A small rectangular block used as a gaming object, typically made of wood, bone, or plastic and marked with dots resembling those on dice. A set of dominoes is used to play games of skill, chance, or strategy. Dominos may be placed in straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, or 3D structures like towers and pyramids. Also called bones, pieces, or men.
A player wins a game of domino by scoring all the pips on opposing players tiles before they disappear under the next tile played. The player scores the most points in a given round or over a set number of rounds.
Although there are many different rules for domino, most involve laying tiles end to end (the touching ends must match: one’s touch two’s, or three’s touch four’s). Additional tiles are then played on the open ends of the layout. The pips on a domino are usually inscribed with Arabic numerals or numbered by dots, and some sets use more readable Arabic numbers instead of the conventional pip markings.
The first Domino’s location opened in 1967 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. To grow the business quickly, founder David Monaghan emphasized placing Domino’s near college campuses because students crave pizza after studying long hours and late nights. He also encouraged delivery drivers to drive fast, an approach he named “Domino driving.”
As Domino’s grew, the chain expanded to many states. In the early 1970s, Monaghan enlisted graphic designer and marketing specialist Fred DeStefano to create a new logo and corporate image. His work helped establish Domino’s as the leading pizza franchise in the United States. By the time it went public in 1984, Domino’s had more than 200 locations.
Domino’s owes much of its success to a series of innovative marketing moves. For example, in an effort to make its delivery cars stand out from competitors, Domino’s hired crowd-sourced auto designers to come up with a colorful, cool-looking, and modified Chevrolet Spark, which one article described as a “cheese lover’s Batmobile.”
As the company grew, it diversified its menu to include sandwiches and salads, as well as more sophisticated pizzas. In addition, the company’s delivery trucks were redesigned to be more efficient and comfortable for drivers.
Domino’s is also an innovator in the digital world. In 2006, it launched Domino’s Pizza Online, an ordering service that lets customers order and pay for their pizzas through a smartphone app. The service has since expanded to several countries. In 2010, the company partnered with PayPal to allow users of its iPhone and iPad apps to buy pizzas using their existing PayPal accounts. In the same year, Domino’s began offering online and mobile delivery to more than 30 U.S. markets. This expansion allowed the company to offer its products on a national basis and further expand its brand. Despite its popularity, Domino’s is still best known for its pizza. It is estimated that the chain sells more than 50 million pizzas per day worldwide.