Domino’s Pizza isn’t just filling orders.
It’s filling potholes.
The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based chain has undertaken an infrastructure program as a marketing stunt, filling potholes around the country as part of its Paving for Pizza strategy.
The company has already worked with four municipalities, fixing five potholes in Burbank, Calif., eight in Bartonville, Texas, 40 in Milford, Del., and 150 in Athens, Ga.
And Domino’s is promising more: The company’s Paving for Pizza website enables customers to nominate their own potholes to be filled.
What does road improvement have to do with pizza? The company says the plan is to make the world safe for pizza delivery.
“Cracks, bumps, potholes and other road conditions can put good pizzas at risk after they leave the store,” the company said in a release. “Now Domino’s is hoping to help smooth the ride home for our freshly made pizzas.”
“Have you ever hit a pothole and instantly cringed?” Russell Weiner, president of Domino’s USA, said in a statement. “We know that feeling is heightened when you’re bringing home a carryout order from your local Domino’s store. We don’t want to lose any great-tasting pizza to a pothole, ruining a wonderful meal.”
The pavement improvement program follows the chain’s campaign offering customers “carryout insurance,” replacing for free pizzas that get ruined as the customer heads home. Improving road conditions would seem to be a natural fit as a follow-up to that campaign.
The country’s largest pizza chain, traditionally known for its delivery, has been working to increase its carryout business in recent years. That slowed in the first quarter when Domino’s said that its delivery business increased—despite the presence of so many third-party delivery companies.
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