Domino’s is a world-renowned pizza chain that was started in 1960 by two brothers from Michigan, James and Tom Monaghan. In addition to delivering pizzas, the pizzeria chain also delivers chicken wings, pasta, sandwiches, and desserts. The evolution of Domino’s logo reflects the growth and adaptation of the brand over the decades. The logo has undergone several changes where each aligns with the expanding identity and market presence of the company. The article discusses the various logo changes that Domino’s had seen over the years.
The Genesis of the Domino’s Logo (1960–1965)
Before becoming Domino’s, the brand operated under the name “DomiNick’s.” The original logo featured a cursive handwritten font for “DomiNick’s” above a wordmark “Pizza” in bold, uppercase, and modern sans-serif font, set against a monochrome background. This design was simple and straightforward and reflected the identity of the local pizzeria.
(1965–1969)
After rebranding to Domino’s in 1965, the logo was redesigned to include a red wordmark with a bold and black “Pizza” tagline. The logo featured a red and white “Domino’s” with three dots in white set against two red dominos to symbolise the three original stores.
(1969–1975)
In 1969, the logo was updated to incorporate a bright blue colour alongside the existing red. The wordmark in a bold, sans-serif typeface in bright blue was now positioned to the right of the red and white domino emblem, which was also redesigned to be more prominent. This iteration marked a shift towards a more cohesive and recognisable brand identity.
(1975–1996)
In 1975, the logo underwent a significant transformation. The design featured a vertically oriented bright blue box with the company name written in white font and positioned alongside the domino emblem. This logo was rotated to fit a square format and resemble a pizza box. The colours were brightened, and the overall design became cleaner and more modern. The design reflected the growing popularity of the brand.
(1996–2012)
The 1996 redesign tilted the logo slightly and gave it a rhombus shape. The corners were rounded, and the font was updated to a more contemporary style. This version retained the red and blue colour scheme but introduced darker shades for a more sophisticated look. The logo’s orientation and design elements aimed to appeal to a broader audience as the brand expanded its menu beyond pizza.
(2012–Present)
In 2012, Domino’s made a strategic decision to drop “Pizza” from its logo to reflect its evolution into a broader food chain. The logo was simplified to feature a streamlined domino shape with three dots, which is now split between red and blue. The word “Domino’s” was prominently displayed next to the logo to emphasise the brand’s identity while catering to a wider range of food offerings. This design reflects a modern and efficient approach to branding, which is also aligned with the innovative spirit of the company.
The Elements of the Domino’s Logo
Font
The 1996 Domino’s logo featured a font that was similar to Futura Condensed ExtraBold. In contrast, the current wordmark employs a customised version of Pluto Sans Heavy, which has been designed by Hannes von Döhren.
Colour
Since 1960, the colour palette has remained largely consistent, with only minor adjustments to the specific hues. The striking red, white, and blue combination continues to be a hallmark of the brand. However, the current Domino’s Pizza logo utilises more subdued shades of these colours. These result in a refined yet still recognisable visual identity.
The History of Domino’s
In December 1960, brothers Tom and James Monaghan acquired a small pizzeria near Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. The shop, which was previously owned by Dominick DiVarti, was purchased with a $500 down payment from a $900 loan. Initially, the brothers planned to co-manage the store, but James was hesitant to leave his stable job as a postman. After eight months, James exchanged his share of the business for a Volkswagen Beetle, which Tom used for deliveries.
By 1965, the business had expanded to three pizzerias in the same area. Tom Monaghan aimed to unify them under a single name and trademark. Unable to use the original “DomiNick’s” name due to the refusal of the former owner, Tom sought a new identity. In fact, the name “Domino’s” was suggested by Jim Kennedy, a delivery driver. Thereafter, Tom officially rebranded the small chain as Domino’s Pizza, Inc. that year.
The logo evolved to reflect the new name, which featured a domino design. Initially, it displayed three dots representing the three stores. The original plan of Tom was to add a dot for each new location. But he had to abandon this plan as the business began to grow rapidly. The first franchise of the company opened in 1967, and by 1978, Domino’s had expanded to 200 locations.
In 1975, Domino’s faced a legal challenge from Amstar Corporation, the maker of Domino Sugar, over alleged trademark infringement and unfair competition. After a five-year legal battle, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled in favour of the pizzeria in 1980. This victory allowed Domino’s to retain its name and logo.
Interesting Facts About Domino’s
- Domino’s used to be called DomiNick’s initially. The name DomiNick’s comes from a restaurant that the founder brothers, Tom and James Monaghan, purchased in 1960 in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
- The restaurant was called Domino’s Pizza in 1965, when the name was invented by Jim Kennedy, the delivery driver.
- In 1986, Domino’s introduced the “30 minutes or less” guarantee for delivery. However, this has since been withdrawn due to safety concerns.
- After eight months of opening the restaurant, one of the brothers, James Monaghan, gave up his partnership in lieu of an old Volkswagen Beetle that was used to deliver pizzas.
- For thirty years, Domino’s offered only two pizza sizes, 11 toppings, and one soft drink.
- Since the original restaurant was too small for people to sit and eat, Tom Monaghan hired the services of laid-off factory workers to deliver pizzas to the homes of people.
- The iconic three dots on the Domino’s logo represent the three pizza stores that Tom owned in Michigan.
- The first vegan pizza from Domino’s was introduced in Israel. Here, pizzas were topped with soy cheese and veggies instead of dairy cheese.
- Domino’s invented the patented HeatWave hot bag to keep the pizza hot and delicious during delivery.
- In 2018, Domino’s had begun filling potholes across the United States to ensure seamless delivery of pizzas.
- Domino’s introduced the first pizza delivered by a drone in New Zealand. It did so by partnering with a startup called Flirtey.
- In 2018, Domino’s hosted a tattoo competition in Russia where people getting the logo of the chain tattooed would get a lifetime of free pizzas. Unfortunately, for Domino’s, too many people turned up, and the competition was closed. As a solace, Domino’s gave free pizzas to the first 350 people who shared their link online.
- Domino’s faced decline in sales after people complained of its pizza crusts tasting like cardboard. Consequently, the old recipe was discarded and a new one with a brand-new taste was started.
- After the US, it is India that has the most Domino’s franchises.
- Domino’s is credited with delivering more than one million pizzas a day in the US. And globally, it sells an average of 3 million.
- Domino’s is credited with delivering more than one million pizzas a day in the US. And globally, it sells an average of 3 million.
- In 2016, Domino’s brought out a self-driving vehicle for pizza delivery called “Domino’s Robotic Unit,” or “DRU.” Introduced in New Zealand, this was basically a low-powered oven on wheels.
- Again in 2016, Domino’s created a zero-click delivery app. According to this app, if a user opens the app, the timer inside begins to count, and unless the user stops it, the app will automatically send a pizza order for delivery.
- In 2015, Domino’s introduced a “tweet to order” service, which enabled users to tweet a pizza emoji at the official account to place an order for delivery.
- In May 2013, a pizza store in Salt Lake City, Utah, allowed customers to watch chefs making their pizzas live through a webcam. And to ensure that the restaurant had placed 5 cameras in the kitchen.
- The Anyware program of Domino’s allows customers to order pizzas from various devices and apps, such as Alexa, Google Home, Facebook Messenger, and Slack.
- The busiest days for Domino’s are Super Bowl Sundays, Halloween, Thanksgiving Eve, and New Year’s Eve.
- Domino’s has over 20,900 stores in more than 90 countries. Also, they have more than 350,000 employees and 100,000 delivery drivers.
- The fastest pizza maker in Domino’s is Joana Mendes, who can make three large pizzas in just 39.2 seconds.
- The most popular topping in Domino’s US market is pepperoni. It is followed closely by sausage, bacon, mushrooms, and pineapple.
- In Japan, the most popular pizza topping is squid, while in France it is fresh cream.
- Domino’s has over 700 franchisee owners in the US alone. And most of them (over 95%) had begun their careers as pizza makers, drivers, or hourly workers.
- A code malfunction resulted in free delivery of around 11,000 pizzas to customers in Kentucky and Ohio in March 2009.
- It was in August 2012 that Domino’s Pizza was changed to just Domino’s.
Finally
The history of the Domino’s logo showcases a thoughtful evolution that reflects the growth of the company from a small pizzeria store to a global food brand. Each logo redesign has been carefully crafted to maintain brand recognition. The enduring elements, such as the red, white, and blue colour scheme and the iconic domino symbol, continue to resonate with customers worldwide. These have made Domino’s a recognisable name in the food industry.