Domino’s Sees Pizza Surge on England’s Match Day
On July 1, the England vs. DR Congo match sparked a significant boost in pizza orders, according to Domino’s. The company’s CEO, Nicola Frampton, noted this day turned out to be one of the biggest sales days for their business, prompting them to hire more staff in preparation for the expected rush.
Frampton explained to the Press Association that Domino’s primarily caters to group occasions, with customers typically ordering from them about 4.5 times a year. “We’re not a part of the weekly diet,” she said.
During a late-stage World Cup match, Domino’s reported delivering an additional 45,000 orders, even as heatwaves drove people to opt for takeaways instead of barbecues. “I think people are still willing to spend on treats, and that really is what Domino’s is; it’s a treat,” she added.
This trend may indicate that Domino’s could be less affected by consumers tightening their budgets due to rising living costs. The company saw a 6.1% increase in sales during the first half of the year, totaling £825 million compared to the same period last year. The number of orders across its 1,400 stores increased by 1.6% year-on-year.
Frampton highlighted that this growth was fueled by their core pizza offerings, including a recent launch of thinner-crust bases and premium toppings in the new Italiano’s range. Additionally, their chicken sub-brand, Chick ‘N’ Dip, introduced earlier this year, has attracted new customers and led to higher order values.
“Rather than cannibalizing our pizza sales, it actually complements them,” she said. Customers purchasing chicken tend to add pizzas to their orders as well.
With the scorching temperatures in June and July, many were inclined to skip cooking altogether, leading to a rise in takeaway demand. Frampton pointed out that there was a clear benefit for the chain during these heatwaves.
Domino’s remains focused on attracting more customers and efficiently managing orders, which they see as a strategic priority. Their pre-tax profit for the first half of the year stood at £40.6 million, showing relative stability.
Investment director Russ Mould from AJ Bell commented on the strong results from the new management team at Domino’s Pizza, praising the early performance of CEO Nicola Frampton and CFO Andrew Andrea. Their focus on expanding the customer base and improving efficiency is already yielding positive results.
