ANN ARBOR: People loyal to specific fast-food chains have their own reasons—whether it’s standout service, nostalgic associations, or simply having the best food. Domino’s Pizza wants you to believe it has the “most delicious food.”
In its 2023 annual report, the chain revealed its focus on doubling down on quality, including new menu items and advertising that highlights the taste of its products. This initiative is part of Domino’s new “Hungry for MORE” strategy, which stands for “Most delicious food, Operational excellence, Renewed value, and Enhanced by best-in-class franchises.” The goal is to drive “MORE sales, MORE stores, MORE profits.” Although new products from Domino’s are rare, the brand is now emphasizing innovation. For example, Australia saw the introduction of a pork belly barbecue pizza, Korea got a shrimp-topped pizza, and Americans were offered more crust options with the new New York-style pizza. More new menu items are on the way.
Customers intrigued by these new offerings don’t need to rush. CEO Russell J. Weiner told Food Business News that these additions are permanent, not limited-time offers. Unlike many chains that rely on fleeting promotions, Weiner believes quality and consistency are key. He noted that frequent new releases require retraining staff on new products, which can detract from the quality of existing items.
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This isn’t the first time Domino’s has emphasized food quality in its marketing. Despite its success in the 1980s, the company was nearly bankrupt by 2008, largely because its pizzas were infamously bad. Focus groups compared the crust to cardboard, and “The Onion” released a satirical video suggesting the chain was part of a “30-year study testing the limits of what human beings will eat.”
In response, Domino’s improved its products, releasing videos that acknowledged its poor reputation with footage from brutally honest focus groups. The company announced a complete recipe overhaul focused on quality, leading to a surge in sales. Since then, Domino’s has become the world’s largest pizza chain.
Despite its popularity, Domino’s has seen lagging delivery sales in recent years. This time, the brand is keeping its old recipes and focusing on the quality that revitalized it before. As Russell Weiner told Restaurant Business, “The product still scores amazing. It’s a great product. But we can romance it more.”
