Domino’s Pizza believes it has a solution to those endless debates over toppings, crust and extra cheese.
The chain is set to introduce this month a rectangular pie geared toward individual orders. The new pizza, called the Domino, aims to draw diners that might otherwise go for burgers or chicken sandwiches, and who may not want to share.
Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Domino’s has been trying to rekindle growth in its U.S. business as the U.S. pizza industry slumps. Sales growth has weakened and chains like Papa John’s and Pizza Hut are closing hundreds of U.S. locations as they try to turn around their brands.
U.S. sales at Domino’s, the world’s biggest pizza company, have held up better than those of many rivals, but the company reported flat quarterly same-store sales last month. Executives told investors that they weren’t satisfied, and they expected a new menu item to lift business later this year.
The new individual pizza format is being championed by Domino’s incoming chief executive Joe Jordan, who rose up through the company’s innovation arm. He said the chain spent two years researching what Americans looked for when they chose fast food, and how pizza could compete for more of those meals.
Thousands of interviews convinced the company that people often want their own food, even when eating with others, Jordan said in an interview. Burgers, burritos or sub sandwiches are more primed for individual meals than pizza, usually considered a food for families and groups.
“We would hear from consumers, ‘listen, because we’re sharing food, I need to compromise,’” said Jordan, currently Domino’s president, who is set to take over as CEO in October.
The percentage of consumers eating alone has been steadily growing in the U.S., with 43% of restaurant meals eaten solo in the 12 months ended in June, according to market-research firm Circana.
Domino’s new pizza is set to launch on Aug. 31. The chain currently sells a small pizza, but the Domino boosts the quantity of toppings and comes with a savory Parmesan crust, Jordan said.
It resembles the Detroit-style pizza that has grown popular in recent years, he said, and franchisees had to buy special pans to produce it.
A one-topping version will sell for around $7.99, or with two toppings as part of Domino’s mix-and-match menu for $6.99 each. It comes in its own box, but Jordan said he didn’t recommend the typical fast-food move of eating it while driving.
“It’s not a sandwich experience. It’s not a calzone experience. It’s a pizza experience,” he said.
Write to Heather Haddon at heather.haddon@wsj.com
