The Ever-Evolving Story Behind Domino‘s Pizza Slogans

With over 17,200 locations worldwide, Domino‘s Pizza sits atop the pizza delivery market. But the road to becoming a global juggernaut wasn‘t always smooth. Domino‘s has reinvented itself several times over its 60-year history. Much of this evolution is captured in the changes to the company‘s memorable marketing slogans over the decades.

In the Beginning, Speed was King

When Domino‘s first opened in 1960, pizza delivery was still a novel concept. Their initial slogan "Dominos Delivers" highlighted the revolutionary idea of bringing hot pizza from the store to your doorstep.

In the 1970s, Domino‘s made a bold guarantee to deliver pizzas within 30 minutes. The slogan "Delivered in 30 minutes or it‘s free" quickly took hold. This emphasis on speed helped Domino‘s expand rapidly. By 1989, Domino‘s had over 1,000 locations and 35% market share, dominating the delivery space.

However, the 30-minute guarantee also led to safety issues. After a deadly car crash involving a speeding Domino‘s driver in 1993, the company dropped the promise and took a new direction.

Shifting Gears to Focus on Quality

Domino‘s first tried to hold on to its quick delivery image. The slogan "You got 30 minutes" reminded customers of the earlier rush delivery without the guarantee.

But by 2009, Domino‘s Pizza was losing the delivery race. Competitors like Pizza Hut and Papa John‘s lured away customers with better quality food and experiences.

Domino‘s pizza was widely seen as low-grade. Consumer surveys gave it only a 4 out of 10 rating. Former CEO Patrick Doyle admitted the pizza recipe was less optimized for taste than easy production and delivery.

To revive business, Doyle launched a massive turnaround campaign in 2009. This candidly addressed feedback about Domino‘s subpar food quality. The company reworked its pizza from crust to sauce, with a new slogan to match – "Oh Yes We Did."

Analysts praised this rebranding effort as Domino‘s finally focused on its core product – pizza. Doyle said the new priority was "making sure the food quality was as good as the delivery." The transparency around quality issues rebuilt consumer trust.

By 2013, Domino‘s controlled over 30% of the delivery market once again. Customer loyalty also improved, with over 90% of orders coming from returning users.

The Modern Era Focuses on Innovation

With its reputation recovered, Domino‘s has adopted forward-looking slogans that emphasize creativity. 2017 brought "Made Fresh, Made Fast", highlighting both quality and efficiency. This coincided with technology innovations like Pizza Tracker to allow ordering on apps, websites, and even text.

The 2020 slogan "Get the App" leans fully into Domino‘s industry-leading digital platforms. Over 65% of orders now come through digital channels. The company‘s focus on making delivery ordering frictionless continues to set it apart from competitors.

Domino‘s Pizza has come a long way from its early days as a single pizza shop. Each slogan charts a new priority, whether it was speed, expansion, convenience, quality, or innovation. This willingness to try new strategies and listen to customer feedback has kept Domino‘s a delivery industry leader over its 60-year journey.