Domino's Is Now Officially On Uber Eats And Postmates

Domino's has struck a deal with Uber Eats and Postmates to make its menu available through these increasingly ubiquitous restaurant delivery apps. Previously, the fast food pizza chain has been just about the only international pizza chain that hasn't been available to order through these kinds of third-party services. But with rivals like Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's, and Papa John's now available on them, it's not too difficult to imagine that there was mounting pressure on Domino's to strike its own deal.

"As the No. 1 pizza company in the world, it is not surprising that Domino's is a brand people have been asking for on Uber Eats' global platform," CEO Russell Weiner said in a press release shared with Daily Meal. "Given certain customers only order their delivery from the Uber Eats app, this deal could make Domino's available to millions of new customers around the world."

Though the deal will move slowly, launching this fall in four pilot markets, the move to third-party delivery apps is still a significant one for Domino's. So much of the chain's image over the years has been built around its skill at not just making hot and fresh pizza but delivering it too. From the long-scrapped 30-minutes-or-less delivery pledge and the infamous Noid mascot to custom cars with pizza ovens built into them and, just last year, a specially-branded fleet of electric vehicles.

You'd think that this most recent announcement would put these shiny new toys in jeopardy, to say nothing of the jobs of the chain's delivery drivers, except that Domino's deal with Uber Eats and Postmates is somewhat exceptional. Though your pizzas, wings, and dipping sauces can now be ordered through these apps, Uber and Postmates drivers will not be the ones picking up and dropping them off at your front door — that will still be done by Domino's drivers.

"Domino's will still be the face our customers see at the door," said Russell Weiner, "while Uber will be providing us with adequate data to understand delivery efficiency and incrementality." What's more, Domino's own ordering app, launched several years ago, will remain live and active.

According to the press release, the deal seems to be motivated not by the need to outsource delivery per se but to make Domino's available to at-home dining customers whose sole method of finding places to order from is through apps like Postmates and Uber Eats. This means that these customers — potentially millions of them — simply aren't considering Domino's as a dining option.

Now, the door is open for Domino's to get those customers back. After the pilot program this fall, the deal with Uber Eats and Postmates will be rolling out across the United States by the end of the year.