Domino’s UK and Ireland chief executive David Wild has said food delivered to the home is more popular than ever, partly because consumers enjoy staying with home entertainment.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake up Money, Wild said Domino’s was popular because it offered an intermediate option between cooking at home and eating.
He defended the pizza franchises use of discounts, saying families were eager to take advantage of deals.
Wild also told the BBC that with more operators competing in home delivery, the onus was on Domino’s to ensure a positive working culture for staff, particularly with uncertainty over EU staff post-Brexit.
On the popularity of Domino’s particularly during the consumer squeeze, Wild said: “If you don’t fancy cooking, and you look at the price of eating out, it’s a bit expensive. It’s much cheaper to have Domino’s delivered to your home. We sit neatly in the middle. We’re a trade up from cooking and a trade down from eating in a restaurant. It’s one of the reasons we’ve been successful over the years.
“There’s no doubt that food delivered to the home is more popular than ever. There’s a whole series of reasons for that, and one is that in home entertainment is better than it’s ever been, and more and more people are happy to eat at home.”
Wild said Domino’s took off in the UK at the turn of the century when it sponsored the Simpson’s, with the brand keeping those customers on board as they have grown up and had families.
He said the discount deals, which offer pizzas and sides, were particular popular for this demographic.
Wild said: “The thing we’ve learnt is that customers like a deal. One of the reasons we’ve been so successful has been our meals deals, where we’re not just selling a pizza, but sides like cookies and deserts.
“More and more families want a pizza meal, and we can offer that at a value price, because the delivery cost with multiple products is better than a single pizza.
“Is there discount fatigue? I don’t think so. More and more customers want to take advantage of deals. The reality is consumer spending is being squeezed, there’s Inflationary pressure on food, wages are not keeping pace. Customers are looking for bargains.”
On the need for a good people culture at the business, Wild added: “We have to be competitive and create a working environment where people feel content. We’re a service business and the face of Domino’s is the guy who delivers the pizzas. We have to think about how we treat our people and how we reward our people and how they interact with the customer.
“There’s a lot more choice of delivery products available and a lot more choice of delivery jobs available, so we have to be an excellent employer. That’s not just about base pay but creating an environment where people feel positive about the brand.”
