Overview
Domino’s is a US-founded pizza chain whose business centres on delivery and carryout rather than conventional restaurant dining. Its menu is anchored by made-to-order pizzas, supplemented by sides, desserts and drinks, with products adapted to local tastes. The parent company, Domino’s Pizza, Inc., is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the ticker DPZ.
Franchising is fundamental to the business: approximately 99% of its global stores were independently owned by franchisees at the end of 2024. The parent earns revenue from royalties and fees, supply-chain operations and a relatively small company-owned store estate. For franchisees, the proposition is an established operating system rather than freedom to design an independent pizza concept.
History and growth
The business began in 1960 when brothers Tom and James Monaghan bought a pizza shop called DomiNick’s in Ypsilanti, Michigan. James subsequently left the business, and Tom developed the chain. The Domino’s Pizza name was adopted in 1965, and its first franchised store opened in 1967.
International expansion began in 1983 with a store in Winnipeg, Canada; Australia also joined the network that year. Domino’s went public in 2004. Over subsequent decades, it developed from a telephone-led delivery business into a digitally focused retailer, investing in online ordering, mobile applications and order tracking. Its US pizza recipe overhaul in 2009 was another significant milestone, reflecting an effort to address customer criticism while retaining the delivery-led operating model.
Global footprint
Domino’s had around 21,400 stores at the end of 2024, according to its reporting for that financial year. The reference describes its reach as more than 83 countries, without specifying a date for that figure. The United States remained its largest individual national market, but the international estate accounted for the majority of locations. The store total describes a dated network snapshot, not a live store count.
The international business is organised largely through master franchise arrangements. Operators such as Domino’s Pizza Group in the UK and Ireland, Australia-listed Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Jubilant FoodWorks in India hold rights covering defined territories. These are separate businesses from the US parent. Their store-opening plans, financial performance and local franchise arrangements should not be treated as interchangeable with those of Domino’s Pizza, Inc.
How the franchise model works
In the United States, franchisees operate stores under agreements governing brand use, operating standards, payments and other obligations. Domino’s has historically recruited US franchise owners primarily from within its system, including store managers and other employees with practical operating experience. This makes it a different route from franchise networks that routinely recruit external investors without prior brand experience.
Outside the United States, a master franchisee typically holds development and operating rights for a territory and may run stores directly, sub-franchise them, or combine both approaches. Local structures determine whether opportunities are available to individual applicants. Across the network, the model relies on consistent food preparation, ordering systems and service execution. Approved sourcing and supply-chain arrangements support that consistency, although their ownership and contractual details differ between markets.
Investment and requirements
There is no single worldwide price for a Domino’s franchise. The cost of opening depends on the country, store format, premises, building work, equipment and working-capital needs. Acquiring an established operation is also a different transaction from developing a new site. US franchise disclosure documents set out applicable fees and estimated initial investment ranges, but those figures should not be transferred to another jurisdiction.
A universal international fee schedule is not publicly disclosed. Prospective franchisees should request the current franchise disclosure documents, where applicable, and the relevant local operator’s investment information. Financial commitments can include royalties, advertising contributions, technology charges and required purchases, alongside rent and payroll. Eligibility may also depend on management experience, training, available capital and willingness to take an active operating role.
What franchisees should consider
Pizza delivery is an operationally demanding business. Franchisees must coordinate preparation, cooking, dispatch and customer service during concentrated peaks, particularly evenings and weekends. Labour availability, wage rates, food costs, occupancy costs and delivery economics can materially affect store performance. Carryout offers a different service profile, but still requires efficient production and convenient customer access.
Domino’s has used a strategy it calls 'fortressing': adding stores within existing markets to shorten delivery distances and bring carryout locations closer to customers. This can improve service coverage, but it also makes territory boundaries and the effect of nearby openings important considerations. Digital ordering reduces some transaction friction without eliminating execution risk. Brand recognition and system-wide sales growth do not, by themselves, establish the profitability of any individual store.
Competitive landscape
Domino’s competes with global pizza chains, regional specialists, independent takeaways and other convenient meal options. Pizza Hut is a major international comparator, while Marco’s Pizza and Hungry Howie’s compete in the US pizza market. Telepizza is relevant in selected international markets. The closest competitors vary substantially by location and by the balance between delivery, carryout and dine-in demand.
Competition extends beyond menu prices. Delivery speed, reliability, promotional offers, digital convenience and product quality influence customer choice. Third-party delivery platforms have also widened the range of restaurants competing for at-home meals. Domino’s has added marketplace ordering partnerships in the United States while retaining delivery by its own store network for those orders, rather than relying on marketplace couriers.
Outlook
Domino’s long-term development depends on the interaction between consumer demand, franchisee economics and room for additional stores. Its scale, established ordering infrastructure and supply-chain capabilities provide a substantial operating base. However, market maturity differs: expansion opportunities in one country may coincide with consolidation or slower development in another.
For prospective operators, the central question is how the system performs in the proposed local market. Relevant evidence includes current disclosures, the availability of territories, store-level cost assumptions and the experience of existing franchisees. The brand’s global reach is useful context, but the applicable franchise agreement, local management support and day-to-day operating conditions ultimately define the opportunity.
Domino's franchise: frequently asked questions
How much does a Domino’s franchise cost?
Costs depend on the market, premises, store format and whether the transaction involves a new or existing business. There is no universal worldwide investment figure. US franchise disclosure documents provide applicable fees and estimated investment ranges; applicants elsewhere should request current local disclosures and investment information from the relevant Domino’s franchise operator.
How many Domino’s locations are there?
Domino’s reported around 21,400 stores at the end of 2024. The reference describes its reach as more than 83 countries, without specifying a date for that figure. The majority of stores were outside the United States, and approximately 99% of the global network was franchised. The store and franchise figures are a financial-year snapshot rather than a current count, since openings and closures continually change the estate.
Can someone without Domino’s experience become a franchisee?
The answer depends on the country. In the United States, Domino’s has historically recruited franchisees primarily from within its own system, making relevant operating experience an important part of the route to ownership. International master franchisees set local recruitment requirements, so applicants should confirm eligibility and opportunity availability directly with the relevant operator.
Who owns Domino’s?
Domino’s Pizza, Inc. is a publicly traded US company listed on Nasdaq under DPZ. Most stores are owned by independent franchisees rather than the parent. International master franchise businesses, including Domino’s Pizza Group and Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, are separate companies holding rights for specified territories.
Does Domino’s guarantee franchise profitability?
Brand scale and recognition do not guarantee the profitability of an individual store. Performance depends on sales, local competition, labour, rent, food costs, delivery operations and contractual payments, among other factors. Prospective franchisees should examine current disclosures and local operating evidence rather than treating global network growth as proof of likely store-level returns.
Latest Domino's news
12 October 2026
Domino's Pizza China adds 84 stores as same-store sales lag
Master franchisee DPC Dash expanded into 12 additional cities in the third quarter of 2026, but lower average transaction prices kept same-store sales growth negative.
Figures are approximate and based on publicly reported information as of Year-end 2024. Franchise costs and terms change; prospective franchisees should obtain the brand’s current disclosure documents and take independent legal and financial advice. Profile updated October 2026.