Dominos Pizza Crisis Communication

Every company is at risk of a crisis. Because crises are unpredictable, businesses must have a crisis response strategy to assist them in dealing with problems as effectively as possible. Failure can cause significant harm to consumers, financial losses for an organization, or even the company’s demise. Practitioners of public relations are an essential element of crisis management committees. In this chapter, I will discuss the Domino’s Pizza crisis in 2009.

Domino’s Pizza was confronted with a crisis in 2009 that its employees caused. Two employees were seen clowning about in the kitchen of one of their restaurants in a series of films posted to YouTube. One employee videos as her coworker conduct a series of filthy antics, including stuffing a piece of grated cheese into his nose before re-inserting it into someone’s meal order and sneezing on another. The food was subsequently dispatched for delivery, and the video was uploaded on YouTube.

Thanks to the internet and social media, this video became viral, and Domino’s corporate headquarters was notified. Their Vice President handled the situation, issued an apology, and thanked the public for their assistance in bringing the event to light. He expressed gratitude to those who had brought the issue to his notice. He went on to say that the event was unpleasant and that the two employees did not reflect the 125,000 people that work hard every day in 60 countries to create delicious cuisine and offer excellent customer service.

Patrick Doyle, the president of Domino’s Pizza in the United States, posted a two-minute video on YouTube to explain the subsequent measures and ensure consumers that this would not be a reoccurring issue. According to Doyle, the shop in Conover, North Carolina, where the recordings were recorded, has been closed and cleaned. He added that Domino’s would re-evaluate its employment processes to assure high-quality personnel. The franchise owner of the Domino’s Pizza location where the films were shot has filed charges against the two employees fired after the recordings were released.

Domino’s Pizza fought hard to rebuild confidence and defend its brand throughout the crisis, relying on openness, consistency, authenticity, and exposure to keep its reputation intact. Patrick Doyle instilled in me and the general public the confidence to return to Domino’s Pizza. Their crisis communication plan was adequate.