# Why is Domino's pizza so ubiquitous when it isn't good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912 "2009-10-15T16:10:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/61 "2009-10-16T19:08:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > (For example, I actually quite like McDonald’s, preferring it to Burger King, which tastes like artificial grill and smoke flavor My brother-in-law, who will generally eat _anything_, loathes Burger King hamburgers, which he refers to as “Sterno-burgers.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/62 "2009-10-16T19:25:41Z")
Dominos isn’t really very good - but it beats the pants off of Pizza Hut, which is truly foul. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/63 "2009-10-16T20:47:35Z")
It’s so expensive in Britain compared to non-chain pizza delivery places (which are generally not particularly ‘authentic’ and also serve kebabs) and not much better. I hate it for its ubiquity and rip-off prices, but the pizza is decent enough. You do have to make an effort to get really good pizza in this country. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/64 "2009-10-16T21:18:41Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > Back in the early 80s when I was in college it was one of the few places that delivered. This. IIRC, when Domino’s started, they were about the only pizza place that delivered. Pizza delivery had dropped down to nothing (for all practical purposes) at least in the Midwest, and Pizza Hut, Ken’s, would only laugh at the concept. Even a year or two after they started, they were the only ones that would do that. I believe that there were numerous references in Business classes in colleges that highlighted Domino’s because they offered a product/service that nobody else had done. Also, I \*believe \*that you always got two pizzas for the price-only one wasn’t an option. Finally, their crust was distinctive. Not great, not bad, but distinctive. hh ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/65 "2009-10-16T22:04:41Z")
Domino’s… I haven’t had one of these pizzas in years. I am not even sure I remember what they taste like. But I can tell you I lived off of them in college. Always good cold the next morning, too. Loved Little Caesars too, because it was cheap and plentiful. My roommates and I could never finish one off… that was a lot of food for 8 bucks. pizza! pizza! pan! pan! Now, I don’t mind the taste of a Papa John’s pizza. But I refuse to buy one because I think the founder is a dickhead. I can’t stand that fuck-face in all of his commercials, trying to hawk his pizzas with his head-bobbing “better ingredients…blah, blah, blah.” Now if THAT’s not a legitimate reason to hate a pizza, what is? 😃 And for people from Pittsburgh, there is a small chain called Vincent’s Pizza that used to be around. That place clogged an artery or two in its day. Don’t know if it’s still there, but man, that was **good** pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/66 "2009-10-17T03:41:22Z")
Used to live a block away from a Dominoes (in a college area) many years ago. Pizza was ok, nothing special. I remember complaining to my then-gf that there were 6 pizza places within 3 blocks of us (Dominoes, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, 2 Pizza Outlets, and a couple non chain locals), and they all sucked. Anyhow, I’ve noticed that few food topics will start arguments like pizza does. One person’s pizza nirvanna is another person’s “how the hell can you eat that?”. Dominoes, in my opinion, isn’t really any better or worse than any other chain out there. As an aside, is anyone a fan of their new sandwiches? There is no longer a Dominoes near me, but there is one downtown, and I popped in one day and got a habanero, jalapeno, pineapple, and cheese chicken sandwich that was pretty tasty. The habaneros must have been used pretty sparingly, as it wasn’t that hot at all. But it was a great sandwich. I’m kind of “eh” on their pizza, but they’ve always made very good sandwiches imho. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/67 "2009-10-17T03:50:44Z")
I wonder, how are their American pizzas? The Hot Hawaiian and Pacific Veggie, specifically? Probably disappointing, I know, but I need something desperately for a teenager tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/68 "2009-10-17T04:14:45Z")
domino’s has been dead to me ever since they cancelled twisty bread. sweet, sweet, goop - oh how i miss you. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/69 "2009-10-17T04:31:30Z")
The local, non-chain pizzerias are better, but I think that Domino’s is still reasonably good, for the price. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/70 "2009-10-18T04:11:21Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > What people don’t understand is that to succeed, you don’t have to have a great product. You have to have a product that is just good enough. > > There are better pizzas than Domino’s, but there are also worse pizzas. Domino’s is just good enough so that you know you’re not taking a chance about quality or cleanliness. In addition, the fast delivery is a big selling point. The little school I work at is so far from everything that there’s only one pizza place that will deliver. So either someone has to drive to Little Caesar’s (not exactly a paragon of Italian cooking), or you have to put up with the Never-Heard-of-It shop. It’s just bad. It’s probably the worst pizza I’ve ever had, including the mass-produced stuff at my college cafeteria, which used up many a napkin as we sopped oil off the top. It’s not only the chains that can be bad. ---
**Author:** ![firstname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@firstname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/firstname)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/71 "2009-10-18T09:33:05Z")
Domino’s is ok, nothing special, but it’s cheap, close, open late and deliver. No other Pizza place round here has that. So that’s my guess as to why. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/72 "2009-10-18T10:16:31Z")
Domino’s is okay. Pizza Inn is the best chain, in my opinion. A really good buttery crust, crispy outside and soft inside, that actually tastes like bread instead of cardboard. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/73 "2009-10-18T11:11:54Z")
Domino’s regular pizzas may not be anything to write home about, but the specialty ones are pretty good. My mom always got this steak and cheese that didn’t even have sauce. It was divine. But, then again, I think Pizza Hut tastes really good… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/74 "2009-10-18T15:43:53Z")
My thoughts: I have had Domino’s “pzza” twice-both times, it was terrible. I think it thrives for two reasons: -always open -they deliver So if you are having a party, and everybody is drunk and unable to drive, at 2 AM Domino’s will deliver a “pizza”. The fact that it is low quality pizza is outweighed by the convenience. As tghey say “we sell a lot of it”. Also, there are areas in the USA where people routinely cnsume terrible food-to them, Dominos is good. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/75 "2009-10-18T17:15:46Z")
I wonder if those of you who think Domino’s is terrible have been letting it cool down before you eat it. What I’ve heard people say is that Domino’s pizza is fairly good if you eat it while it’s still fresh and hot, but becomes terrible when it gets cold. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/76 "2009-10-18T18:59:10Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I wonder if those of you who think Domino’s is terrible have been letting it cool down before you eat it. What I’ve heard people say is that Domino’s pizza is fairly good if you eat it while it’s still fresh and hot, but becomes terrible when it gets cold. Yeah, they say that about Krispy Kreme, too, and I think KK sucks as much as Domino’s. Conversely, Papa John’s is like crack whether it’s hot or cold. I’ll usually eat half a Papa John’s pizza fresh, then refrigerate the rest and savor it over the next couple of days. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/77 "2009-10-19T07:07:07Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > From what I heard, Domino’s really is a regional variety of pizza: Detroit-style. Just like a Midwestern accent is considered the modal American accent, Detroit-style pizza is supposed to be … well, the typical modal American pizza. Thus, the large number of national pizza chains that started in the area; Domino’s, Little Caesar’s, Hungry Howie’s, and more. People either love or hate Buffalo-style, New Haven-style, Chicago flat- or thick-style, NYC-style, St. Louis-style, and so on, but Detroit-style seems to be universally tolerated. There’s four other top 50 pizza chains from Michigan: Jet’s, Bellacino’s, Cottage Inn, and Papa Romano’s (cite in Wikipedia article about to be linked). Cottage Inn (according to Wikipedia) and maybe Jet’s (I personally find it a reasonable facsimile) serve what is actually [Detroit-style pizza](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit-style_pizza). Domino’s and Little Caesar’s are not “Detroit-style” by any stretch of the imagination; that they did well nationally suggests their founders created some universally non-reviled pizza. And if you are in the Detroit area, there are many good pizzerias that serve a truly local flavor of pizza. If you are brave enough to venture into the wilds of Detroit proper, Buddy’s at 6 mile (aka McNichols) and Conant has the absolute best around - their chain locations are pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/78 "2009-10-19T07:37:43Z")
Well, fortunately you can get some amazing pizza here in Manhattan, and I’ve had plenty of it. The thin crust with a bit of snap to it under the teeth, not too much sauce, yummy fresh cheese… (With the great stuff I don’t bother with extra toppings, just the holy trinity of pizza: dough, sauce, cheese.) But every now and then, y’know, I just want a Domino’s experience. The familiar puffy crust, the little round dots of meatballs, the black olives, all on tiny pieces of pizza dipped in blue cheese dressing. And the buffalo wings on the side (which is how you get the blue cheese dressing, natch)! And the cheesy bread! And those sinfully gooey cinnamon bready things! Trashy but satisfying and, yes, delicious fun. Once in a while, it just hits the spot. (It’s the same with burgers. Every two blocks you’ll find a restaurant that makes a fab cheeseburger – like Jackson Hole, for example; their burgers are just staggeringly terrific. And yet sometimes a Quarter Pounder with fries is just the thing that will satisfy me. It’s familiar, it’s nostalgic, it’s the taste of my childhood. And the fries are _still_ damn good, even with the changes.) Personally I’m glad I can enjoy high and low cuisine, 'cause it’s easier to find stuff to enjoy, even when you’re in an unfamiliar place. De gustibus, folks. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/79 "2009-10-19T07:48:36Z")
I haven’t read through all of the responses, but my standard comment when asked about Domino’s is: Their pizza tastes about as good as the box it comes in. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912/80 "2009-10-19T12:44:35Z")
They say pizza is like sex; even when it’s bad it’s still pretty good. But Domino’s pizza is like jerking off in the shower; even when it’s ok, it’s still kind of pathetic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-dominos-pizza-so-ubiquitous-when-it-isnt-good/513912.md?page=5)