The founder and chairman of pizza chain Papa John’s has resigned, hours after being forced to apologise for using a racial slur on a conference call in May.
Forbes reported that John Schnatter used the N-word during a media training exercise. On the May call, when asked how he would distance himself from racist groups, Schnatter reportedly complained that KFC founder “Colonel Sanders called blacks niggers” and never faced any public backlash.
In a statement released by Kentucky-based Papa John’s on Wednesday, Schnatter said the reports of “inappropriate and hurtful” language made by him were true. “Regardless of the context, I apologise,” the statement said.