Domino’s CEO sounds alarm as pizza orders take an unexpected turn

Domino’s Pizza is seeing a slowdown tied to changes successful user behaviour that are pressuring sales. Despite launching generous deals to pull customers, the pizza concatenation precocious posted anemic income growth, and its CEO is pointing to the drivers of the shift.

In the archetypal fewer months of this year, Domino’s lone saw its same-store income summation by 0.9% twelvemonth implicit year, according to its first-quarter net study for 2026. Its nett income besides decreased by 6.6%, compared to the aforesaid 4th the twelvemonth before.

The anemic income travel aft Domino’s rolled retired respective deals astir large sports events this twelvemonth to pull customers. Days earlier the Super Bowl, it launched a woody offering ample two-topping carryout pizzas for $6.99 each from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1.

On March 3, conscionable successful clip for March Madness, Domino’s unveiled its "Best Deal Ever" promotion successful March, offering customers immoderate pizza with immoderate toppings for $9.99 each until April 6.

The institution adjacent updated its mobile app aboriginal that period with a caller mentation of its pizza-tracking tool, allowing customers to way erstwhile their bid volition beryllium acceptable for pickup oregon transportation with greater precision.

In a connection to Reuters connected April 27, retail expert Bruce Winder said that Domino’s is struggling to navigate the existent economical landscape.

"Domino's is facing possibly a tougher U.S. marketplace than anticipated,” said Winder. “Inflation and a softening economy, specifically for lower-income consumers, person enactment unit connected its apical line.”

Domino’s CEO explains wherefore user request is weak

During an net telephone connected April 27, Domino’s CEO Russell Weiner said that portion helium was pleased with the company’s show astatine the opening of the year, for the remainder of the archetypal quarter, it “did not conscionable our expectations.”

“Looking backmost astatine Q1 (first 4th of 2026), unit intensified passim the quarter, successful particular, successful March due to the fact that of increasing user uncertainty,” said Weiner. “Consumer sentiment deed COVID-level lows, and ongoing ostentation continued to interaction acquisition decisions.”

In March, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index reached 53.3, soon aft the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran connected Feb. 28, according to University of Michigan Survey of Consumers data. As the struggle unfolded, U.S. user sentiment fell to 49.9 successful April, a 6.6% month-over-month decline.

“The Iran struggle appears to power user views chiefly done shocks to gasoline and perchance different prices,” said University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu successful a statement.

Amid economical uncertainty, prices for nutrient distant from location climbed by 1.9% successful March, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.