Domino’s Pizza (NASDAQ:DPZ) executives said second-quarter U.S. demand remained strong in terms of order counts, but a weaker-than-expected ticket dragged on same-store sales as the company lapped last year’s Stuffed Crust Pizza launch.
On the company’s rescheduled second-quarter 2026 earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Russell Weiner said the company grew order counts “meaningfully” across both delivery and carryout, even as the broader quick-service restaurant industry faced pressure from macroeconomic uncertainty and heightened competition. However, he said same-store sales fell short of expectations because the company’s premium series and Slice Sauce promotion did not resonate with customers enough to offset the prior-year benefit from Stuffed Crust.
Leadership Transition Announced
The call also featured comments from Joe Jordan, Domino’s incoming CEO. Weiner said the board unanimously elected Jordan, who has spent 15 years with the company and most recently served as chief operating officer. Jordan is expected to become CEO in October, while Weiner said he will transition to executive chairman next year.
Jordan said Domino’s priorities remain focused on serving customers with food, value and experience, supporting franchisees and executing with discipline to drive long-term growth.
“We have an exceptional global franchise system, talented people, a culture of innovation and operational excellence, and a brand that continues to earn the trust of customers every day,” Jordan said.
Second-Quarter Sales Lifted by Store Growth, Pressured by Ticket
Chief Financial Officer Sandeep Reddy said income from operations increased 2.6% in the second quarter, excluding foreign currency impacts and refranchising gains from the sale of certain U.S. company-owned store markets in the second quarters of 2026 and 2025. The increase was driven primarily by higher U.S. and international franchise royalties and fees, along with supply chain gross margin dollar growth tied to U.S. order count growth. Those gains were partially offset by higher general and administrative expenses related to the company’s biennial worldwide rally.
Global retail sales rose 3% excluding foreign currency, supported by nearly 1,000 net new stores over the past 12 months. U.S. retail sales increased 1.9%, driven primarily by net store growth, including 26 net new U.S. stores during the quarter. U.S. same-store sales rose 0.1%, with carryout comps up 1.1% and delivery comps down 0.7%. Pricing was up 0.2%.
Reddy said the U.S. comp reflected strong order count growth in the core business and continued growth through aggregator channels, offset by lower average ticket. The company said it believes QSR industry order counts were flat during the quarter, while Domino’s grew orders in total and separately in delivery and carryout.
Weiner said the company’s order count growth is central to its strategy because orders bring customers into its loyalty program and support the company’s supply chain business. He said Domino’s has more than doubled U.S. system orders since he joined the company at the end of 2008, contributing to market share gains, additional retail sales, net new stores and higher franchisee store-level EBITDA.
Aggregator Business and Product Innovation in Focus
Executives highlighted continued growth on third-party delivery platforms. Weiner said Domino’s believes it is now the No. 1 pizza company on both Uber and DoorDash, while still seeing “a significant amount of growth ahead” to reach what it views as fair share on those platforms.
In response to an analyst question, Weiner said Domino’s prices at a premium on aggregators and aims to be profit neutral for franchisees. Reddy added that the company is being deliberate in pursuing aggregator growth to protect profitability, calling the channel “one more lever” to drive franchisee profitability.
Weiner also discussed the company’s “orchestration agent,” a back-of-house technology designed to time pizza production so orders are hotter when handed to delivery drivers or customers. He said the system applies to orders placed through Domino’s own channels as well as aggregators.
Domino’s is also preparing to launch a new pizza product later in the third quarter. Weiner said the product is intended to address an unmet consumer need and hit an occasion that the pizza category does not serve well today. He described it as “unlike anything we’ve offered before at Domino’s” and said customer testing showed it was one of the best-tasting products the company has tested.
The company has already changed its third-quarter promotional calendar, including adding Stuffed Crust to its Best Deal Ever promotion. Weiner said customer reaction indicated the change was the right move.
International Results Mixed
International retail sales grew 4.1% excluding foreign currency, primarily due to net store growth over the past year, including 183 net new international stores in the quarter. International same-store sales declined 0.1%.
Reddy said international comps continued to be affected by Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, which remains focused on turning around its business, as well as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty across global markets. Weiner said Domino’s is looking forward to working with Andrew Gregory, the incoming CEO of Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, and noted that China and India have continued to be standouts over time.
Guidance and Capital Allocation
Domino’s maintained its expectation for U.S. same-store sales to increase in the low single digits for 2026, excluding the impact of a 53rd week. The company also continues to expect international same-store sales growth in the low single digits, including the benefit of the recently concluded World Cup soccer tournament.
The company adjusted its U.S. net store outlook to approximately 175 stores from its prior expectation of 175-plus, citing some pressure on the pipeline from macro conditions and a challenging start to the year that affected franchisee profitability. Domino’s continues to expect approximately 800 net new international stores and mid-single-digit global retail sales growth for the year.
Domino’s also maintained its expectation for mid- to high-single-digit operating income growth, excluding foreign currency, refranchising gains and the gain on the sale of its corporate aircraft.
Through the second quarter, Domino’s repurchased about 632,000 shares for $231 million year to date. Reddy said the company had approximately $1.23 billion remaining on its share repurchase authorization at quarter end and continues to expect to return meaningful cash to shareholders in 2026 and beyond.
About Domino’s Pizza (NASDAQ:DPZ)
Domino’s Pizza, Inc (NASDAQ: DPZ) is a global pizza delivery and carryout chain founded in 1960 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company specializes in a broad range of hand‐crafted pizzas, including hand-tossed, thin crust and specialty offerings, alongside side items such as chicken wings, sandwiches, pasta, desserts and beverages. Domino’s has built its brand on convenience and speed, leveraging proprietary ordering platforms and its Domino’s Tracker system to provide real-time status updates from order placement through delivery.
Operating predominantly under a franchise model, Domino’s has more than 17,000 stores worldwide, with approximately 95% of outlets owned and operated by independent franchisees.
