Pizzas and Other Stuff

2010 Mascot Grand National Gets a Pizza The Action

2010-09-14T15:23:00.001+01:00

The Mascot Grand National – hosted every autumn by Huntingdon Racecourse in Cambridgeshire – is entering its third decade with an exciting new sponsor.

The original and best mascot race in the world, which began in 1999 and is now poised for its 12th running, is to be supported by Domino’s Pizza.

The event attracts a worldwide television and online audience for the crazy antics of the participants, and it’s the highlight of every year for Britain’s mascots.

Mascots the length and breadth of the country step up their training as they prepare for the big day.

It’s an hilarious occasion when lots of mascots run, walk, stagger and stumble over obstacles on a gruelling 220 yards course.

There’s been mayhem, controversy, accusations of gamesmanship, and claims of ‘ringers’ over the years since this madcap race was first run, but strict rules ensure good clean fun.

Georgina Wald, Corporate Communications Manager at Domino’s Pizza, said: “The Mascot Grand National is a fantastic event at Huntingdon Racecourse that represents exactly what Domino’s Pizza is all about - spending special time with friends and family, laughing, smiling and having great fun. We hope that sponsoring the race will inspire our own mascot – Danny Domino – to do better than he did last year!”

Sophie Hodgkinson, managing director of Huntingdon Racecourse, said: “The Mascot Grand National has grown in size and popularity year after year, and we are delighted to welcome such a fantastic brand as Domino’s Pizza as our new sponsor for the 2010 race.”

The Mascot Grand National kicks off an afternoon of jump racing at the Cambridgeshire racecourse on Sunday 3 October.

*Domino's Pizza is recognised as the world's leading pizza delivery company. The first UK store opened in 1985. More than 20,000 staff are employed in Britain and Ireland. There are more than 620 Domino's Pizza stores throughout the British Isles, including the Huntingdon restaurant at 1 Grammar School Walk - 01480 454700.

MASCOT GRAND NATIONAL HISTORY

1999: The Mascot Grand National was born as 17 mascots took part in one of the most unusual sights ever seen on a racecourse. Beau Brummie Bulldog, of Birmingham City FC, won.

2000: Word spread, and 49 mascots lined up, with Watford FC's Harry the Hornet stinging the bookmakers in a flying finish.

2001: Controversy as Freddie the Fox was first past the post, but turned out to be an Olympic athlete. Uproar ensued, and Dazzler the Lion (Rushden & Diamonds FC) roared as he was proclaimed the new winner.

2002: Chaddy the Owl (Oldham Athletic FC) flew to victory amidst claims that he was another ‘ringer’. The accusations were unfounded – it had been Chaddy’s vigorous training routine that enabled him to wing it.

2003: For the second year Chaddy the Owl was crowned victor, but only after several rivals were distracted by a female streaker. An attempted £10,000 betting coup using a Commonwealth Games gold medallist as Sedge the Field Mouse failed when one of the rodent’s feet fell off.

2004: The year of Graham the Gorilla, the mascot of local football club Finedon Volta FC, who sent the crowd bananas.

2005: The bookies expected Chaddy and Graham to dominate, but the Sun newspaper’s Scoop 6 Squirrel drove everyone nuts with a stunning turn of foot.

2006: Football charity Kick 4 Life’s mascot Mickey The Monkey proved he was the business despite an attempted ‘rugby’ tackle on him in the closing stages. Sammy Saint was second for the second year.

2007: Wacky Macky Bear saw off the 2006 winner Mickey the Monkey to win for Saffron Walden FC on his Grand National debut.

2008: The tenth running of the mascot race sees Wacky Macky Bear win for the second year in a row, with Cambridgeshire-based mascots filling second, third and fourth spots.

2009: At last a local winner, as Stag from Huntingdon Rugby Club triumphed. Inside the costume was Heath Crawford, a New Zealand-born rugby player.

RACECOURSE ADMISSION DETAILS

Admission on Sunday 3 October: Main Enclosure £15; Picnic Enclosure £8. Accompanied children under 18 – free. Tickets for the Main Enclosure can be purchased in advance, either online at www.huntingdon-racecourse.co.uk or via the ticket hotline on 0844 579 3007.

Parking: Free.

Times: Gates open at 12.10pm. Mascot Grand National at 1.10pm. First horse race 2.10pm.

Contact information: telephone 01480 453373

Domino's Pizza - Any Pizza Any Size Only £9.99

2010-09-08T11:37:00.002+01:00

To celebrate its 25th UK Anniversary Domino's Pizza is running it's very popular £9.99 promotion from Wednesday September 8th 2010 to Sunday 12th September.

It's available for delivery or collection and you can order it online, over the phone or in person.

To order it online you need to go to the Meal Deal tab. One nice feature of using the website is that you can select a pizza from the menu, like a Pepperoni Passion, and then add 2 extra toppings at no charge. You won't be able to do this over the phone as the staff will correctly charge you for the toppings, but it is a feature, or bug depending on how you look at it, of fixed price meal deals on the Domino's website.

On the downside, half and half pizzas cannot be ordered as meal deals. This is just due to technical reasons, though I believe a workaround is being sought.

Happy Birthday Domino's Pizza!

Domino's UK Launches Lunch With youTube Takeover

2010-08-31T14:52:00.002+01:00

Our friends from Domino's Pizza UK have asked us to help launch their new lunch campaign by promoting their brand on our blog and other platforms. PizzasandStuff is happy to help them gain market penetration of this exciting initiative.

Here's the release.

Pizza delivery expert, Domino’s Pizza, is set to launch an advertising takeover on top video website – YouTube. The takeover is running on Friday [September 3, 2010] to mark the launch of Domino’s new lunch campaign.

The takeover sees Domino’s becoming the first brand in Europe to use YouTube’s new Quick Launch template. The template enables companies to cost effectively develop an ad from their existing images, videos and links and run it directly on the YouTube masthead.

Domino’s will be taking over the YouTube homepage to promote the company’s new UK-wide lunch menu, which includes six new oven-baked subs. The advertisement on the website masthead will include a 20 second lunch video, as well as an image gallery of the new menu and a Google Maps search listing to enable users to locate their nearest Domino’s store. A direct link to Domino’s Facebook page will also appear on YouTube to help generate click throughs and more fans.

The YouTube takeover will be running in the lead-up to lunchtime on Friday and appear on the website until 3pm. The takeover is taking place alongside a range of other media, including TV, radio and press advertising, to help promote Domino’s lunch campaign.

Simon Wallis, sales and marketing director for Domino’s Pizza, said: “We wanted to do something bold and a bit different to help promote our new lunch menu and we’re delighted to be the first in Europe to use YouTube’s new Quick Launch template. What better way to announce that Domino’s is not just for dinner than with our own lunchtime video on the world’s most popular video site. We hope this will liven up the lunchtimes of UK YouTube users and encourage them to get their teeth into our great new menu.”

Domino’s new lunchtime menu features six new oven-baked subs. The range features a number of Domino’s top pizza toppings, plus a host of new filling choices, in a freshly baked ciabatta. Each sub is made to order in-store using fresh ingredients.

Grandma, Grandma Look In The Coop. The Chicken Just Laid her First Egg.

2010-08-31T14:05:00.005+01:00

There was much excitement earlier this afternoon at The Liverpool Micro Chicken Farm as we discovered that our little white Amber Star pullet had laid her first egg - and in the right place too!

We first got her back in the middle of May, when, we were told, she was about 9-10 weeks old. She was a lovely looking little thing, tho' when you picked her up she seemed about the size of a small dove.

For the first week or so, she, and the other new arrival, were terrorised by our last remaining Warren, but things soon calmed down and the girls have been getting along OK, but not without the occasional squabble.

The Warren stopped laying almost immediately the others arrived, probably induced by the stress, while the Speckeldy one, which looks like a Cuckoo Maran, promptly began laying lovely chocolate-coloured eggs that were rather small considering her size.

The three hens struggled through the heatwave in June, but at the start of July Speckeldy went broody, which we thought rather strange due to her young age. She was about 30 weeks old, and refused to move off the nesting box except under the most extreme provocation.

The internet proved invaluable as we tried all manner of things to bring her out of it and return things to normality, the most bizarre of which was giving her a bag of frozen peas to sit on. She turned her beak up at these, and just moved elsewhere in the coop.

As neither of the other chickens were laying, we decided to lock her out of the coop during the day time. She was out of sorts for a couple of days, but it seemed to do the trick and things have been fine for the last couple of weeks.

As the weather cooled down and all the three hens were looking a lot happier, the Amber Star had a growing spurt, developed a full comb and wattles, and we kept our fingers crossed that she was approaching Point of Lay.

As can be seen from the video above, she has now moved from being a juvenile to an adult and we wish her a long, happy and productive laying career as part of The Liverpool Micro Chicken Farm Ltd.

Please subscribe to our youTube channel, where you can keep up to date with our Tales From The Chicken Coop" or follow Trisha, the Warren on Facebook - yes our chicken does indeed have her own Facebook Profile.

Peppadew Bread for Beginners

2010-08-30T21:10:00.002+01:00

Here's another recipe from Stacey at Peppadew, but we reckon it would also be great flattened out and used as a pizza base.

What do you think?

Domino's Does Lunch! - See the new TV Advert Here

2010-08-25T20:04:00.002+01:00

Lots of Domino's Pizza outlets in the UK have traditionally only opened at the weekend for lunch, but now they are all open 7 days a week from 11am.

Pizza is a great lunchtime treat and is perfect for sharing with your work colleagues.

There is also a new range of oven-baked sandwiches which Domino's are pinning their hopes on, though I doubt Subway or McDonald's will be quaking in their boots.

But perhaps they should be, as Domino's are "The Pizza Delivery Experts" and lots of people are tied to their desks during their all-too-short lunch breaks and will really appreciate having their lunch without having to walk half a mile down the road.

"Not just another bloody panini" could prove to be a great strapline.

Domino's Pizza UK iPhone App

2010-08-23T15:00:00.004+01:00

Domino's Pizza UK have posted this video about their new iPhone App. You can download it from the App store and use it to place an order for delivery or collection from your local branch of Domino's Pizza.

It has some very fancy graphics, without forgetting the main purpose of the App, which is to order pizza, and is very intuitive to use.

It features Meal Deals, Halfie halfies and if you are unsure of what to choose there is even the option to randomly generate a 3 topping pizza. When I tried this out I had to politely decline the suggestion of Anchovy, Birdseye Chillis and Chorizo :-)

I like the way it remembers previous coupon codes so that you can use them again and again, and also the way it pretty much simulates the experience you get from the full-blown website.

We'd love to know what you think?

Domino's Pizza Employee- Rubik Cube Solved

2010-08-22T22:35:00.002+01:00

We came across this video recently of a Domino's Pizza employee "crushing" the Rubik Cube.

Or rather not!

Chicago Town Pizza Has The X-Factor.

2010-08-20T12:10:00.004+01:00

GET YOUR HANDS ON THE PIZZA THAT’S GUARANTEED TO BE A WINNER!

Are you as obsessed with The X Factor as the rest of the nation? Do your ‘Saturday nights out’, turn into ‘Saturday nights in’ between August and December? Have your days been dull since last year’s show ended?

If so, you’re going to love the guys at Chicago Town TAKEAWAY for bringing you the official The X Factor pizza!

This winning pizza will be in supermarket freezers from August - just in time for you to stock up, ready for this year’s show to hit your screens – and is guaranteed to tickle your tastebuds just as much as the show’s contestants tantalise your TV!

Made with Chicago Town TAKEAWAY’s famous fresh dough that rises in the oven and its delicious BBQ-stuffed crust, it’s topped with Ham, Sausage, Onion, Mozzarella, Red Cheddar and X-tra large Pepperoni – well, what did you expect? This is the only pizza with The X Factor!

You’d be forgiven for thinking nothing could make this better. But that’s where you’re wrong!

They’re also going to give you the opportunity to share your pizza with one of last year’s contestants. Yep, you heard right!

If the pizza alone wasn’t enough to get you excited, Chicago Town will be running a competition on its Facebook Page giving you the chance to win an intimate personal appearance from Danyl Johnson.

The super-hot singer will make his way to your very own living room and serenade you and your mates ‘til your heart’s content! And when he’s done with the singing, you can chat over the free pizza, nibbles and drinks the lovely people at Chicago Town will be throwing in too!

And it doesn’t stop there. The Chicago Town TAKEAWAY The X Factor pizza will also be running an on-pack promotion giving you the chance to win tickets to the live shows, plus The X Factor merchandise and Chicago Town Pizza Packs!

They sure know how to spoil you, don’t they?

First they gave you the Footie Feast - perfect to snack on while watching the World Cup - and now this… the only pizza with The X Factor!

Chicago Town TAKEAWAY – it’s the pizza that just keeps on giving.

Chicago Town TAKEAWAY The X Factor pizza will be in most supermarkets with RRP of £3.49.

Domino's Pizza UK iPhone App Progress Report

2010-08-18T23:29:00.004+01:00

Now You Know Why Domino's Pizza Delivery Drivers Wear Shorts!

2010-08-18T13:11:00.002+01:00

We came across this story from The Consumerist about a Domino's Pizza Delivery Driver going "the extra mile" in order to keep a customer satisfied.

We think it's a great example of how being customer-focussed can generate excellent Word of Mouth Publicity.

Read the comments below the article, especially the one about Strippers in the afternoon. I guess I went to the wrong college. We never got strippers at all, let alone in the afternoon!

Eating Pizza Can Save Your Life and Make You Healthier

2010-08-17T08:56:00.003+01:00

Andy, one of our more educated readers from Lincoln, Mass. sent me a link to an article in today's Guardian

A series of Italian research studies suggest that eating pizza might do good things for a person's health....(read on)

Personally, I have to say, from my biased standpoint, that owning a pizzeria is akin being in the bakery business - and nothing beats the smell of freshly-baked bread in the morning.

Fresh, wholesome toppings, 100% mozzarella cheese and dough made only from the classic 6 ingredients with no additives.

Just thinking about it is making me hungry for a pizza right now!

Domino's Pizza Ditches Halal Menu in Trial Stores

2010-08-16T20:26:00.003+01:00

Luckily my mum is an avid reader of The Daily Telegraph and she alerted me to this story about Domino's Pizza stopping its trial of a Halal-only menu in 3 stores due to poor sales

The chain enraged customers 18 months ago by completely removing pork from its pizzas in favour of halal-only meat at its branch in Hall Green, Birmingham.......Read the article here

For what it's worth, I am not surprised at the poor sales, and commend Domino's (and it's franchisees) for their bravery in both starting the trial in the first place and in stopping it when it became evident that it was not a commercial success.

Companies should engender a culture of not being afraid to make mistakes, as only by learning from them do you become better and stronger in the long run.

History is littered with examples of companies and their mistakes like the Ford Edsel, New Coke, The Oreo Dessert Pizza, McDonald's Hulaburger and the Sony Betamax.

Yet the companies behind these are all among the most successful in the World, because they were not afraid of failure and knew how to deal with it when they encountered it.

Indeed, the enormously successful Domino's Chocolate Lavacake was born out of the failures of the Oreo pizza, which identified a market for a dessert pizza and the comical Fudgems. Who can forget the advert where the little girl looks like she has just been covered in poo by the supposedly adorable Fudgem?

So instead of quietly chortling at Domino's Halal "mistake", we should be praising them for their bravery in pushing boundaries and exploring new marketing opportunities.

Who knows, people one day may look back and laugh at those unbelievers who can see no future for Oven-baked Subs which have been launched to a fanfare of publicity as the latest menu's headline product and supported by hundreds of thousands of pounds of Franchisees Marketing Fund Contributions. Or maybe they won't!

Personally I hope they're a huge success and prove to be the final nail in Subway's coffin (to quote a Domino's Senior manager).

What do you think?

Domino's Pizza Delivers Breakfast in Bed as Manchester All Saints Store Opens 24/7

2010-08-16T19:25:00.002+01:00

Residents of Central Manchester who fancy breakfast in bed are in for a treat as Domino’s Pizza in Grosvenor Street, Manchester, is now delivering just that – delicious, hot sweetcured back bacon, sausage and egg subs, Lavazza coffee and even pizza. The store, which is open 24 hours each day, will deliver a piping hot breakfast sub and a coffee to your door for just £7.99 or two of each for £14.00.

Store manager Steve Cubitt, currently Domino’s International Manager of the Year, said: “We are already open until 5am, but could see that there was a big demand for a tasty Domino’s breakfast – so we’ve increased our opening hours and made one available.

“Residents and office workers within the Central Manchester area can now order their breakfast from us and we’ll get it delivered right to the door. And if you fancy pizza for breakfast – no problem! We’ll deliver that too!”

The store will be sampling its new hot breakfast subs around the Manchester area throughout the week commencing August 16.

The hot breakfast subs are available with any combination of sweetcured back bacon, sausage and egg and come with a sachet of HP Sauce and one of Heinz Tomato Ketchup. Delivery is available to anyone currently within the Manchester City Centre store’s delivery area and the store can be contacted on 0161 273 5666.

A sub and a coffee delivered will cost £7.99, or £4.99 if you collect it from the store, and customers can order online too.

Domino's Pizza UK - Special Offer - Any Pizza Any Size Just £9.99

2010-08-13T18:25:00.002+01:00

What can I add except to say that it is valid until August 15th 2010?

You can order by phoning your local store or online

There's an iPhone App coming shortly, but I'm told by my moles that it's not quite ready yet. but will be very very soon. Watch this space.

There are the usual Terms and Conditions, I suppose. It can't be used with any other special offer. While stocks last. Participating Outlets only. Regular or Thin Crust Only. A premium will be charged for Dominator or Double Decadence bases. Order a pizza from the menu or Create Your Own with up to 5 toppings.

Err that's it!

Easier than Easy Peppadew Pizza

2010-08-11T11:59:00.002+01:00

You might think that here at Pizzas and Stuff we are couch potatoes who just sit in front of our iPads all day, waiting for our next pizza to be delivered.

Well that's only partly true. Occasionally, we believe it is within our remit to also show that it is actually possible to make your own pizza from scratch.

And how nice they can be when you do!

Here's Stacey, from our good friends over at Peppadew UK showing us how we can make "Easier than Easy Peppadew Pizza"

And if that whetted your tastebuds and you fancy some dessert then take a look at Stacey making Peppadew cheesecake

Domino's Pizza UK Special Offer - Any Pizza Any Size Only £9.99

2010-08-11T11:49:00.003+01:00

What can I add except to say that it is valid until September 12th 2010?

You can order by phoning your local store or online

There's an iPhone App coming shortly, but I'm told by my moles that it's not quite ready yet. but will be very very soon. Watch this space.

Err that's it!

Someone Feed That Man - Steve Jobs Gets Turned Away From SF Pizzeria

2010-08-05T20:51:00.003+01:00

Andy, one of our readers from Lincoln,Mass. sent me a link from Cult of the Mac on this "slow news day" story about our Steve getting turned away from a SF Pizzeria recently.

While the story itself is unremarkable, the post contains a nice list (with links) of some half-decent pizza restaurants in San Francisco.

Enjoy!

Local Domino's Pizza Manager Wins Global Award

2010-08-04T14:19:00.002+01:00

Out of 9,000 Domino’s pizza shop managers in 60 countries, Steve Cubitt has been crowned the best.......(Read the story from The Manchester Evening News)

Well done Steve.

Although I don't know you personally I was honoured to be present at the Rally in Las Vegas celebrating Domino's Pizza's 50th Annversary when your award was announced.

They showed a video biography which demonstrated your passion to be the best and to strive to improve continually. It made me proud to be a Dominoid!

You are doing a great job in All Saints.

Keep it up!

How to Deal With Negative Online Customer Feedback About Your Pizza Shop - Two Contrasting Approaches

2010-08-04T11:20:00.005+01:00

Joel Latondress, an IT worker who writes a recipe blog and likes to dine out, ordered a margherita pizza at Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale on Saturday night.

After he left a review about it in Yelp, the online review site, he was rather surprised at the response he got from the Pizza Shop Owner Amy - (although it has now been removed due to the amount of interest from the media, you can still read the other posts).

Read the story here (Case Study A)

For what its worth, my opinion is that if you want to operate a business these days you have to appreciate the power of the customer to give feedback that is instantly available to the whole World, and you should learn to turn it to your advantage in the way that Chicago Domino's Pizza Franchisee Ramon deLeon did in 2009 (Case Study B)

Read how he turned a negative online review into such a positive outcome here (a Blogpost that has been linked to over 3,000 times!) and watch the famous video apology (seen over 15,000 times!)

I'll leave it up to you to decide the best way to respond to customer feedback

Oh, and just to show you how seriously I take Customer Service, we had the opportunity last year to ourselves "go the extra mile" and resolve a complaint using Social Media.

Enjoy!

Weightwatchers Rhubarb and Raspberry Crumble

2010-08-01T19:15:00.003+01:00

This year we have been experimenting with growing our own fruit and vegetables on a very small scale, and we today we finally had enough rhubarb stalks to do something with.

As both me and Mrs PizzasandStuff are on permanent diets we hunted down a recipe for a reduced-fat crumble and soon came across the one below on the WeightWatchers website, which is a great resource whether you follow their diet or not.

At the time of writing we are just waiting to pop into the oven, so I will report back later on it's taste! We haven't split into individual ramekins as there are 4 hungry people waiting to gobble it up!

Update 1 hour later

Grandson No1 described it as like a Haribo Tangfastic, which we deem to be a positive. Perhaps a touch less ginger and a little more sweetener.

Cut 450g rhubarb into long sticks. Pop into a saucepan and add a tablespoon of water. Sweeten to taste with 4 tsp of artificial sweetener. Cook until tender.

Divide between four ramekins and top each with 1 tbsp raspberries and a sprinkling of finely chopped fresh root ginger.

Mix together 75g oats, 25g plain flour and 15g flaked almonds. Stir in 3tbsp of vegetable oil. Sprinkle over the crumble then cook in a preheated 180°C / fan oven 160°C / Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes.

Cool and freeze. Serve with natural low fat yogurt.

2½ POINTS values per portion, without yogurt

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Easy Peasy Raspberry Jam

2010-07-30T20:57:00.002+01:00

Earlier this week I came across a great article in The Guardian about Jam-making.

Anyway it had loads of info about the art of jam-making in general and then a really easy recipe for Raspberry Jam which I have reposted below.

If you've never made jam before, this is a good place to start. Raspberry jam is the easiest and quickest of all jams to make, and one of the most delicious. Loganberries, boysenberries or tayberries may be used in this recipe, too. Because it uses equal amounts of sugar and fruit, you don't necessarily need as much as the recipe calls for. Sometimes when I'm trying to take the mystery out of jam-making for students, I put some scones into the oven, then make jam, and by the time the scones are out of the oven, the jam is made. It's that easy!

Makes 3 450g (1lb) pots.

900g (2lb) fresh or frozen berries
900g (2lb) white sugar, warmed
(use 110g/4oz less if the fruit is very sweet)

Wash, dry and sterilise the jars in the oven for 15 minutes. Put the berries into a wide, stainless-steel saucepan. Mash them a little and cook for 3–4 minutes over a medium heat until the juice begins to run, then add the warmed sugar and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Increase the heat, bring to the boil and cook steadily for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently (frozen berries will take 6 minutes).

Test for a set by putting about a teaspoon of jam on a cold plate and leaving it for a few minutes in a cool place. Press the jam with your index finger. If it wrinkles even slightly, it is set. Remove from the heat immediately. Skim and pour into sterilised jam jars. Cover immediately.

Keep the jam in a cool place or put on a shelf in your kitchen so you can feel great every time you look at it! Anyway, it will be so delicious it won't last long!

And it tastes fantabulous!

Easy Peasy Peppadew Cheesecake

2010-07-26T17:35:00.002+01:00

Our friends over at Peppadew UK have come up with this great recipe for an Easy Peasy Peppadew Cheesecake using Goldews - the mildly sweet and sour version of the more famous Peppadew Pepper.

You can find out more about the Peppadew community by Liking them on Facebook

Sit back and relax while watching the delectable Stacey dish up this delicious dessert!

Are Electric Curtains Really Necessary?

2010-07-24T17:42:00.003+01:00

We'd been in Las Vegas for a week for the Domino's Pizza 50th Anniversary Celebrations when we finally worked out how to open our curtains!

Joking aside, how much money is wasted on electricity for these things, when there are many more things that should have money spent on them?

Oh and if you click on the video you also get to see me without many clothes on (sort of!)

Las Vegas Isn't Just For Losers!

2010-07-24T16:51:00.002+01:00

We were in Sin City for the Domino's Pizza 50th Birthday Celebrations and, scared of joining the big boys on the Roulette, Craps or Blackjack tables, satisfied our urge to see what its all about by playing a little video poker at the Wynn/Encore.

And for one short moment, we felt we were onto something big as the opportunity arose for a life-changing "turn of the cards" came about.

Here is our story....

Top That - Domino's UK Wins World's Fastest Pizza Maker Competition

2010-07-23T21:24:00.004+01:00

In Las Vegas July 22, 2010, amidst 6,000 cheering spectators, Domino’s Pizza named Pali Grewal the 2010 World’s Fastest Pizza Maker. Grewal, a Domino’s franchisee from the United Kingdom made three large pizzas in an impressive 39.1 seconds, setting a new world record. That’s making three pizzas in 13 seconds each! Pali, Domino’s first international winner, won $3,000 in prize money, a trophy and the coveted title of Fastest Pizza Maker presented by Domino’s President and CEO, J. Patrick Doyle.

“I’ve been hungry for this title for such a long time and it is just awesome to finally win it,” said Grewal. “Like any great athlete, I’ve been practising and practising and now I am going to take a day off.”

The finalists represented Domino’s Pizza stores from around the world, as far away as Malaysia. They had to hand-stretch fresh dough, pizza sauce and top three large pizzas – one pepperoni, one mushroom and one cheese – as quickly as possible.

While speed was important, it was only part of the recipe. Quality was scrutinised as two judges highly qualified in Domino’s standard pizza-making practices, inspected the stretching of the dough, application of the sauce and portioning of toppings during the competition. If the pizza was not perfect, it was returned to the competitor who remade the entire pizza, while still being timed.

Grewal, a multi store franchisee from Surrey has been with Domino’s for over 18 years. Grewal has been making pizzas since he was 13 years old.

Domino’s began the “World’s Fastest Pizza Maker” competition in 1982 to honour pizza makers who best exemplify the company’s philosophy of keeping efficiency in the store to allow sufficient time for safe, timely pizza delivery.

“Domino’s Pizza is extremely proud to employ the fastest pizza makers in the world,” said Doyle. “Our emphasis is on the quality of the pizza, while also using our expertise to get them made quickly. The goal for everyone in our stores is to get hot, great-tasting pizzas to customers’ doors as quickly as possible. The annual ‘World’s Fastest Pizza Maker’ competition recognizes those who do this with the speed of champions every day.”

Wazuzu Las Vegas Rocks Due to The Power of Twitter

2010-07-19T16:05:00.007+01:00

If you only go out for one meal during your stay in Las Vegas then may I heartily recommend Wazuzu in The Encore.

Nicola and Imelda, two of our Twitter friends, had visited a few months ago and positively insisted that we pay Chef Jet Tila and his team a visit, while in town for the Domino's Pizza 50th Birthday Party, with our good friends Andy and Lisa.

After a few Tweets back and forth to Jet, we knew it was going to be something special.

@NicolaMac @LincolnMOD @simonpickles @wazuzuLV lemme know when they visit @wazuzuLV I'll roll out the red carpet!less than a minute ago via UberTwitterjettila
jettila

The quality of the photos does not do the food justice, so many apologies for that, but the whole experience really was exquisite.

We has Sushi for starters.

Our server Waymon was attentive throughout and very knowledgeable about the food.

Then, having Tweeted Mike at Tasting Las Vegas to find out more about the food from someone with local knowledge, he came back with the following suggestions.

@simonpickles The Drunken Noodles (I like beef) and the Panang Curry w/ Roti are must gets. @jettila's crew will treat you good.less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhoneMike
TastingLasVegas

And what great suggestions they were. The portion sizes were massive, the Jasmine Rice had the right consistency, and (as usual) the wine flowed!

This is the Penang Curry.

And finally here are the Drunken Beef Noodles!

So all that remains to be said is thank you to Jet Tila again, for rolling out the red carpet, to his brilliant team for making the evening so enjoyable, and to Mike at Tasting Las Vegas for the menu suggestions.

So if ever you're in town you must try out Wazuzu in The Encore!

Domino's Pizza Huyton Leads the Way with Foursquare Promotion and Gains International Recognition

2010-07-14T21:03:00.003+01:00

Domino's credits Facebook and Foursquare promotions for lifting online sales by 61 percent in the U.K. and Ireland during the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2009. The international pizza chain also announced on Monday that web-based sales now account for 33 percent of its revenue, compared to 26 percent in 2009..... (Read the Full Article here)

With much gratitude to my new TwitterBuddy Chris Heine at Clickz for writing about us in such a nice way.

VendrTV Finds Out About Mobile Pizza of the Highest Quality in Seattle

2010-07-14T20:58:00.002+01:00

Nestled in the Pike Place market is Veraci Pizza, a mobile pizza outfit burning apple wood and making just the most delicious Neapolitan pies.In the episode, Dan spoke with owner Marshall Jett about his business and learns the ins and outs of cooking pizza

Domino's Pizza Credits 29% Profits Increase to Social Media Presence

2010-07-12T19:32:00.003+01:00

Domino's Pizza has attributed strong growth in online sales to its use of promotions on location-based mobile application Foursquare and social media after revealing a 29% surge in pre-tax profits to £17.5m....... (Read More)

(Marketing Week)

Pizza Shop Owner Cycles to New York to Advocate Pizza Diet

2010-07-07T19:06:00.001+01:00

Matt McClellan, 33, a Florida pizza shop owner, cycled from St. Petersburg, FL. to New York eating nothing but pizzas.....

Read the full story here

Dunelm Mill St Helens Sets the Standard with Great Customer Service

2010-07-05T21:44:00.002+01:00

This story from The St Helens Star speaks for itself.

Going Above And Beyond the Call Of Duty.

Another great example of the Power of Word of Mouth.

Simon Wallis Joins Domino's Pizza as UK Sales & Marketing Director

2010-06-27T10:46:00.003+01:00

Simon Wallis has joined Domino’s Pizza as Sales and Marketing Director.

Simon previously worked as Senior Director of Marketing UK and EMEA for Papa John’s and brings with him a wealth of experience from this role and previous positions at Pizza Hut and KFC. In his new role at Domino’s, Simon is responsible for sales and marketing activity for both the UK and Ireland.

Chris Moore, Chief Executive of Domino’s Pizza, said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon to Domino’s. We’re sure his knowledge and expertise will be a great asset to our business and help to drive our marketing forward as the Company continues to grow.”

Simon Wallis, Domino’s new Sales and Marketing Director, added: “Domino’s is the best pizza delivery business – not just in the UK, but anywhere in the world and I’m very pleased to be onboard. The brand has achieved phenomenal sales success in the past few years and I’m looking forward to being part of the continued growth and development of the Company. It’s an exciting time to be joining Domino’s and I’m already relishing the challenge!”

For more information on Domino’s Pizza, log onto www.dominos.co.uk.

Domino's Pizza Top Father's Day Gift Ideas

2010-06-18T12:31:00.001+01:00

Here's some perfect ideas for Father's Day presents for the man who has everything.

- Socks – it’s a classic idea and something that no-one can never have enough of

- Chore credits – write a ‘cheque book’ of chore credits for tasks such as mowing the lawn that you’ll do for Dad

- Ties – another classic but it’s also a great excuse to get rid of dodgy novelty ties that may be lurking in his wardrobe

- DVDs – whether he’s a Trekkie or a Gleek, he’ll need something to watch in between the football

- An activity day – send him off to drive a supercar or push him over the edge with a day’s zorbing

- CDs – there’s always a special compilation CD for such occasions. Take a look at the latest tunes for Dads or make your own if his taste is a little unique

- Treat Dad to dinner in his favourite armchair by ordering a Domino’s Pizza for delivery. It’ll also save on washing up!

Domino's Pizza UK Scoops Silver at BFA Awards

2010-06-09T09:59:00.002+01:00

Domino’s Pizza, the pizza delivery expert, has scooped silver in the prestigious British Franchise Association (BFA) HSBC Franchise Awards 2010. Domino’s won the silver award within the Franchisor of the Year category.

The BFA HSBC Awards recognise franchisors who are leading the way and demonstrating best practice in the industry. Finalists are judged on their strategies, developments and achievements and Domino’s was presented the silver Franchisor of the Year award based on its continued impressive growth, ambitious future plans and the comprehensive support it provides for its 135 franchisees in the UK and Ireland.

Andy Hirst, head of franchise development at Domino’s, said: “We are delighted to have won the silver in these prestigious awards, which recognise the country’s top franchisors. We’re really proud of the very successful franchise model we provide for our franchisees and to scoop the silver is a fantastic achievement and a great accolade in our 25th anniversary year.”

Celebrating 25 successful years in the UK, Domino’s Pizza offers an ideal opportunity for anyone wishing to take their career in a new and tasty direction. For more details on franchising opportunities with Domino’s, log on here

KLM Advertise Their Economy Comfort Class in a Novel Way

2010-06-03T16:17:00.002+01:00

If you want to generate talkaboutability for the amazing levels of seating comfort offered by your airline, then what better way than to advertise on an airport concourse with literally thousands of passing customers who are about to get onto, or who have just got off from, an aeroplane with restricted space between the seats?

Look how many people are taking photographs and videos ready to upload to their blogs, Twitter or Facebook.

And then film the event yourself, upload it to youTube and allow it to "go viral".

If only it were that simple.

Domino's Pizza Launches National Foursquare Promotion

2010-06-02T20:11:00.002+01:00

Domino’s Pizza, the UK’s leading pizza delivery company, has teamed up with social media location application Foursquare to offer Foursquare users both discounts for all and a special free pizza offer for the mayor of any Domino’s store.

With immediate effect, every Wednesday will see the mayor of any Domino’s store receive a free small pizza. In addition, any Foursquare user who checks in at a Domino’s store and spends over £10 will receive a free garlic pizza bread.

The deal was arranged web company Vexed, one of Domino’s digital agencies.

Chris Moore, CEO of Domino’s Pizza, said: “Our customers are heavy users of social media, so it makes sense for us to communicate with them in this way. Following the success of our recent Facebook superfan initiative and affiliates’ widget, Foursquare was the obvious next step.

“Our franchisees up and down the country are looking forward to welcoming their mayors every day of the week – but especially on Wednesdays when we will be cementing the relationship with a free small pizza.”

Domino's Pizza Huyton Does Foursquare - FREE Pizza Every Week For The Mayor

2010-05-22T17:38:00.001+01:00

Is there only me entering these Internet Competitions or what?

2010-05-20T19:28:00.002+01:00

Well I was more than excited earlier this week to see my name on a Tweet from @doritosuk telling me I'd won a small prize in a competition I'd entered the previous week - a case of Doritos and Odeon cinema tickets.

Well, after last week's £100 of Pizza Express vouchers (see the video of our visit here), and being unable to decide if I am incredibly talented, just plain lucky or if there were so few entrants that a prize was inevitable, I have decided to undertake some further research.

Are there companies out there so desperate to grow their online following that they offer prizes that exceed the norm, and if so, where can I find out about these competitions?

I will report back, so watch this space.

Let's have a winning start to the week. Simon Pickles, Christine Wilson, @kevinwj , Sarah Wittington, Andy McKay and @beffff Congratulationsless than a minute ago via webDoritos
doritosuk

Naples' Pizzeria Ovens Fuelled by Wood From An Unusual Source

2010-05-18T17:11:00.003+01:00

You couldn't make it up!

Oh how we laughed this morning when we saw a story in The Daily Telegraph about Neapolitan Pizzerias using wood from coffins in their traditional ovens.

Read it here.

And if you still fancy a trip to the home of pizza this summer then why not read our posts about The Best Pizzeria in Italy or The Best Pizza in The World?

Election Night Party at Pizza Express Millbank Nearly Graced With Presence of Renowned Pizza Blogger

2010-05-14T22:39:00.000+01:00

Mrs Pizzasand Stuff and I are big fans of Pizza Express so we are more than excited about winning a competition recently on Twitter for a Meal for Four at their Flagship Restaurant at London, Millbank close to the Headquarters of the UK's main political parties.

Congratulations @simonpickles for winning his own seat at tonight's Election night at Millbank!less than a minute ago via webPizzaExpress
PizzaExpress

However, as we live nearly 200 miles away we were kindly allowed to transfer our prize to a restaurant nearer our home, and below is a short video about our visit.

To those of you who cannot sit through 42 seconds of pizza porn, the upshot is that we had a great time, were looked after superbly and ate the best quality food.

Guys, you rock!

Domino's Pizza Huyton and St Helens - The Lunch Specialists

2010-05-12T01:11:00.005+01:00

Domino's Pizza St Helens and Huyton specialise in Lunch Orders. Whether they are big or small, for personal or business customers, we can assure you that our years of expertise will go to making your order go as smoothly as possible.

You can order by telephone or over the internet.

Using only fresh ingredients, each order is individually hand-made and can be customised to your requirements.

We can provide cups for your drinks, napkins, paper plates and dips to make your meal go as smoothly as possible and mean there is minimal mess to clean up.

For more information please phone the shops on 01744 733 566 or 0151 449 0449

TOP THAT – DOMINO’S UK CROWNED FASTEST PIZZA MAKERS IN EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

2010-05-12T00:08:00.000+01:00

Three Domino’s pizza makers from Bristol, London and Leicester have beaten off stiff competition from across the globe to scoop the title of Domino’s Fastest Pizza Makers in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

The two-day competition, which took place in Amsterdam this week, saw Vijay Chauhan from Bristol, Pali Grewal from London and Prem Singh from Leicester competing against Domino’s pizza makers from all over EMEA in a bid to clinch the title. Each country has been holding their own heats with the fastest eight going through to the EMEA finals.

To take part, each pizza maker had to make three large pizzas from scratch – stretching the dough, saucing and cheesing them and then adding toppings of pepperoni and mushrooms. All the pizzas had to be made to standard in as fast a time as possible. Pali scored a blisteringly quick time of 50 seconds, closely followed by Vijay with 53 seconds and Prem with 63 seconds.

Pali and Vijay will now compete against the 12 fastest pizza makers chosen from 9,000 Domino’s stores across the globe in the world final taking place in Las Vegas in July.

Pali Grewal said: “We’ve been practising hard for the competition and for us to scoop the EMEA title is a fantastic achievement. Vijay and I can’t wait to get to Vegas. The world final is going to be a great event and we’re leaving a space in our suitcases so we can bring back the trophy!”

How to Reach Out to Your Customers In The Digital Age

2010-05-09T15:54:00.007+01:00

As part of my extensive and ongoing research into the various ways that companies use to communicate with their customers, especially in the Digital Age, I came across the website, Facebook Page and Twitter Account of Peppadew.

Peppadew Peppers are a range of whole, sweet, piquante peppers, with a mild, hot and golden variety. They are unlike anything you will have tasted before and totally addictive. Domino's Pizza currently use them as a topping on The Big Smoky.

You may have seen them on the shelves of the major supermarkets, though sometimes they are hidden away. You can usually find them near the olives.

The innovative nature of the Peppadew Online Presence, in my opinion, is how they are trying to get their customers to interact with their brand and thus become Word of Mouth Promoters. Several years ago it would have been unheard to ask your customers to send in a video of yourself using that product. But now it seems as if this will be the future.

Here is the Tweet from Peppadew, promoting their competition to find The Face of Peppadew

Check out our new competition: upload your Peppadew picture or video and win! http://bit.ly/bujpdMless than a minute ago via TweetDeckPeppadew
peppadew_uk

Indeed in our online, connected world, businesses will come to rely on Word of Mouth communication more and more as traditional methods of broadcast media go into decline.

Doritos are in the final stages of judging their King of Ads Competition, where customers make an advert for the tasty corn snack, and Peppadew, as mentioned, are asking customers to send in a video of their favourite recipe that contains the eponymous Sweet Chilli Pepper.

And no longer is it necessary to own an expensive handheld Video Camera and have a degree in Media Studies from Skelmersdale Poly in order to make a video worthy of praise. The iPhone 3Gs and many other Smartphones all contain Video Cameras that will deliver more than acceptable results.

Couple that to iMovie or MovieMaker Software on your Computer and within minutes you can produce finished videos, with text, special effects, voiceovers and the like that cannot fail to impress your friends, colleagues, or in this case, judges.

Gone are the days of "Answers on a Postcard" competitons. In our online connected digital word it's all about interaction!

And long may it stay that way.

Below is my effort for the Peppadew competition. I would be surprised if it makes it to the shortlist, however it took only about 30 minutes to edit. The footage was shot while I was doing what I would have been doing anyway, and lots of fun was had along the way, as well as lots of wine being drunk, due to that particular shot needing about 17 retakes!

Dave Thackeray Says - Don't Be A Generalist - Specialise

2010-05-08T23:09:00.004+01:00

Well it hasn't got a direct link to pizza, except that it has, of course, if you are in the business of promoting your pizza empire.

This guy has some interesting points.

His name is Dave Thackeray and you can subscribe to his youTube channel here

There is some great stuff on his Twitter page too. Take a look!

Want to know how to start blogging? Got 60 seconds? Lorelle VanFossen's here to help: http://bit.ly/bffdPj // I think I love her!less than a minute ago via TweetDeckDave Thackeray
davethackeray

Naples Pizza Makers Celebrate EU Trademark Status

2010-05-07T13:33:00.003+01:00

There was rejoicing on the streets of Naples, Italy recently when the EU granted the City recognition of its unique pizza heritage and protection of its right to use the description "Neopolitan Pizza".

The story was widely reported at the time, including this report from the BBC.....

As real pizza fanatics we are ever hopeful that the EU will also take a stance against those purveyors of frozen pizza that incorporate the names of American cities into their titles!

Pizza Express Runs UK Election PR Campaign

2010-05-05T20:12:00.002+01:00

Working with Pizza Express head chef Antonio Romano, Unity created a ‘political pizza portrait of Britain'.

The toppings include caviar, apparently representing ‘the debate about class and equal opportunities', and dough balls to represent the national deficit.

These themes were informed by a YouGov poll commissioned by Unity to uncover the key issues facing the electorate.

The pizzas will be available at selected Pizza Express outlets for a limited time.

Unity co-founder Gerry Hopkinson said the agency's task was to create ‘fresh brand engagement ideas that encompass media relations, brand innovation, experiential, digital social media and influencer marketing'.

As part of the same campaign, the agency produced pizza portraits of the three main political leaders, with ingredients representing their characters. The Gordon Brown pizza includes fiery chilli and ground beef, David Cameron is represented by cheese and rocket, while Nick Clegg's pizza features fresh tomatoes and spicy sausage.

Unity has developed a spin-off Twitter campaign and worked with the in-house team to deliver pizzas to the three main political parties, media and influencers.

Pizza Express has not had a retained PR agency for four years, but has used Unity and Frank for project work.

This article first appeared in PR Week

Domino's Pizza Shortlisted for BFA Awards

2010-05-05T14:44:00.000+01:00

Domino’s Pizza, the pizza delivery expert, has been announced as a finalist in the prestigious British Franchise Association (BFA) HSBC Franchise Awards 2010. Domino’s has been shortlisted as Franchisor of the Year.

The BFA HSBC Awards recognise franchisors who are leading the way and demonstrating best practice in the industry.

Finalists are judged on their strategies, developments and achievements and Domino’s has been shortlisted based on its continued impressive growth, ambitious future plans and the comprehensive support it provides for its 135 franchisees in the UK and Ireland.

Andy Hirst, head of franchise development at Domino’s, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for these prestigious awards, which recognise the country’s top franchisors. We’re really proud of the very successful franchise model we provide for our franchisees and being chosen as a finalist by the BFA is a great achievement. Domino’s is celebrating its 25th anniversary here in the UK this year so scooping the Franchisor of the Year Award really would be the icing on the cake – or the pepperoni on our pizza!”

Winners of the BFA HSBC Franchise Awards 2010 will be announced at the gala dinner in Nottingham on June 2, 2010.

Real Pizza #2 - Thanks to Food 52

2010-05-04T22:15:00.003+01:00

I have to admit to knowing very little about the Food 52 Website and Community and so am grateful to Slice the Pizza Blog for letting me know that they have declared this week to be Pizza Week.

Some of the recipes they have posted look absolutely scrumptious.

Why not try one yourself and let us know what you think?

Italy's Pizza Police Leave No Stone Unturned In Their Quest for Real Pizza

2010-05-04T21:58:00.005+01:00

It's an old article from The Times but I believe it's still worth reminding everyone of...

Pizzas, the Italian Government has decreed, are made with a thin crust, fresh plum or cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. Basil, oregano, garlic and olive oil are acceptable toppings but everything else is an affront to Italian cuisine.
An announcement in the Official Gazette — normally reserved for rather drier government regulations — confirmed that the Government is going on the offensive after 20 years of gastronomic hand-wringing about inferior imitations of Italian food.... (read more)

Cheers to Phil for the picture of his lovely home-created pizza which inspired me to look into the history of Real Pizza, which apparently I have never tasted before!

RT:via procphil: @simonpickles Have you seen a REAL pizza before Simon? http://yfrog.com/1xivljless than a minute ago via YfrogSimon Pickles
simonpickles

California Pizza Kitchen Introduces the Cheeseburger Pizza

2010-05-04T21:35:00.004+01:00

A great big thanks goes out to two of our readers from Portland Oregon, Nicola and Imelda, for letting us know about the latest offering from California Pizza Kitchen - The Limited Edition Cheeseburger Pizza.

According to the CPK website it consists of Ground Angus beef, caramelized sweet onions, Mozzarella and American cheeses, hearth-baked, then topped with Roma tomatoes and chilled shredded lettuce tossed in our secret sauce. You can add applewood smoked bacon and add fresh avocado, if that is what takes your fancy.

There are two pictures below, one from the CPK website and one of their menu. Is it the same pizza? Certainly the lower image looks more like the description above, but then again the picture from the menu says that is what it is too.

Can anyone enlighten us?

And has anyone tried one? To me, a burger and pizza lover, it sounds like heaven.

Please tell us what you think?

Or contact me via Twitter if you know of any other weird and wonderful creations out there in the Pizza world.

Online Ordering Leader Papa John's First to Surpass $2 Billion in Online Sales

2010-05-03T23:05:00.000+01:00

Papa John's International, Inc. (PZZA 28.74, -0.03, -0.09%) -- which in 2001 was the first national pizza company to offer online ordering, at www.papajohns.com -- today surpassed $2 billion in online ordering pizza sales, reaching the milestone less than two years after becoming the first pizza company to eclipse $1 billion.

After hitting the $1 billion mark in 2008, Papa John's predicted it would take another three years to double that number. Yet, through constant improvements to the Website and the ordering experience -- such as 24/7 online ordering availability, a Spanish version of the Website and a Mobile website for ordering (mobile.papajohns.com) -- Papa John's has surpassed the mark faster than any pizza company worldwide.

"It has long been a priority at Papa John's to not only provide a quality pizza to our customers, but also provide them with quality, convenient high-tech resources to order pizza," said Jim Ensign, Papa John's Vice President, Digital Marketing. "As more and more people become dependent upon their computers and mobile devices to simplify their lives, our online ordering system has kept pace. This latest milestone of reaching $2 billion in online orders within two years of reaching the first billion proves that consumers are increasingly using alternative methods for purchases, and we look forward to growing our technology suite to fit consumers' evolving purchasing trends."

Papa John's online sales have grown exponentially since 2001, with online sales on average growing more than 50 percent each year through 2007 and steadily rising every year since. Today, more than 25 percent of all Papa John's sales come online or through text, widget, or mobile device, and the company believes sales via alternative access channels could one day surpass traditional telephone orders.

Since first offering online ordering in 2001, Papa John's continues to innovate in the online space including:

-- A Facebook "Fan" page, which includes more than 1.1 million fans

-- Over $17 million in Mobile web sales since launch in late 2008

-- Plan ahead ordering, allowing customers to place orders up to 21 days in advance

-- 24/7 online ordering, letting customers log on outside of business hours to place their orders

-- "Repeat Last Order" function, replicating a customer's most recent order with just one click

The Best Pizzeria in The World?

2010-05-02T08:06:00.004+01:00

After our recent link to an article in The Guardian, avid reader (and self -proclaimed pizza fanatic) Andrew from Lincoln,Mass. contacted us to disagree with the assertion that Pizzeria Ana in Agripoli served the best pizzas in Italy.

He countered that the reputation of the World-famous L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele is more than deserved.

Featuring as a central venue in the book and film Eat,Pray Love if you choose to dine here you will be following in the footsteps of many celebrities and foodies before you.

Tucked away on a side street (Finding it is part of the fun!), there is either a queue to get in, or you may be asked to share a table with strangers (Pizza is the international language of friendship!).

Andy says that on his visit he had The Margarita while his lovely lady wife Lisa chose The Marinari. Normal size is more than enough for one. The wine list is excellent too I am told.

Indeed Andy's opinion is more than backed up by all the people who have submitted reviews on Tripadvisor.

Some people may find it too busy and chaotic for their liking, but show me a pizzeria that is busy from Open 'til Close and you can be guaranteed that they are doing most things right.

Directions, opening times and other details are here on the Contact Us tab.

If you've been here please leave your comments below.

The Best Pizzeria in Italy?

2010-05-01T16:51:00.002+01:00

Guardian Travel Writer Mike McDowall sets off on a quest to see if this, as he was told, is indeed the best pizzeria in Italy.

Declaring a restaurant "the Best" is always going to be subjective, but if you'd like to find out why Mike thinks this is true then read his article from The Guardian on May 1st 2010.

We think you might agree.

A Great Example of Pizza Guerilla Marketing from Siggy Willberg - Domino's Pizza Legend

2010-04-27T17:51:00.004+01:00

You don't need a degree in Marketing to spot a great opportunity when one arises. But you do need to be ready to act at a moment's notice and put your plan into action.

That's what happened when Domino's Pizza Swindon Franchisee, and true Dominoid, Siggy Willberg saw a vacant advertising hoarding near a local branch of Pizza Hut in the town.

Within a week of the spot becoming available the advert was in place, and .... Ker-ching!

The eagle-eyed among our readers will also notice that the Dry Cleaners is currently doing a Special of 5 items for £14. Compare and contrast!

CCTV Footage - Suspect in Burglary at Domino's Pizza St Albans

2010-04-27T16:35:00.003+01:00

Hertfordshire Police have released this CCTV footage of a man who is believed to have stolen a handbag from Dominos Pizza in St Albans.

The incident took place at the store in London Road at around 4pm on Friday, April 2. A man entered the staff area at the rear of the shop where it is believed he took a handbag,

DC Angelina Wade is investigating and said: We are appealing to anyone who believes they recognise this man or has any information about the incident. You might have seen him in the area at the time of the offence.

So, please take a good look at this man and If you do recognise him, contact Hertfordshire Police on 0845 33 00 222, quoting crime reference F1/10/1321.

Papa John's Pizza Appoints co-CEO

2010-04-23T13:12:00.001+01:00

Papa John's International Inc. has promoted company President Jude Thompson to share the role of chief executive officer with the pizza chain's founder and chairman, John Schnatter.

Schnatter said Thursday that Thompson's promotion will allow the two to divide CEO-level responsibilities in a way that the board thinks plays to their strengths.

Schnatter will continue to focus on the company's sourcing of ingredients, distribution and product quality. He'll also remain the brand's spokesman.

Thompson will be responsible for all other aspects of the day-to-day operations.
Schnatter has served in several executive capacities since starting the pizza company in 1984.

Thompson joined the Papa John's board in 2008 and was appointed president and chief operating officer in April 2009.

Louisville-based Papa John's is the world's third-largest pizza company

The Mexican Sizzler - Britain's Most Talented Pizza!

2010-04-20T20:09:00.002+01:00

The Mexican Sizzler is a spicy combination of chicken fajita slices, crunchy tortillas, green peppers, red peppers and jalapenos on Domino’s classic fresh dough base with vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100% mozzarella.

It's the Official 2010 Britain's Got Talent Pizza, designed by Emma Johnston from Glasgow after taking part in a National Competition in which her design was chosen from over 38,000 entries and won her a prize of £10k

And it's at Domino's Pizza now!

Pizza Delivery Driver Gets His Own Mexican Sizzler - And Ends Up in Court on Sham Marriage Charges

2010-04-20T08:54:00.005+01:00

Fernanda Romero, a well known Mexican soap opera actress, has been arrested on suspicion of tying the knot with a pizza delivery man in a sham marriage so she could get residency in the United States.

Read the full story here. (with thanks to the Daily Telegraph)

Domino's Pizza Launches The Mexican Sizzler - The Official Britain's Got Talent Pizza

2010-04-17T18:25:00.003+01:00

Domino's Pizza, The Official Sponsor of Britain's Got Talent, the UK's most-watched TV programme of 2009 has launched The Official Pizza of Britain's Got Talent 2010 - The Mexican Sizzler.

Dominos Pizza Mexican Sizzler on 12seconds.tv

Britain's Got Talent Launches iPhone App among its Digital Offering to Support This Years Show

2010-04-16T21:37:00.005+01:00

Following on from the phenomenal success of the digital offerings for Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, ITV and talkbackTHAMES digital announced today the return of the official website and the launch of a brand new, free Britain’s Got Talent iPhone App.

The App, created by talkbackTHAMES digital and sponsored by Domino’s Pizza, will be available to download from the iTunes store from 15th April. It’ll deliver the best Got Talent content in a handy, pocket-sized format with videos, news and photo galleries all configured for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Also part of the App is the infamous BGT buzzer.

The official Britain’s Got Talent website, www.itv.com/talent was produced by TalkbackTHAMES digital with ITV and is the online home of Britain’s Got Talent 2010. It will have all the latest news, views, images and videos, and feature exclusive backstage access and interviews with judges, presenters and contestants. Updated daily, a dedicated editorial team will bring breaking news as it happens, following the action from the auditions right through to the grand final. The site also features new look navigational functionally to prompt deeper engagement from the thousands of fans.

All highlight clips from each show will appear online as soon as they are broadcast, in addition to plenty of unseen behind the scenes footage. Video playlists will also make a return in 2010 so fans can easily enjoy the huge volume of content the site has to offer.

Kate Bradshaw, Deputy MD & Head of Online Commissioning, ITV.com said: “This year’s site offers fans even more opportunity to engage with the show with more exclusive video, gossip, live chat and the brand new iPhone App. The new designs are visually really exciting and so easy to use – we really have got everything you could want if you're a Britain's Got Talent fan.”

The official site continues to engage the online community. With richer content and more opportunities for fans to interact, this year’s site will be an even richer social platform giving users the opportunity to comment and discuss their views and opinions on all things BGT. Viewers can also join the Britain’s Got Talent Facebook fan page (facebook.com/BritainsGotTalent), follow BGT on Twitter (Twitter.com/GotTalent), and participate in the Live Chats on itv.com/talent where fans can comment on events live, as they unfold.

Robert Marsh, Head of talkbackTHAMES digital said: “This year, we’re giving fans a truly multi-platform experience of Britain’s Got Talent. The website has undergone evolutionary changes in terms of both functionality and aesthetics, our social networking offering, including live Tweeting and Facebook action every show night from our editorial team delivers a deep and rich engagement for our fans. We’re also delighted to offer the new iPhone App this year which responds to the need for the community to get their Got Talent fix wherever they may be.”

Show-stopping Toppings - Domino's Launches The Official Britain's Got Talent Pizza

2010-04-16T12:49:00.003+01:00

To celebrate the third year of its Britain’s Got Talent sponsorship, pizza delivery expert, Domino’s Pizza,has launched a new pizza created especially for this year’s series of the top ITV show. The official Britain’s Got Talent pizza – the Mexican Sizzler – was designed by 21 year old Emma Johnson from Glasgow as part of a national competition Domino’s ran last year. Domino’s received 38,000 entries from budding pizza designers and the top three toppings were put to the public vote.

Almost 30,000 votes were cast and Emma was crowned the winner for her spicy combination of chicken fajita slices, crunchy tortillas, green peppers, red peppers and jalapenos on Domino’s classic fresh dough base with vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100% mozzarella. Emma scooped £10,000 for her top topping and the Mexican Sizzler goes on sale on April 19, 2010, as the official pizza for this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Robin Auld, sales and marketing director of Domino’s Pizza, said: “We were staggered by the country’s talent for designing pizza in our competition. Emma’s Mexican Sizzler really caught the eye (and stomach!) of the nation and we’re delighted to launch it on our menu in time for the new series. What better way to watch than with an official Britain’s Got Talent pizza?”

The Mexican Sizzler – the official Britain’s Got Talent pizza – will be on sale in Domino’s stores across the country from April 19, 2010, for a limited period. To grab a slice of the action, call Domino’s national hotline 087 12121212, order online at www.dominos.co.uk or visit your local store.

To find out more about Britain’s Got Talent, log onto www.itv.com.

Domino's Pizza Huyton Joins in The Global Foursquare Day Celebrations

2010-04-15T22:40:00.001+01:00

Friday April 16th is Foursquare Day (it's the 16th of the 4th which is 4 squared) and venues all around the World are celebrating by offering their customers something special to mark the occasion.

Foursquare is a rapidly-growing game played on Smartphones where people check in at venues when they are out and about to let their friends know where they are hanging out, and earn virtual badges of honour along the way.

The person who checks in most at a venue earns the title Mayor. Many venues, such as Domino's Pizza in Huyton, give special deals to The Mayor.

We are offering every Foursquare user who checks in at Domino's Pizza Huyton on April 16th 2010 the choice of either a FREE Garlic Pizza Bread or a FREE Potato Wedges with no strings attached (well hardly any!).

To find out more about our offer (and the few strings!) please go to our 4Square Day Offer Page

To learn how to get the Foursquare Application on your phone follow the instructions on the Foursquare Home Page.

And to learn more about Foursquare watch this video.

How To Unlock Your World With Foursquare on Howcast

Domino's Pizza To Be Delivered via Tightrope at Wembley Stadium

2010-04-14T19:13:00.002+01:00

Jade Kindar-Martin will create history at Wembley Stadium on Saturday April 19th 2010 when he becomes the first person to walk across the width of the world famous venue - but he will be doing it at a height of more than 150 feet on a wire no wider than that width of your finger!

As part of the pre-match show at the Saracens v Harlequins Guinness Premiership clash, the daredevil performer will walk the 500 feet across the roof of the world famous venue on a wire just 16mm thick – while also delivering a pizza in full Domino’s uniform!

The sky walk, sponsored by Domino’s Pizza, is yet another first for Saracens at the iconic venue which has already hosted matches against Northampton Saints, South Africa and Worcester Warriors this season in front of club record crowds.

Kindar-Martin is no stranger to creating history having sky walked at some of the most unique spots around the world. He set a Guinness World Record when he walked 1,500 feet across the River Thames and he topped that with a 1km walk across the Han River in Seoul to set another world record.

The Sky Walk is just a small part of the pre-match show at Wembley on Saturday which includes performances from 90s pop sensations Right Said Fred, the hit West End play WarHorse, circus acts and there will also be 10,000 knights at the stadium.

Tickets are on sale now priced £10 for adults and £5 for U16s and are available from Ticketmaster or by calling 0844 847 2482.

See the First Episode of FourSquare Cops

2010-04-14T10:39:00.005+01:00

Here at Pizzas and Stuff we're big fans of FourSquare so when we stumbled across this video we thought you might like to see it too.

It highlights those members of our Community who do not share our Vision and Values!

Fultano's Pizza Cannon Beach Goes Green with ZAP Electric Delivery Car

2010-04-02T15:56:00.004+01:00

Following on from our recent post about the Domino's ZAPmobile which delivers in Aspen, two of our eagle-eyed readers Nicola and Imelda from Portland, Oregon made us aware that Domino's are not alone in the pizza industry for showing their Green Credentials.

Pictured here with Imelda is Fultano's Pizza's very own ZAP Car. Though not as jazzily decorated as the Domino's version it certainly looks fit for purpose and I'm sure it does a great job delivering around Cannon Beach "to families and romancing couples"

Take a look at their menu. I'll have a Family-sized Haystack with a Diet Coke please.

If you come across any interesting pizza-related sights, then please take a picture or video and send it to my Twitter @simonpickles.

We'll publish the best and hopefully give exposure to some great ideas

Papa John's UK to Offer Free Testicle Checks in Battle Against Cancer

2010-04-01T17:05:00.003+01:00

On April 1st 2010 a memo was leaked to the media purporting to be from Papa John's UK Senior Management ab0ut free testicle checks for its customers and has generated much comment about whether this was an April Fool or someone in Marketing's idea of a joke that had fallen into the wrong hands and then been circulated virally.

Papa John's is well-known for supporting the Everyman Campaign against Testicular Cancer.

It is currently offering a Meatball Pizza and donating 50p from the sale of each one to the charity.

To find out more about the pizza and their worthy campaign visit PapasDoorStepChallenge

ZAP 100% Electric Car Delivers in Aspen for Domino's Pizza

2010-03-31T18:28:00.006+01:00

After hearing about the local Franchisee for Domino's Pizza in Aspen Colorado ordering a fleet of Zap Electric Vehicles for delivering his pizzas we learned that

"a growing number of Americans are worried about the environmental, security and economic consequences of oil dependence, and auto manufacturers have taken notice. Hybrids, plug-in electric vehicles and other fuel-efficient autos have hit the streets, but which models are best suited to high country driving?"

£250k Up For Grabs in The Domino's Pizza Challenge

2010-03-29T19:56:00.006+01:00

One lucky fan at the Saracens vs. Harlequins match at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 17th April 2010 will have a chance to win £250,000 during half-time.

Stuart Tinner famously won £250,000 during the interval when Saracens played at Wembley last November.

In the Domino’s Challenge, one spectator - selected at random from the crowd - will have as many place-kicks as possible in 30 seconds to kick the ball through a circular target within a giant Domino’s pizza box suspended between the posts.

Tickets from £5 are available at Ticketmaster or by calling 0844 847 2482.

Ramon deLeon Goes Off the Charts at SXSW

2010-03-14T19:35:00.002Z

Legendary Socialmedia Guru and Domino's Franchisee Ramon deLeon was cruising the aisles at SXSW (South by SouthWest) and bumped into Josh Little the owner of Bloomfire.

Needless to say the Creative Vado MiniCam was whipped out and put to good use.

It looks like everyone was having a blast this weekend in Austin, Texas

FIVE TYPES OF HEAT – REVENGE IS SWEET! DOMINO’S LAUNCHES ITS HOTTEST PIZZA YET!

2010-02-17T21:11:00.003Z

After one of the coldest British winters in living memory, Domino’s is this month putting a bit of spice back into our lives with the launch of its hottest pizza yet – Meltdown-The Revenge.

Set to tingle the taste buds of those who are brave enough to take on this fiery pizza, the new addition to the Domino’s menu is covered in an array of mouth and eye watering toppings.

With five different types of heat in the form of chilli cheese slices, sweet chilli peppers, jalapeños, bird’s-eye chilli peppers and American style mustard, as well as ground beef, meatballs and mozzarella, Meltdown-The Revenge has the power to drive even the toughest pizza-eater to tears.

Meltdown –The Revenge is the even hotter sequel to Domino’s scorching Meltdown pizza, which first sizzled its way into stores back in 2006.

Robin Auld, sales and marketing director of Domino’s Pizza, said: “After one of the country’s coldest winters on record, we felt it was time to heat everyone up and put some spice back into their lives. We are hoping that with the arrival of our hottest pizza to date, Meltdown-The Revenge, we will be able to do just that.”

So why not challenge your friends, family and colleagues to take on the heat of the Meltdown-The Revenge, now available from Domino’s stores across the country. With the African bird’s-eye chilli coming in only three places behind law enforcement grade pepper spray on the Scolville heat scale, we guarantee it won’t be as easy as you think!

To top off this fiery new addition to Domino’s menu, the pizza delivery expert is also introducing a succulent new side of BBQ ribs. These tender pork ribs smothered in sticky BBQ sauce are the perfect, finger-licking accompaniment to any order.

Every Domino's pizza is hand-made to order using fine, fresh ingredients, like its famous fresh dough, vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100 per cent mozzarella cheese. Plus, with a choice of bases, sauces and tasty toppings, there are around 75 million different pizza combinations for you to choose from.

To grab a slice of the action, call Domino’s national hotline 087 12121212, go online atwww.dominos.co.uk or visit your local store.

Papa Johns UK CEO Resigns

2010-02-12T23:36:00.001Z

Leading pizza delivery operator Papa John’s has announced that Operations Director Jack Swaysland will be promoted to the role of UK Managing Director.

The move follows the announcement that current MD Ian Saunders has left the company to take up a leading role within a globally renowned brand.

Jack has headed up Papa John’s operations over the last three years, helping the company overhaul its product range to enhance its premium market positioning, implement a 100 per cent fresh dough policy and improve all aspects of customer service.

This role has seen him become a key interface between the company and its franchise community, and Papa John’s President of Global Operations Bill Mitchell believes he is a natural successor to Mr Saunders.

He said: “Ian and Jack joined the company at similar times and have worked very closely together during a very successful period in the UK.

“Ian has overseen a huge transformation in the business, which is highlighted by the fact that the business has doubled in size and shown 16 consecutive quarters of growth - a phenomenal result during some very difficult times.

“The product has become recognised as market leading, the infrastructure is better than ever with the announcement of our new Quality Control Centre and Dough Plant, and the franchisee pipeline is very healthy.

“Papa John’s UK is in great health with a hugely exciting future, and Ian leaves with our very best wishes and thanks for the part he has played in that.

“We believe that continuity is absolutely the key to maintaining this success and that is why Papa John’s is delighted to promote Jack to the position of managing director.

“He has become industry renowned as an operations guru and already has the respect and attention of our franchisees, who have reaped the rewards of his keen attention to detail on the pizza eating experience.”

Domino's Pizza Opens 600th UK Store - with Stavros Flatley

2009-12-14T14:49:00.004Z

Pizza delivery expert, Domino’s Pizza has officially opened its 600th store. Located in High Holborn, the 600th store is a significant milestone in Domino’s ongoing expansion plans.

The store was officially opened on Thursday [December 10, 2009] by Chris Moore, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Domino’s Pizza UK & Ireland. Entertainment was provided by Britain’s Got Talent dance sensation Stavros Flatley, who performed in front of the crowd of pizza fans and shoppers gathered outside the store. London Town Crier, Peter Moore, was also on hand to announce the news, plus stilt walkers and magicians took to the streets with company mascot Danny Domino to hand out free pizza.

Chris Moore, CEO of Domino’s Pizza, said: “I am absolutely delighted to open our 600th store, which is a testament to the hard work, dedication and pure passion for great pizza of all our franchisees and their in-store teams. The 600th store is not only fantastic news for us, but it’s also brilliant for pizza lovers in the Capital – now they can be sure they’re never too far from a Pepperoni Passion!”

The new store is located at 166 High Holborn, London WC1V 6TT

Glasgow Student Scoops £10k in Britain's Got Talent Domino's Pizza Contest

2009-12-12T22:01:00.000Z

Pizza lover, Emma Johnston from Glasgow, has received an early Christmas present, scooping £10,000 as the winner of a national Domino’s Pizza competition.

Emma has just been announced as the winner of the competition to find the next official Britain’s Got Talent pizza.

The contest ran as part of Domino’s sponsorship of the top TV show and invited pizza lovers to send in their ideas for a new addition to Domino’s menu.

Emma and two other finalists were chosen from the 38,000 entries received and their three pizza ideas put up for the public vote.

Emma’s Mexican Sizzler pizza caught the eye (and stomach!) of the nation with its spicy combination of chicken fajita slices, crunchy tortillas, green peppers, red peppers and jalapenos on Domino’s classic base with vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100% real mozzarella cheese.

The Mexican Sizzler beat off a British Breakfast pizza from Newhaven and an Asian Feast from Gateshead to scoop the top spot.

Emma Johnston said: “I am absolutely staggered to have won. It was such a surprise to get the call saying my pizza had been voted the winner – it took a few minutes to sink in and then I was just screaming with excitement! As a student, I’m currently having to work five days a week to pay for my studies and recently had to move back in with my parents to save on rent. The prize money is really going to help me get set up on my own and hopefully have a lovely holiday too. It’s pretty simple but this is going to make me very happy – that and the ultimate accolade of having my pizza sold in Domino’s stores across the UK!”

The new Mexican Sizzler will be on sale at Domino’s next year. Keep checking in-store for more details.

To order from your local Domino's Pizza in St Helens you can come into the store and watch the pie being slapped out in front of your very eyes, or call and collect on 01744 733 566.

We are the Delivery Specialists of course and although our area is quite tight this means that on average your pizza will be delivered within 25 minutes of ordering it either over the phone or online

You can keep up to date with all our Special Offers and News by joining us on Facebook or following on Twitter

Domino's Competition to Choose the 2010 Britain's Got Talent Pizza Reaches Final Stages

2009-11-19T13:07:00.003Z

Pizza Lover, Anna Woolgar from Newhaven, Sussex has been chosen as a finalist in a national competition run by Domino’s Pizza.

Anna now stands a chance of winning £10,000 for her entry in Domino’s competition to find the next official Britain’s Got Talent pizza as part of the company’s sponsorship of the top TV show.

Anna’s British Breakfast pizza was chosen from over 38,000 entries. Her pizza caught the judge’s eye with its combination of bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes and potatoes on Domino’s classic base with vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100% real mozzarella cheese. The British Breakfast is now up for the public vote at www.dominos.co.uk/vote, battling against a Mexican Sizzler pizza from Glasgow and an Asian Feast from Gateshead. Not only will the winner scoop £10,000 – their pizza will also be sold in Domino’s stores nationwide as the 2010 official Britain’s Got Talent pizza.

Anna Woolgar said: “It was such a surprise to find out my entry had been chosen as a finalist. I’m a massive Domino’s fan so I’m really proud to have my idea in the final three. Winning £10,000 would be fantastic and would certainly help me take my children on a dream holiday to Disneyland Paris and have a fabulous Christmas, but the ultimate accolade for a pizza lover such as me would be to have my pizza sold in Domino’s stores across the country. I’m really hoping the people of Newhaven get behind me to vote for the British Breakfast so we can claim this title for the South of England!”

To vote for Anna’s British Breakfast, log onto www.dominos.co.uk/vote. Each voter will also be entered into a free draw to win one of 25 Domino’s pizza parties, worth £100 each. Voting is open until November 29, 2009

Pizza Giant "Flattered" at Downing St Spelling Error

2009-11-09T13:18:00.008Z

Political blogger "Ollie Cromwell" brings to our attention an unwitting advertising plug by the No10 Downing St, UK Government website while talking about The Festivities marking the 20th Anniversary of the Dismantling of the Berlin Wall.

Pizzas and Stuff contacted the Domino's Pizza UK PR Manager and, while she was unavailable for comment, we are sure that the company would be flattered to be involved in the Commemorations of such a Momentous Event in World History.

Screen dump courtesy of The Red Rag

Two Titans of the Pizza World Meet for the First Time - Ramon De Leon and His Pupil

2009-11-04T22:04:00.002Z

Today I had the opportunity to listen and learn from the Master of Online Pizza promotion Sr Ramon De Leon, a six-store Domino's Pizza Franchisee from Chicago!

Without revealing all of our trade secrets, all I can say is that "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet!"

A Minute for Madeleine

2009-11-03T10:21:00.002Z

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre has launched a campaign to help find Madelaine McCann by asking internet users to spread a video virally on Blogs and Social networking sites around The World.

The video seeks to remind people of Madeleine's story and shows Computer-generated images of what she may look like now that she is 6 years old.

Please watch the video and help to spread the word by either linking to this page, embedding the video in your own blog, by posting a link on Facebook or Twitter or by emailing the URL to people you know.

Perhaps together we can help find this little girl?

Vote for the 2010 Official Domino's Britain's Got Talent Pizza

2009-11-03T08:32:00.001Z

Instructions on How to Vote for the 2010 Official Domino's Britain's Got Talent Pizza.

An American Tourist in London Tries The Domino's Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza

2009-11-03T08:22:00.001Z

Ramon de Leon, here in the UK to speak at a Social Media Conference gets to sample the Domino's Chicken Tikka Pizza. Does it get the thumbs up?

Delivering the Domino's WOW at 3am in Chicago

2009-11-01T18:02:00.000Z

DPZRamon a 6-store Domino's Franchisee in Chicago makes great use of Social Media tools to get the message across to his local community about Product Service and Image.

In fact it's fair to say - He Crushes It!

It's Official - Pizza Hut Customers Prefer Papa Johns

2009-10-30T09:31:00.002Z

Our friends at Papa Johns are proudly shouting about a taste test they performed recently on Pizza Hut Customers.

See the results here

Well done guys.

Domino's Pizza Big Smoky

2009-10-29T23:27:00.001Z

BBQ Sauce, Smoky Bacon, Green Peppers, Smoked Sausage and Sweet Chilli Peppers. Get it Now! Only at Dominos

50% off online orders over £30 at Domino's Pizza UK

2009-10-27T08:37:00.003Z

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of its online ordering system Domino's Pizza UK are offering 50% off all online regular-priced orders over £30.

Order Now!

But you'll need to be quick! This offer must end on Sunday 1st November 2009.

Usual Terms and Conditiona Apply like it applies to full priced items only and excludes drinks and ice creams.

Domino's Pizza Delivers by Helicopter to (Mount) St Helens

2009-10-17T18:12:00.001+01:00

In the UK we are launching the Chocolate Melt this weekend, so we thought it would be a good time to share this video with you from our colleagues in the States who recently launched a very similar product, but called it The Chocolate Lava Cake.

To celebrate its introduction, what better way could there be than to go to North America's most famous volcano, Mount St Helens for the sampling session. The cakes were baked at St Helens Domino's Pizza, (that's the one in Oregon, not the one we all know and love on Duke St, St Helens, Merseyside 01744 733566), and then flown up by chopper to the Visitor Center for a whole gang of people to try.

And the verdict? Simply delicious!

So why not treat yourself and give our New Chocolate Melt a try. You deserve it!

Follow us on Twitter

Order online from Monday 19th October 2009

Grab Yourself a Spook-tacular Halloween Pizza

2009-10-11T16:34:00.002+01:00

Centennial, Colorado - October 2009 --

Trick or treat and come and eat at Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza® this October as the restaurant franchise celebrates Halloween all month long!

Nick-N-Willy’s locations throughout the U.S. will be dishing out “spooky” pizza specials during one of its busiest months for pizza sales.

“When it comes to Halloween, pizza is definitely the dinner of choice,” said Richard Weil, President and COO of Nick-N-Willy’s Franchise Company, LCC. Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza is a convenient and delicious option for busy families and trick-or-treaters on the go. We offer easy solutions to suit your Halloween schedule no matter how ‘scary’ it is, with ‘hot n ready pick up’, ‘take n bake’, dine in and delivery.”

All month long, Nick-N-Willy’s will be offering festive Halloween Pumpkin Pizzas for “take n bake”, “hot n ready” pick up, dine in or delivery. The large sized pepperoni Halloween Pumpkin Pizzas are priced at $11.99. Until October 31, customers can receive up to three pumpkin pizzas for just $5.00 each with the purchase of any large signature pizza. Coupons are available online at www.nicknwillys.com and in store, plus they will be distributed to homes near Nick-N-Willy’s restaurants as door hangers.

From October 29-31st, customers are invited to bring their little trick-or-treaters in costume to Nick-N-Willy’s to receive candy treats and a free large Halloween Pumpkin Pizza with the purchase of any large signature pizza.

Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza is a family friendly, fast-casual restaurant designed for today’s busy lifestyles that specializes in America’s favourite food. Nick-N-Willy’s award winning pizzas are made with the freshest and finest ingredients to ensure the highest quality and best tasting pizza available. The restaurant offers the ultimate in customer convenience with more ways to enjoy Nick-N-Willy’s pizzas fresher and faster. Customers can dine in, “take n bake”, call for “hot n ready” pick up, or have their order delivered right to their door step.

Nick-N-Willy’s offers a complete line of signature pizzas including the Aegean®, the Fresh Jalapeno Burn, the Outback and Earthborn, plus traditional favourites like the Nick-N-Willy’s Classic, the Wild Willy Combo and the Big Kahuna. All pizzas are made with Nick-N-Willy’s propriety pizza dough, made fresh daily in small batches using 100% pure olive oil and secret blend ingredients, then hand kneaded and tossed to order. Pizzas can be baked at home or in Nick-N-Willy’s gas-fired brick ovens where they’re baked to a light crispy golden brown perfection. In addition to pizza, Nick-N-Willy’s also serves calzones, sandwiches made on freshly baked foccacia bread, wings, salads and desserts.

Our Chickens !

2009-09-27T18:45:00.001+01:00

Ant & Dec
Originally uploaded by pop345

Look I know it's got nothing to do with pizza, but I wanted to share with you this picture of our two chickens, Trisha and Glenys,who came to us 2 weeks ago after being rescued from a battery farm by Little Hen Rescue, a charitable trust which rehomes over 15,000 ex-battery chickens per year.

After their first moult at the age of about 13 months chickens become less productive in their egg-laying and so uneconomic. They are thus disposed of or rehomed by people like Little Hen Rescue.

Their feathers are starting to grow back, the bumps and bruises from a lif of over-crowdedness have gone and they are pretty much back to full strength.

Although Glenys has yet to lay an egg, young Trisha has given us one every single day since her arrival.

They are slowly getting used to the free range life and have completely eradicated the spider population in our garden!

So if you are interested in keeping chickens just ask me about it when you order your next pizza!

Papa John's Offer is Just the Ticket

2009-09-11T08:18:00.000+01:00

Papa John’s is offering pizza lovers across the UK a free Papa’s Pepperoni to highlight the results of a recent study.

An independent taste test has revealed that more people prefer Papa’s Pepperoni to Pizza Hut’s Pepperoni Feast, and now the pizza company, famous for its ‘Better Ingredients. Better Pizza’ promise, is giving people the chance to test the research for themselves.

All UK Papa John’s stores will be giving away free Papa’s Pepperoni pizzas to Pizza Hut customers who have recently tried the less popular Pepperoni Feast.

Simon Wallis, Senior Director of Marketing for Papa John’s UK, said: “We’ve always believed in our pizzas and we are delighted that this independent research has verified the fact that we are delivering a preferred product against our largest competitor.

“We want everybody to find out for themselves why more people prefer Papa’s Pepperoni, so we’re giving away free pizzas to customers who come to stores armed with a Pizza Hut Pepperoni Feast receipt.

“Our pizza has an extremely generous topping of pepperoni, which is 27 percent thicker than Pizza Hut’s. So it’s no wonder the majority of people questioned preferred the taste of the Papa John’s pizza.

“Hopefully, this offer will allow people to taste the difference made by our thicker pepperoni topping and 100 percent fresh dough.”

All customers have to do to claim their free Papa’s Pepperoni is take in a receipt proving they’ve tried the Pizza Hut product. Customers wanting to find out more about Papa John’s pizzas and the recent independent taste test should visit www.papajohns.co.uk .

Help Papa Johns Raise Some Dough for Male Cancer Charities

2009-09-07T13:38:00.001+01:00

Papa John’s Pizza is urging people to support male cancer charities, which remain severely under-funded. The pizza chain is donating 50p from each Everyman pizza it sells to the charity, which is aiming to stamp out prostate and testicular cancers.

Simon Wallis, director of marketing at Papa John’s, said: “We’ve teamed up with Everyman because research into male cancers is 10 years behind that of some other cancers, and we hope people will follow our lead by supporting the charity. We knew that the best way to help would be to look to our strengths – and this is why we have launched our Everyman pizza, which features meatballs, onions and green and red peppers.”

The Everyman Campaign is dedicated to stamping out male cancer by raising awareness about the symptoms, and the importance of treating them. By highlighting this it hopes to raise money to fund life-saving research.

Snooker legend and testicular cancer survivor Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White, MBE, said: “I’m supporting the launch of Papa John’s Everyman pizza because together we can raise awareness about the importance of checking for those tell-tale signs. It’s also important to get across that it’s not something to be ashamed of.

“I was very lucky because my cancer was diagnosed during a routine check-up and I had the operation the next day, but many men aren’t as fortunate. Hopefully the meatballs on the pizza will serve as a reminder to check yourself!”

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer amongst men aged between 15 and 44. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in older men, and one man dies every hour from the disease.

To find out more about male cancers visit everyman-campaign.org/ and to order the Everyman pizza see www.papajohns.co.uk

DOMINO'S CHICKEN TIKKA PIZZA

2009-09-04T11:47:00.001+01:00

Ha Ha Here's one of our franchisees with his own "Advert" for the NEW Chicken Tikka Pizza

KFC Back Down in Trademark Dispute With Scottish Pizza Shop

2009-05-22T09:06:00.002+01:00

A small pizzeria in Angus, Scotland has won its battle with global fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) over the term "Family Feast".

The Titanic Pizza Co in Carnoustie was warned by KFC to stop using the slogan to describe one of its meal deals because it had trademarked the name.

The Angus takeaway said it had been using the phrase since 1992.

The chicken chain has now written to Titanic to say the matter would not be taken any further.

Titanic's Family Feast is made up of two pizzas, garlic bread, onion rings, chips and juice; while the KFC deal comprises 12 pieces of chicken, four portions of chips, coleslaw, beans and a drink.

KFC's lawyers sent a letter to Titanic saying it had trademarked the term Family Feast in in 1994 and 2003.

The Carnousite pizzeria owners wrote backing saying "we refuse to be bullied by a global conglomerate such as yourselves".

Co-owner Marie Fagan is pleased their tough stance paid off.

"The amount of support we've had from people has been amazing," she said.

"We even had a letter from a guy in Florida saying how disgusted he was and he has sent a really horrible letter to them [KFC] saying he's never going to set foot in the shop again."

And Ms Fagan has seen business boom since news of the row broke.

"People were asking where the shop was and ordering Family Feasts, it's really been great, so KFC kind of did us a favour.

"It's just a lesson to everybody to stand up for themselves."

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, Praises Papa John's Rapid Expansion

2009-05-19T17:45:00.002+01:00

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has praised one of the world’s leading pizza companies for continuing its job creation and investment programme in the capital throughout the economic uncertainty.

The founder of Billion Dollar-a-year pizza empire Papa John’s visited the UK to open his 50th Papa John’s store in London, and pledged to continue funding the company’s rapid growth in the city.

That news of the 50th store opening and imminent arrival of another 30-40 Papa John’s stores was welcomed by Boris Johnson, who believes it is the kind of business shot in the arm that will help London emerge strongly from the current economic climate.

He said: “London’s small and medium businesses are critical to the capital’s success and will provide the springboard to economic growth and prosperity once the upturn arrives.

“Papa John’s is a great example of a firm that is playing a significant role, employing over 3,700 Londoners and opening its 50th store in the capital.”

Papa John’s chairman John Schnatter founded the company in the USA in 1984. He sold his beloved Camaro car to buy his first oven and soon began selling pizzas. 25 years later and Papa John’s is the third largest pizza company in the world, with more than 3300 stores in 29 countries. In the UK Papa John’s is the current Pizza Delivery Chain of the Year 2008 according to the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association.

John said: “I am delighted to have opened the 50th Papa John’s store in London, only 10 years after the company launched in this country. Papa John’s UK is a key international growth area for our company, and is setting the benchmark in terms of expansion for other countries across the world.”

Commercial Attachés John Coronado from the US Commercial Service also represented the American Embassy at the event.

Papa John's Founder Makes Deliveries in '72 Camaro to Celebrate 25th Anniversary

2009-05-18T20:29:00.003+01:00

The founder of Papa John’s is making pizza deliveries to surprised customers in a replica of the ’72 Camaro he sold 25 years ago to fund his start-up pizza business.

A new ad campaign, “Papa’s In the House” lets people know that the next time they place an order for a pizza delivery they should pay special attention to the person at the door: It could Papa John (John Schnatter) himself.

The ads were shot by Z Group in Louisville, KY, where Papa John’s International is based. The spots feature Schnatter personally delivering pizzas to customers' homes.

Later this month, Schnatter will set off on a nationwide road trip driving his Camaro to meet with employees and loyal customers. His travels will be chronicled online.

In addition to the TV spots, the campaign includes a new Web site, banner ads featuring the Camaro, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube integration, boxtoppers, and a special offer for the “Founder’s Favorite” –John’s favorite pizza topped with sausage, pepperoni, and a six-cheese blend.

The campaign helps celebrate Papa John’s 25 years in business.

Dominos Got Talent - Kevin Bimpson - Final and Awards

2009-05-05T21:53:00.002+01:00

Kevin Bimpson of Domino's Pizza Huyton sang his heart out in the Grand Final of Domino's Got Talent last week at The Echo Arena in Liverpool and finished in second place.

He broke the hearts of many girls there in the audience and we are all sure he will go onto gretaer things. Watch out for Kevin this Summer in The X Factor.

Here is his performance in the afternoon and then again on the night. On the second part the muppet standing up holding a camers phone is me, his new biggest fan!

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Domino's Pizza UK Runs National BOGOF Delivery Campaign

2009-05-05T19:24:00.001+01:00

For the first time ever Domino's Pizza UK are running a National Buy One Get One Free Delivered Campaign. Designed to coincide with the two Champions League Semi-Finals the offer is valid on Medium or Large Pizzas and is available on both Delivery or Collection on May 5th and 6th 2009 only.

Uniquely, the offer is also available online at http://www.dominos.co.uk/ (Click on the Meal Deals Tab) as well as over the phone or if you order in person

There are the usual Terms & Conditions such as it cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, and it is only on May 5th/6th, the cheaper pizza is the FREE one, and both pizzas must be taken at the same time (no really). Full details are probably on the website

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Domino's Pizza BOGOF on 12seconds.tv

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Design the 2010 Britain's Got Talent Pizza and win £10k

2009-04-29T18:09:00.002+01:00

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Kev Sings Black & Gold for Domino's Got Talent

2009-04-24T10:17:00.002+01:00

Kevin from Domino's Pizza in Huyton, Liverpool has made it through to The Grand Final of Domino's Got Talent this weekend. Up for grabs are tickets to Britain's Got Talent and a 12-month contract with Simon Cowell.

Good Luck!

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The President Upsets Chicago with Choice of Pizza Parlour

2009-04-11T09:37:00.000+01:00

Seems the president has ditched his hometown of Chicago for St. Louis.

That is, when it comes to pizza.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting President Obama, who spent years in Chicago, is having 140 people over to the White House tonight for some deep-dish pizza — St. Louis deep-dish pizza.

It seems during his campaign he had pizza from a restaurant in the Delmar Loop neighborhood called Pi.

That's the story Pi assistant manager Lindsey Tornetto tells. Whatever happened, the restaurant says the owner and his business partner packed some dough, cheese and pizza pans in their suitcases and flew to Washington.

It all has Marc Malnati — owner of 30 Lou Malnati's Pizzerias in the Chicago area — shaking his head. He says while he likes Obama's economic policy, he thinks the president's pizza policy should change, according to the newspaper.

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Frozen Pizza Merger May Take Too Big A Slice of UK Market

2009-03-18T21:58:00.001Z

The competition watchdog is sniffing around frozen pizzas after a deal that will hand a German producer a 43 per cent share of the British market.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is investigating the purchase by Dr Oetker of Schwan’s pizza business in December. It has been prompted by concerns that the deal would increase the price of a product that has become a recession staple for consumers.

Retailers fear that Dr Oetker acquiring the Chicago Town brand will reduce the scope for running promotional discounts, while rival food producers are concerned that the sale will give Dr Oetker, which is Europe’s biggest pizza maker, a dominant position. Schwan, which was the No 2 frozen pizza maker in Britain, sold much of its European business to concentrate on its North American operations.

Its factory in Leyland, Lancashire, will be taken on by Dr Oetker, which has expanded its presence in Britain rapidly. In 2005 it bought Birds Eye’s frozen pizza business and quickly folded the Gino Ginelli and Igloo brands into its Ristorante brands. Competitors have argued that this had reduced consumer choice.

The family-owned company, which also makes Onken yoghurt, has already started using the Dr Oetker logo on Chicago Town packaging, despite an undertaking given to the OFT that it would keep the companies separate during the investigation.

The combined Dr Oetker and Schwans business will have a market share of 43 per cent — above the 40 per cent threshold usually taken as a dominant position. The combined company would have a 35 per cent share of the branded frozen pizza market, according to figures from AC Nielsen for the 12 weeks to February 21, overtaking Northern Foods, which makes Goodfellas pizzas.

The frozen pizza market grew 7 per cent last year as consumers reverted to frozen foods during the recession — after years of declining sales. The market is worth £375 million, but is highly promotional.About 48 per cent of frozen pizzas were sold on promotion, figures for the four months to January 31 show — a rise of four percentage points on last year, as consumers and retailers focus on cheaper products. The increase in promotional activity was driven by Dr Oetker. Although it has only about one eighth of the market without Schwan, it increased the proportion of pizzas sold on promotion from 46 per cent to 74 per cent.

Retailers fear that the enlarged Dr Oetker will be able to use its dominant position to scale back promotional activity, forcing them to reduce margins or raise retail prices.

A spokesman for the company said: “Dr Oetker UK is aware of the investigation, which is only to be expected on a transaction of this size. We are co-operating with all parties concerned.”

Frozen food had suffered from declining sales as chilled foods and ready-meals became more popular. Unilever sold Birds Eye in 2006 to private equity, while the company that produces Findus products in Britain went into administration this year.

However, food inflation and customers trading down to cheaper and more convenient foods during the recession have boosted frozen food sales. Total sales rose 6.7 per cent last year, with a 0.8 per cent increase in volumes.

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How Long till Pizza Hut Opens in North Korea?

2009-03-16T09:16:00.000Z

For millions of undernourished North Koreans, the notion of eating at a restaurant belongs strictly to the world of fantasy. And so there is only the grimmest humour in the news that, for the country's ruling elite, Pyongyang's dining options just got a little more impressive: the country now has its first-ever pizzeria.

An obsession with pizza stretching back at least 10 years prompted the isolated nation's dictator, Kim Jong-il, to authorise North Korea's first Italian restaurant, which opened in December, according to a pro-Pyongyang newspaper published in Japan. "General Kim Jong-il said that the people should also be allowed access to the world's famous dishes," the restaurant's manager, Kim Sang-Soon, was quoted as saying in Choson Sinbo, a Tokyo-based newspaper seen as a mouthpiece for the regime.

Those dining at the restaurant are reportedly treated to pizza and pasta made with wheat flour, butter and cheese flown in from Italy. They are also presumably reaping the benefits of a years-long effort by Kim Jong-il to bring the perfect pizza to his famine-plagued totalitarian state.

In the late 1990s, he summoned a team of Italian pizza chefs to Pyongyang to instruct army officers. One of the chefs, Ermanno Furlanis, later recounted how the Italians underwent x-rays, brain scans and urine and blood sampling on arrival, before being sequestered in a marble palace. One of the officers Furlanis was training asked him to specify the precise distance at which olives should be spaced on a pizza, he recalled.

Kim seems to have taken a personal interest: while the pizza-making sessions were under way, on a ship anchored offshore, he was apparently witnessed arriving to inspect his officers' progress. "I am not in the position to say whether it really was him," Furlanis later said. "But our chef, who had no reason to fib, was, for the space of several minutes, utterly speechless. He said he felt as if he had seen God, and I still envy him this experience."

The training seems not to have met Kim's expectations. According to Choson Sinbo, subsequent efforts to reproduce Italian pizza in North Korea were a process of "repeated trial and error", and last year the dictator sent chefs to Naples and Rome to learn more. Finally satisifed, he authorised the restaurant.

North Korea, one of the world's poorest countries, was hit by devastating famine in the mid-1990s, with up to 2m people dying, primarily from pneumonia, tuberculosis and diarrhoea.

But Kim's passion for fine food is legendary: he is said to be a connoisseur of cognac, French wine, shark-fin soup and sushi. One of his former chefs, writing under a pseudonym, recalled travelling to Iran and Uzbekistan to fetch caviar, flying to Denmark for bacon and China for melons and grapes. He defected, he wrote, by offering to source sea urchins from Japan, from where he never returned.

Quoting North Korean defectors, the South Korean news website Daily NK said Kim "does not eat much, but enjoys picking at various kinds of food, as if just to taste".

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