By Rick Hynum
After decades of largely sticking with the tried and true, Domino’s famously gave itself a “makeover” in 2010, just in time for its 50th anniversary. In response to customer complaints, the brand introduced a new garlic-seasoned crust and a “robust sauce” and “more flavorful shredded cheese.” Domino’s also expanded its roster of specialty pizzas, dubbed “American Legends,” that had debuted a year earlier.
At that point, Russell Weiner, now the CEO but still Domino’s chief marketing officer in 2010, boasted that more than 80% of the chain’s menu was new compared to two years earlier. Before long, though, the chain shifted its attention away from menu innovation and started focusing on technology and delivery, making it easy as pie to place an order. It was certainly a prescient and savvy move, eventually positioning Domino’s as the world’s largest pizza chain. Its competitors have been playing catch-up ever since.
Today, as competition intensifies for customers zealously guarding their wallets, Domino’s is in the midst of a more gradual and nuanced reinvention on the menu side, courtesy of its Hungry for MORE strategy, introduced in late 2023. But one thing isn’t changing: At least for Domino’s primary demographic—what financial analyst Jim Cramer calls the “have-nots”—$10 or under is the key when it comes to pricing.
Case in point: the Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza, a brand-new addition to a lineup of specialty pies that has scarcely changed at all since 2010.
Related: Domino’s CEO Jubilant About a ‘Great Q3’ Performance and Market Share Gains
The Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch features grilled chicken breast, creamy ranch, smoked bacon, jalapeños, provolone and mozzarella and then gets finished with a drizzle of buffalo sauce. Domino’s has brought in actor/comedian Retta to help promote it with a new campaign called “Treat Yo Self.”
The new item joins Domino’s existing menu of 10 other specialty pizzas, including The People’s Pizza-Deluxe, Philly Cheese Steak, Wisconsin 6-Cheese, Pacific Veggie and others, all of which have been in place for a very long time. But the pricing—$9.99 apiece for a medium when purchased as part of Domino’s Mix and Match deal—still makes them stand out in today’s economy.
Cramer might have put it best in a discussion about Domino’s last month. Referring to Domino’s CEO, he told Insider Monkey, “Russell’s figured out…that you need to have…an offering that’s got to be less than 10 bucks in this country if you’re going to be able to do well for dinner.” Cramer believes many consumers “can’t afford more than a $10 pizza,” describing the trend as “the have/have not thing.”
Domino’s has zeroed in on the “have-nots” for quite some time, judging by the various discount offers it has promoted, including this year’s recurring Best Deal Ever ($9.99 for any pizza with any toppings and any crust) for digital orders. “The price point screams renowned value, and the taste drives our most delicious food perceptions,” Weiner has said. “After all, consumers are building and eating their dream pizzas in a world where prices have gone up and discounts never seem to be on the items you truly want. Domino’s gives customers their favorite pizzas at our best price.”
Related: Domino’s Unleashes First Brand Refresh in 13 Years
Also on the menu innovation front, Domino’s debuted its Parmesan Stuffed Crust pizza in March, creating an industry-wide stir. That followed the heavily hyped release of the New York-style crust in April 2024. Granted, neither of those is listed as a specialty pizza on Domino’s digital menu; instead, they’re positioned as crust options in the build-your-own section. But never mind that: Menu innovation is menu innovation.
When Wiener introduced the Hungry for MORE plan two years ago, he noted that menu upgrades were part of the plan. “We haven’t romanced our product the way we know that we can,” he said at the time. With two new crust options and the Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch specialty pie, Domino’s seems to have found its path forward.
Still, the brand’s core business principle remains unchanged: Give customers perceived value and they’ll keep coming back for more. Or, put another way, keep the prices low while offering more varied, on-trend and artisanal options and ensuring that ordering is always a breeze.
The specialty pies “help put the ‘mmm’ in ‘Dommmino’s,’ and our Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza is no exception,” quipped Kate Trumbull, Domino’s executive vice president–chief marketing officer. “Typically, specialty pizzas come with premium prices, but at Domino’s, we’ve proudly partnered with the ‘Treat Yo Self’ queen, Retta, to tell customers they don’t have to wait for a great deal to treat themselves to our most delicious, craveable pizzas–they’re $9.99 every day of the year!”
That says it all. The under-$10 price point seems to be the sweet spot. So while there might be more menu changes coming in 2026, don’t expect Domino’s pricing to go up any time soon even as the reinvention continues.
Rick Hynum is PMQ’s editor in chief.
