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© History Oasis
1960-1998
Tom Monaghan founded Domino’s Pizza when he bought a failing pizza shop for $500 in 1960, then acquired his brother’s half by trading him a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle. This orphan-turned-entrepreneur built the 30-minute delivery promise that made Domino’s famous—and infamous when speeding drivers caused fatal crashes, costing the company millions in settlements. Monaghan spent his fortune collecting Frank Lloyd Wright furniture and buying the Detroit Tigers, who won the 1984 World Series under his ownership. After a spiritual awakening, he sold everything and walked away with $1 billion.
1999-2010
When Bain Capital bought Domino’s, they needed someone to fix it. This is where Dave Brandon comes into the story, a former Michigan linebacker with corporate polish from running Valassis Communications. Brandon took the company public in 2004—the biggest restaurant IPO ever. His flair for drama peaked when he torched a Subway legal letter on live television. But Brandon’s smartest gamble came in 2009: admitting Domino’s pizza tasted awful and starting over with a new recipe. Wall Street loved the honesty.
2010-2018
J. Patrick Doyle walked into a nightmare. YouTube videos showed Domino’s workers contaminating food, and the stock traded for pocket change. Most CEOs would have played defense. Doyle doubled down on offense, turning Domino’s into a technology company disguised as a pizza chain. He hired software engineers by the hundreds and built apps that made ordering effortless. Doyle saw the pizza stock jump from $8 to $200, and Domino’s dethroned Pizza Hut as the world’s largest pizza company.
2018-2022
Ritch Allison knew restaurants from his consulting days at Bain, but he made his name running Domino’s international operations. The Charlotte native—first in his family to attend college—opened thousands of stores across six continents. His secret was finding the right local partners and giving them freedom to adapt. When Allison became CEO, he faced labor shortages and a global pandemic. He kept the company steady through both crises before stepping aside at 54, saying the business was “in a fantastic place.”
2022-Present
Russell Weiner cut his teeth in marketing at PepsiCo, where he managed $250 million ad budgets and launched Diet Pepsi Max. Domino’s hired him in 2008 to rebuild their battered brand. Weiner’s “Oh Yes We Did” campaign turned the pizza recipe disaster into a victory lap, winning industry awards and driving sales through the roof. As CEO, he’s pushing automation and artificial intelligence while the stock hovers near all-time highs. His $9 million pay package suggests the board thinks he’s worth every penny.
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