Built the first mainstream dine-in pizza experience for suburban America. Rode three massive waves: dining out culture, car-dependent suburbs, and dirt-cheap subsidized cheese. Hit $5.7B in sales with gimmicks like stuffed crust — one innovation (Bigfoot Pizza) drove $1B in sales alone.
Life sped up and dining in became a liability. Domino's went all-in on delivery and digital while Pizza Hut stayed shackled to expensive dining rooms and tried to be good at everything. Cheese lost its cost advantage as chicken got cheaper. COVID exposed the weakness — Pizza Hut shrunk while Domino's grew double digits.
Losing badly to Domino's, which now owns 42% of the market. Over 1,000 locations closed in recent years. Largest franchisee (NPC) declared bankruptcy. Still operating but fighting for survival with terrible reviews and no clear advantage.
