, not pizzas. Multiply heads by three, divide by 10, round up. The arithmetic for 10, 20 and 30 is done on our party planning page.
Three Things Worth Knowing Before You Order
- Going one size up nearly always costs less per slice. Nobody at the table counts how many pizzas arrived, and leftovers cost nothing.
- The specialty pizzas carry the per-slice penalty, not the size. A medium specialty is the worst value on the menu. If budget matters, go bigger and plainer.
- Dips are separate. They are not included with any size, so a table of six wanting garlic sauce is a line on the bill nobody plans for.
Where These Numbers Come From
Every slice count is Papa John's own wording on its own menu. Every price was checked August 2026. Stores are mostly franchised, so treat the prices as typical US carryout rather than one national list, and expect your store to differ by a dollar either way.
See also the full pizza menu with prices, the wings menu, and every item Papa John's sells, priced.