Domino’s stops the emotional pizza rollercoaster with a tracking service

Written on 5th February 2008                                                                                                              5 COMMENTS
Ernst-Jan Pfauth, editor in chief

Here at the Next Web Blog office, we tend to order too much pizzas. At least two nights on a weekly basis. Since we’re located in a garage-style industrial building, it’s always questionable whether the pizza boy will make it or not. Waiting for our pizzas is a 30 minute thriller. The Guardian reports we’re not alone in this.

Hallway in our building

Chris McGlothlin, technology chief at Domino’s Pizza says many consumers are twisting and turning over the state of their delivery pizza. “It’s an emotional roller coaster when you order,” McGlothlin says. “Customers wonder: Did they get my order? Are they taking care of me? Will it show up?”

In order to help people like us, the pizza firm is introducing a minute-by-minute tracking system. So that we can pinpoint our food. So far however, this is just a privilege for U.S. citizens. 3,200 of the 8,500 Domino’s US outlets are using the system, which works like this:

After an order is placed, the customer can go to dominos.com, click on the Pizza Tracker icon and follow the progress of the order. The site confirms that the order has been received, when the pizza is in the oven, when it’s been boxed and when it’s left the store. (USA Today)

Though it’s not yet available in Europe, I expect it to be pretty soon. Domino’s is everywhere and with modern day techniques, it doesn’t seem too hard to implement it. I hope that they can improve the service somewhat as well. Because with the technique as it’s implemented now, we can’t make sure the delivery guy doesn’t get stuck in the labyrinths of our building.

Doesn’t seem that they will though. And they have a pretty good explanation for it. “There are just a few too many risks in letting somebody know that in 40 seconds, a Domino’s delivery person will be at the corner of 4th Street and Elm Street,” said Domino’s spokesman Tim McIntyre.

But hey, we’re probably the only ones with such a complicated office entrance. People with normal front doors can just rely on the 9-minutes-from-outlet-to-door promise.

Roy Tomeij from 80beans brought this story under my attention. Maybe because his office is in the same building?