Domino's Reports Slower Sales Growth as CEO Pushes Personalization

Domino's Pizza is expanding personalized menu options and targeted promotions to strengthen sales as growth at established stores slows in the United States and international markets. The company reported its third-quarter 2026 results on October 13, highlighting modest same-store sales increases, continued global expansion, and a strategy focused on individual customer preferences.

According to Domino's financial release, U.S. same-store sales rose 0.3% year over year, compared with 5.2% in the third quarter of 2025. International same-store sales increased 0.2%, down from 1.7% a year earlier. Global retail sales grew 3.2%, excluding foreign currency effects, while operating income increased 8.3%.

Global retail sales reached $4.84 billion during the quarter, up from $4.70 billion in the comparable 2025 period. The company also added 175 net stores worldwide, comprising 26 in the United States and 149 internationally, bringing its total store count to 22,706 as of September 6, 2026.

Joe Jordan, who became CEO on October 1 after Russell Weiner retired from the role and transitioned to executive chairman designate, identified customer engagement and franchisee profitability as priorities for the company's next phase.

"As I step into the CEO role, I am honored to lead Domino's and build on the competitive advantages that have long set us apart: our iconic brand, best-in-class franchise system, global scale and proven operating capabilities. Our opportunity now is to capitalize on those strengths by getting even closer to our customers, helping our franchisees grow their profitability and turning our best performance into our everyday performance. By advancing winning ideas faster and executing them with greater clarity, speed and consistency, we can earn more occasions, continue gaining market share and create meaningful long-term value for shareholders.

Domino's has always been at its best when we are a step ahead. That mindset has helped us set the pace for the industry before, and it's how we'll push ourselves to do it again. I believe our next chapter will be our strongest yet," Jordan said.

One initiative is the Domino, a rectangular, two-slice pizza designed for one person that launched on August 31. Jordan described himself as "most excited" about the product during the earnings call, pointing to its potential to serve customers who want individual choices while sharing a meal with others.

Jordan explained the customer behavior behind the product through the concept of the "me/we occasion," which addresses demand for individual meals within group dining experiences.

"Across QSR, consumers increasingly expect individual options, even when eating as part of a group. The Domino allows us to meet that need with a product designed for individual choice, while still preserving the shared occasion that makes pizza so special," Jordan said.

The product could also help Domino's compete for more individual meal orders, including purchases through third-party ordering platforms. The company introduced the item as part of a broader effort to attract customers across different dining occasions.

Chief Financial Officer Sandeep Reddy said order counts increased in Domino's core business, while its aggregator business continued to expand. Those gains were partly offset by a lower average transaction value, reflecting fewer items per order across carryout and the company's own delivery channels.

Reddy said the average-ticket trend improved compared with the second quarter but remained affected by consumer conditions.

"While our ticket trend improved from the second quarter, it was impacted by a sequential decline in items-per-order in both our carry-out and first-party delivery business. We believe this was due to the challenging consumer environment," Reddy said.

Jordan said Domino's is also developing more targeted promotions through its website to encourage customers to add items to their orders. The initiative complements its personalized product strategy as the company works to improve transaction values alongside order growth.