The Works Original Base: calories and sugar by slice, size and age

Papa John's The Works (Original Base), whole Original Base pizza with Italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, chestnut mushrooms, green peppers, onions and black olives in a takeaway pizza box, nutrition and calories

Boone’s analysis puts a Large Papa John's The Works on Original Base at 130% of an adult’s daily calories, 462% of the daily salt limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 11.7 teaspoons of free sugar.

How many calories are in a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza? A Large slice is 260 kcal. The whole Large pizza, cut into 10 slices, is 2,605 kcal, with 92g of fat (39g saturated), 47g of sugar and 14g of salt.

On Original Base it comes as Small (1,343 kcal, 6 slices), Medium (1,945 kcal, 8 slices), Large (2,605 kcal, 10 slices) and XXL (3,680 kcal, 12 slices). The same Large pizza is 2,177 kcal on Authentic Thin Crust, 2,975 kcal on Stuffed Crust, 3,204 kcal on Pepperoni Stuffed Crust and 3,299 kcal on Cheddar Stuffed Crust.

Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own. Pick any size of pizza, then add a side, a dessert and more, and choose your age and sex for a more accurate view of how a The Works on Original Base fits into a day.

Nutrition information

Nutrition information: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza (Large, per slice / whole pizza)

Energy	260 kcal a slice / 2,605 kcal whole
Fat	9.2g / 92g
of which saturates	3.9g / 39g
Carbohydrate	32g / 318g
of which sugars	4.7g / 47g
Fibre	3g / 30g
Salt	1.4g / 14g
Protein	11g / 114g

Nutrition figures are Papa John's UK published data (October 2026), per slice and per whole Large pizza. Boone converts them to the portion and age comparisons on this page.

The whole Large Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza contains 2,605 kcal, which is 130% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 92g of total fat, of which 39g is saturated, 47g of sugar, 14g of salt, 30g of fibre and 114g of protein.

The saturated fat content of 39g represents 193% of the adult daily guideline of 20g.

Papa John's publishes a Large pizza weight of 1,042g, which works out at 250 kcal per 100g.

Calories by size

Every size on Original Base: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Size	Slices	Weight	Per slice	Whole pizza
Small	6	546g	224 kcal	1,343 kcal
Medium	8	781g	243 kcal	1,945 kcal
Large	10	1,042g	260 kcal	2,605 kcal
XXL	12	1,496g	307 kcal	3,680 kcal

Pick any size in the calculator above. The figures elsewhere on this page are for the Large.

Sugar in Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

The whole Large Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza contains 47g of free sugar (11.7 teaspoons). High sugar

The NHS free sugar limit is 30g per day for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6. Free sugar excludes the sugars naturally present in milk and whole fruit.

Free sugar by portion: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Portion	Adult (female) 30g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 30g	Age 7 to 10 24g	Age 4 to 6 19g
1 slice	4.7g 16%	4.7g 16%	4.7g 16%	4.7g 20%	4.7g 25%
Whole Large pizza (10 slices)	47g 156%	47g 156%	47g 156%	47g 195%	47g 247%

Teaspoons: 11.7 tsp

Boone calculates these percentages from Papa John's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under. For guidance only.

Salt in Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

The whole Large Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza contains 14g of salt. High salt

Children have lower salt limits: 3g per day for ages 4 to 6, 5g for ages 7 to 10.

Salt by portion: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Portion	Adult (female) 6g	Adult (male) 6g	Age 11 to 17 6g	Age 7 to 10 5g	Age 4 to 6 3g
1 slice	1.4g 23%	1.4g 23%	1.4g 23%	1.4g 28%	1.4g 46%
Whole Large pizza (10 slices)	14g 231%	14g 231%	14g 231%	14g 277%	14g 462%

Calories in Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

The whole Large Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza contains 2,605 kcal. High calorie share

Daily calorie needs vary by age and sex.

Calories by portion: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Portion	Adult (female) 2,000 kcal	Adult (male) 2,500 kcal	Age 11 to 17 1,936 kcal	Age 7 to 10 1,553 kcal	Age 4 to 6 1,291 kcal
1 slice	260 kcal 13%	260 kcal 10%	260 kcal 13%	260 kcal 17%	260 kcal 20%
Whole Large pizza (10 slices)	2,605 kcal 130%	2,605 kcal 104%	2,605 kcal 135%	2,605 kcal 168%	2,605 kcal 202%

Saturated fat in Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

The whole Large Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza contains 39g of saturated fat. High saturated fat

The saturated fat guideline is 20g a day for women and 30g for men, and lower for children.

Saturated fat by portion: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Portion	Adult (female) 20g	Adult (male) 30g	Age 11 to 17 20g	Age 7 to 10 18g	Age 4 to 6 16g
1 slice	3.9g 19%	3.9g 13%	3.9g 19%	3.9g 21%	3.9g 24%
Whole Large pizza (10 slices)	39g 193%	39g 129%	39g 193%	39g 214%	39g 241%

Free sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

All 47g counts as free sugar. Papa John's does not separate naturally occurring sugar from added sugar, so Boone counts the full figure. Sugars from tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, honey drizzles, dough and added sugar are free sugars; any from whole vegetables, pineapple or cheese would not be, so this may slightly overstate it. That is 11.7 teaspoons.

NHS daily free sugar limits: 30g for adults and children 11+, 24g age 7 to 10, 19g age 4 to 6.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Boone cannot classify this item, because Papa John's does not publish full ingredient lists for its dough, sauces, cheese or toppings.

NOVA classification is read from an ingredient list. Papa John's names the toppings on each item and the allergens in each component, which is more than many chains publish, but that is not enough to count additives, separate raw ingredients from manufactured ones, or say whether an item is ultra-processed. Boone does not estimate a NOVA group, because a guess presented as a classification would be worse than saying nothing.

Where Papa John's does publish a full list (its wheat-free base, its sourdough base and its vegan Sheese) it is shown in the ingredients section above.

Ingredients

Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza is assembled from 10 components. Papa John's names each topping and the allergens in each component, but it does not publish full ingredient lists for its dough, sauces, cheese or toppings, so Boone cannot count ingredients or additives.

Components: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Original dough base

Papa John's fresh dough, hand-stretched in store. Allergens: wheat (gluten). Full ingredient list not published.

Pizza sauce

Allergens: none listed.

Mozzarella

Allergens: milk.

Italian sausage

Allergens: mustard.

Ham

Allergens: none listed.

Pepperoni

Allergens: none listed.

Chestnut mushrooms

Allergens: none listed.

Green peppers

Allergens: none listed.

Onions

Allergens: none listed.

Black olives

Allergens: none listed.

Toppings and component allergens from the Papa John's UK Allergen and Nutritional Information Guide (valid from 1 October 2026). Recipes change, so always check with the store before ordering if you have an allergy.

Allergens at a glance

The Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza contains wheat, mustard and milk.

Allergen information: Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza

Allergen	Status
Wheat	Contains
Rye	Not present
Barley	Not present
Oats	Not present
Sesame	Not present
Soya	Not present
Milk	Contains
Eggs	Not present
Fish and shellfish	Not present
Molluscs	Not present
Celery	Not present
Mustard	Contains
Lupin	Not present
Sulphites	Not present
Peanuts	Not present
Tree nuts	Not present

Contains = declared by Papa John's as an ingredient allergen. May contain traces = Papa John's or its supplier flags a risk of cross contact. Papa John's makes food by hand in stores that handle milk and wheat, and all pizzas and many sides pass through shared ovens and equipment, so it cannot guarantee any item is free from any allergen, including its wheat-free base, which is not suitable for coeliacs. From the Papa John's UK Allergen and Nutritional Information Guide (valid from 1 October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza?+

Boone calculates that a slice of a Large Papa John's The Works on Original Base is 260 kcal and the whole Large pizza is 2,605 kcal, which is 130% of an adult’s 2,000 kcal daily reference intake and 202% of the daily intake for a child aged 4 to 6.

How many calories are in each size of The Works on Original Base?+

On Original Base the Papa John's The Works is 1,343 kcal as a Small (224 kcal a slice), 1,945 kcal as a Medium (243 kcal a slice), 2,605 kcal as a Large (260 kcal a slice) and 3,680 kcal as a XXL (307 kcal a slice).

How much sugar is in a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza?+

The whole Large pizza contains 47g of sugar, all of which counts as free sugar, or about 11.7 teaspoons. That is 156% of an adult’s 30g daily limit and 247% of the 19g limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

How much saturated fat is in a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza?+

The whole Large pizza contains 39g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 193% of the daily guideline for an adult woman and 129% for an adult man, because the guideline differs by sex: 20g and 30g.

How much salt is in a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza?+

The whole Large pizza contains 14g of salt, or 1.4g a slice. Boone calculates that as 462% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 231% of an adult’s 6g limit. One slice is 46% of that child’s limit.

How much protein is in a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza?+

The whole Large pizza contains 114g of protein, which Boone calculates as 227% of a 50g adult daily target.

Is a Papa John's The Works Original Base pizza classed as less healthy?+

Under the government’s 2018 nutrient profiling model a Papa John's The Works on Original Base scores 11. The model classes a food scoring 4 or more as less healthy, so this item would be. The 2018 model is published but not yet used for advertising rules. Papa John's does not publish fruit, vegetable, nut or seed content, so Boone scores that component as zero.

Is a Papa John's The Works pizza ultra-processed?+

Papa John's names the toppings and allergens on each pizza but does not publish full ingredient lists for its dough, sauces, cheese or toppings, and UK law does not require it to for food made to order. Boone therefore cannot assign a NOVA group to this pizza.