New Jersey Teens Look To Break World Pizza Party Record With 10,000-Slice Bash

At the Prudential Center arena, local teens plan to smash the world's biggest pizza party record. The massive event aims to feed 5,000 people on Sept. 22.

Named "History in the Baking," this bold attempt brings together 26 Papa Johns shops. They'll need to top Tulsa's standing record of 3,357 people from 2023. Starting at 5 p.m., each guest must eat two slices for the count to stick.

The Boys & Girls Club wants to raise $250,000 through this event. Money will support their Disrupt Leadership Academy, which runs summer programs teaching kids about business with help from a Papa Johns franchise owner.

"It's always great when we have partners who give us real world experiences," said Ameer Washington, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, according to NJ.com.

Local groups have banded together for this big push. The City of Newark pitched in, along with the Papa Johns Foundation and Devils Youth Foundation. They'll fill the Prudential Center: home of New Jersey's pro hockey team.

At the helm sits Joe Johnson, who runs Disrupt Foods as CEO. His past includes time at the Newark club. His business partner, Malcolm Jenkins, switched from pro football to business after 13 seasons with New Orleans and Philadelphia.

Students from the academy pitched in to plan the record attempt. Among them, Precious Akinyele, who studies at Newark Arts High School. "When you see how much work goes into the business it's very inspiring," she said.

Kids from across New Jersey's 20 clubs got invites, plus Newark's public school students. They'll dance to DJ Wawa's beats, with Malcolm Jenkins set to drop by.

The current record fell at the University of Oklahoma last January. That pizza party brought in $40,000 for Make-A-Wish, thanks to Andolini's Pizzaria.

Want to join? Grab free tickets at newarkbakeshistory.com. Each guest gets pizza and water, but they won't serve special diet options like gluten-free or vegan slices.