Business
10 Reasons Why Domino’s Is Winning The Pizza Wars
Americans love their pizza. What isn’t there to love about pizza? Pizza is freshly baked bread with tomato sauce, cheese, and anything your imagination can conjure up. The pizza is the most versatile fast food option on the market today. There are more ways to make a pizza than there are things to stuff in a burrito at Chipotle. That’s saying quite a bit since Chipotle can fill a burrito so full of tasty stuff that all you can do is smile while eating it. People refer to the pizza market in America as the pizza wars. There’s a battle going on for hungry American dollars, and there’s no more fierce of a fighter than Domino’s. Here we’re going to talk about how Domino’s overcame their lackluster performance of the past to become the dominate pizza chain in the USA.
10. 30 minutes or less
Some are going to argue that this wasn’t a part of the original plan to get Domino’s back on track to win the pizza wars. There may be some truth to that, but it’s still worth noting. Why? Anyone who can deliver freshly cooked food to your door in 30 minutes or less is a genius. Flat out, a company that can do anything like this is insanely dedicated to speed. The fact they were able to pull something like this off is out of this world. You can’t even cook supper in 30 minutes or less. It takes water a long time to boil. Instant noodles aren’t so instant if you think about it. Domino’s no longer has its 30-minute pizza policy anymore. That doesn’t mean you’re going to be waiting for hours to receive your pie. No, it’s still delivered to you faster than you can cook something. There were legal reasons behind them dropping the 30 minutes or it’s free pledge. Some think the reason behind dropping it was lawsuits. It seems that some people get bent out of shape at the idea of others driving recklessly delivering pizza. Those people have never been in dire need of a pizza right before the big game.
9. CEO Patrick Doyle took turning the company around seriously
Patrick Doyle wasn’t the typical CEO by any stretch of the imagination. He was on a personal mission to turn Domino’s around. He changed everything about Domino’s. Few CEOs are willing to take the kind of risks he did. No one knows for sure if doing something so drastic as changing every aspect of the business is going to work. If it didn’t work, that meant he would be the one responsible for the failure. That’s a lot of weight for any one person to carry on their shoulders. He had to be worried about the workers, restaurant owners, and shareholders. Many people collectively held their breaths while he changed the brand as everyone knew it. Patrick Doyle’s vision was spot on. He turned the company around and made it what it is today. Domino’s wouldn’t be in a dominating position if it weren’t for him. CEOs in the restaurant world rarely get the credit that they deserve. He deserves all the credit for this, and it’s sad to know his reign of CEO has come to an end. Hopefully, the future heads of this great company will remember the courage he had and pay him respect by continuing on with the brand. Domino’s is more than pizza; it’s a way of life for the workers and restaurant owners.
8. It was time for a new crust
It’s hard to mess up freshly baked bread. Somehow Domino’s was able to do it before the great turnaround. People said their crust tasted like cardboard. Have you ever eaten cardboard? If so, then you know how tasteless it is. It’s hard to imagine that in a world where pizza is served up in a countless amount of places, that such a bland dough stood any match. Think about all the places where you can buy pizza, and you’ll be amazed. You can even get a fresh-baked pizza where you get your gasoline. Let’s not forget the frozen pizzas at the grocery store. It’s safe to say if your crust sucks, so does the rest of your pizza. There were plenty of risks involved when they decided to change their pizza dough. What would happen if people didn’t like it? The brand was already suffering, but that didn’t mean it was dead. Such a monumental task needed to be carried out with the type of finesse that only a rock star CEO would pull off. After testing and market research, Domino’s came up with a winning crust that the public loved. It wasn’t easy, but the dedication was there from the very beginning. The bedrock of their pizza had been changed, but the changes were far from over.
7. Their advertising proved a turning point
We’re going to talk briefly about Patrick Doyle once again. He not only turned the company around, but he also became their public face. He did so by appearing in their commercials. At times the commercials featuring Patrick Doyle were a bit zany. Television watchers are bombarded with commercials, and you’ve got to do something to make your ads stick out. Patrick Doyle wasn’t afraid to put himself on the line or even make himself the butt of a joke. No one could doubt his dedication to the company after some of the zingers he pulled on himself. The advertisements were meant to be more than entertaining; they also had a point to get across. Domino’s was changing everything about their business, and they wanted customers to come in and check it out. It was a leap of faith that ended up paying off since people were open to the idea of a new Domino’s product. It didn’t hurt that they were offering great deals on pizza and other items that customers can’t get enough of.
6. Their sauce was revamped too
It wasn’t only their crust that got revamped during the big overhaul. Customers said their pizza sauce tasted like ketchup, and that is one of the reasons why the chain was struggling. No one wants to sit down with second rate pizza dough and sauce. So, they decided to change their sauce as well. After plenty of tedious work, they were able to come up with something that was a culinary masterpiece. Right now, you might be thinking that sounds a bit of an overkill describing the sauce in such a way. Anyone who is a true lover of pizza would never think that way. The sauce makes or breaks a pizza, and that’s a known fact. A good pizza sauce can make an old leather worn out shoe edible. You have to realize that many people order their pie with nothing on it. That’s right, some bare-bones eaters like pizza that’s only crust, sauce, and cheese. Those are the purists who say that anything else on pizza is scandalous. We won’t go as far as to say that putting pepperoni on pizza is wrong, because something that tastes so right can’t be wrong. Calm down cheese pizza lovers; we get you. Don’t put anything on top of your pizza unless you want your fingers broken.
5. Domino’s DXP is a real thing
Do you remember when they were running those television ads with the funky pizza delivery vehicles? Those were and still are real things. They’re called Domino’s DXP, and it’s a very cool concept. Well, they aren’t actually cool as in cold to the touch. They have heaters in them that keep your pie piping hot. So, in that sense, they’re pretty warm. Now we’re just confusing ourselves. We’ll leave sounding hip to the hipsters. We’re best suited to talk about food. You can’t blame us for wanting to strike a chord with the younger hipper pizza-eating generation. At least we tried. You’ll have to give us that. Have you ever seen a Domino’s DXP vehicle in your area? If not, then you shouldn’t hold your breath. There is a limited amount of these heaters on wheels. It’s said there are over a hundred of them scattered all over the country. No word if there’s more in the works to be released or what. It’s a fascinating concept, and anything that keeps the pizza fresh from the oven hot is a real blessing. For the sake of taste buds all over the country and the world, let’s hope that the DXP becomes a standard-issue device for everyone Domino’s around the globe.
4. Everyone loves a great deal
What’s the best way to get people to try a new product? People can be leery about spending top dollar on something they’re unsure about. Domino’s knew they had to offer their new products at a lower price point to get people to try them. It worked. They began offering two medium pizzas for $5.99. It wasn’t long until customers could mix and match pizza and other items for this price. It was a deal that people were way too eager to gobble up. Who can pass up on delicious food so cheap it’s almost free? Domino’s knew what they were doing, and it was an instant hit. Not only were people now trying their new product, but the public was also falling in love with their pizza all over again. The price was initially meant as a way of getting people to try their products, but the company chose to continue the discount. Price-conscious consumers make up a staggeringly large part of who Domino’s are trying to reach. These are people who want to eat out but may not have the money to feed an entire family with something like premium fast-food sandwiches. A deal like this ensures that everyone in the family gets what they want. You can order two pizzas or get a pizza and one of their other famous items. If you’ve got a hungry family and you’re on a budget, here’s a great way to feed everyone and make them happy. It’s better than the idea you had about making your kids fight over who gets a burger. A blood bath over a hamburger is never an entertaining thing to watch unless it’s someone else’s kids who are fighting, and you don’t have to pay their medical bills.
3. Domino’s recognizes the fight is coming to them
For the longest time, pizza reigned supreme for those who wanted something to eat but didn’t want to go anywhere to pick something up. Today there are a vast number of restaurants who have chosen to deliver. The new players in the game are GrubHub and Uber Eats. Neither of these delivery services owns any restaurants, and this is where things get interesting. Now pizza joints are competing with the likes of sit down restaurants and fast food establishments. Never before could you order a steak, fried chicken, or a burger without ordering from a pizza restaurant. So many new options for delivery means that Domino’s has to one-up their game. They need to stay ahead of the pack somehow to not lose market share. Pizza now has to compete with the likes of tacos, sushi, and steak. If there were any company that could pull something as challenging off like this, it would be Domino’s. It’s not going to be easy, and they’ve already acknowledged that they’re in this for the long haul. Somehow they will find a way to not only survive, but they will thrive when allowed to go against these heavy hitters.
2. A renewed vow to their loyal franchise owners
Did you know that franchisees own roughly 90% of Domino’s restaurants? Those numbers are staggering because it means that the company doesn’t own the vast majority of stores. Those franchises are vital because they are the lifeblood of the company. Why does this matter to the hungry eater? It matters because if they aren’t making money, then you aren’t buying from them. They aren’t going to make a franchisee a single cent if their product isn’t worth paying money for. A close relationship between corporate and franchisees are a must if they want to pull off something as monumental as this. Franchisees are on the front lines every day fighting to deliver pizzas that the customers enjoy eating. It’s Domino’s job to see to it that those pizzas are worth paying for. They are the ones who come up with the recipes, source the ingredients and create catchy advertising. Without the franchisees to carry out their plan, Domino’s can’t function. The reason why the company was able to have such a quick and fruitful turnaround was due to the store owners and the people who work for them.
1. It’s all about the technology
Where would we be without the internet? You wouldn’t be able to read and enjoy your favorite Babble Top articles. It also means you would have to do a whole lot more to get a pizza delivered to your door. Domino’s has been on the cutting edge of technology when it comes to making sure you can order pizza in every way possible. You can order online, using a smartphone app, or even through social media. It’s too bad they can’t figure out a way to chew the pizza before putting it in the box. It’s the only other thing they haven’t figured out how to do electronically. Chewing is so overrated, and it only gets in your way of enjoying more pizza. You can order and pay for your pizza or other purchases right over the internet. You don’t even need to worry about cash when the delivery driver comes to your door. You might want to have some money on hand to give them a tip. Your grandma’s idea of giving them an apple as a tip isn’t going to work. No one eats fruit these days. Your delivery driver has access to some of the most delicious pizza, sandwiches, and pasta is known to humankind. That apple doesn’t look so appealing anymore. Don’t be surprised if Domino’s figures out a way to allow you to order pizza with your brain someday soon.