Another pair of brothers, Tom and James Monaghan, purchased a pizza store called DomiNick’s in Ypsilanti, Mich., in 1960. Five years later, Tom, who had bought out his brother’s share of the business by giving him a Volkswagen Beetle, renamed the place Domino’s. Over the years, the franchise became best known as a pizza delivery specialist. A “30 minutes or less” guarantee, in effect for roughly two decades, was dropped in 1993 due to lawsuits accusing Domino’s of encouraging unsafe driving, and recently the company has been advertising its pizzas will take more than 30 minutes to deliver to play up the idea it sells quality products that can’t be rushed. Nonetheless, there is a long list of delivery innovations Domino’s takes credit for, including the sturdy corrugated pizza box and the insulated, water-repellant “hot bag” for keeping pizza from getting cold during deliveries.
Slices of History: Great Moments in Pizza Innovation
A brief look back at some of the big innovations that have helped pizza become fully ingrained in modern American dining culture
1960: Era of Speedy Delivery Arrives
Full List
Pizza Pizza!
- The Pizza, It Is A-Changin’
- 1889: Pizza (As We Know It) Is Born
- 1905: The First American Pizzeria
- World War Era: Regional Specialties on the Map
- 1958: Birth of a Pizza Chain
- 1960: Era of Speedy Delivery Arrives
- 1962: Pizza Hits the Frozen Food Section
- 1962: The Advent of Wacky Toppings
- 1985: No More Collapsing Boxes
- 1995: The “Take-and-Bake” Revolution
- 2010: Gluten-Free Pizza Hits the Scene
- 2012: Pizza Goes Fast Casual
- 2013: Wild Innovations Keep on Coming