Domino’s proved once again it’s dodging the sales slowdown hamstringing other restaurant operations, posting a 10.2% domestic same-store sales gain for the first quarter.
The leap in sales follows a 12.2% year-over-year increase in comps for the fourth quarter of 2016, and compares with a 6.4% rise for the like period of last year.
Of the public chains that have thus far posted their first-quarter results, only Chipotle had a larger comp gain, at 17.8%. However, that number was inflated by easy comparisons with the year ago period, when same-store sales dropped by nearly 30%.
Most quick-service competitors have not come close to either tally. Panera Bread, for instance, generated a 5.8% same-store gain, and McDonald’s shares ended at an all-time high in anticipation of a 1.7% increase.
Comps slipped 0.1% at Burger King and Tim Hortons, and 0.2% at sister brand Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.
Domino's CEO J. Patrick Doyle attributed the gain to momentum, alignment and a desire among customers to do business with the brand.
Overall, net income for the quarter rose 37.4%, to $62.5 million, on a 15.8% jump in revenues, to $624.2 million.
The chain ended the quarter with 189 more restaurants in operations globally than it had the year-ago quarter.
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