Who wants to watch their pizza being made at Domino's?

[TXCraig1]

A pair of mustachioed pizza makers in blue aprons — visible from behind a glass display at a new Domino's store in Seattle — tossed dough into the air as a handful of corporate executives looked on. Domino's calls the concept "pizza theater" because customers now can come in and watch their orders being made. The new look is part of a four-year effort to freshen the pizza chain's image and boost its growing ranks of carryout customers. The open-kitchen format includes seating for a dozen or so people, a chalkboard where customers can leave comments, and a refrigerated section for grab-and-go items such as salads and milk. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-dominos-pizza-makeover-20130212,0,927945.story

OK, assume for a minute that you would actually eat a Domino's pizza. Would you want to watch the random 18-year-old who couldn't care less making it?

Is it just me, or is Domino's not Una Pizza Napoletana? Or are you waiting for your chance to sit back with a box of milk and watch the commissary dough fly?

[Jackitup]

Your Domino's and Pizza Hut's are the McDonald's and Burger King's of the pizza world in my opinion. My daughter will get any of the aforementioned once in awhile  for the grand-kids and I'll have a bite or 2 to remind me why I don't ever go to any of them on purpose. Usually a bit queezy if a bite too many, too much

jon

[Serpentelli]

I find it interesting that Pizza Hut has a 7% market share advantage over Domino's. 

As to the "theater" I doubt very much that ANYONE ordering Domino's cares how it is made --- just that they are getting the best "deal" on the greatest quantity of mass-produced fast food possible.

Having said that, I hope that as they are planning out the new digs, the designers haven't forgotten the "no loitering" signs on the "12 or so seats" in the "theaters". Those will be necessary to keep the college drunks and bums circulating through at a nice, steady pace.

John K

[pizzablogger]

Not that I'm a homer or anything, but to my knowledge Paulie coined the term "pizza theater". --K

[Don K]

I guess things have changed, but when I worked at Domino's in the early '80's, I remember they put up a partition so walk-in customers couldn't see the make line. I guess they didn't want customers to see the dirty flour that was all over the floor, or the pie maker using the dough that he dropped on the floor, etc...

[Tscarborough]

The ones I set up had the line up front behind plexi half walls (early 80s), but no chairs at all.

[scott123]

Not that I'm a homer or anything, but to my knowledge Paulie coined the term "pizza theater". --K

Kelly, how are you defining 'coined?' Is it the first one to use the term or the first person to popularize it?

If it's use, I found a use of the term on Slice in 2007 (comment from Andruw):

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2006/10/loucallies.html

Was Paulie using this term that far back?

[pizzablogger]

Kelly, how are you defining 'coined?' Is it the first one to use the term or the first person to popularize it?

If it's use, I found a use of the term on Slice in 2007 (comment from Andruw):

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2006/10/loucallies.html

Was Paulie using this term that far back?

To popularize it.

Not sure if he was using it in 2007, but in 2009 he was...and used it when referring specifically to Lucali and Roberta's. Wonder if Adam's write-up put it in his head.

[scott123]

To popularize it.

Not sure if he was using it in 2007, but in 2009 he was...and used it when referring specifically to Lucali and Roberta's. Wonder if Adam's write-up put it in his head.

Fair enough.  FWIW, I use 'pizza theater' with a derogatory connotation:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,12792.msg123627.html#msg123627
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,15858.msg155529.html#msg155529

Style over substance. Presentation over product- as opposed to Paulie's value added interpretation.

[Chicago Bob]

Fwiw...that is exactly the phrase my father used for us kids watching the guys in their cool hats making pizza behind the wall of glass at Shakey's Pizzeria...circa 1970.   

Think I'll place an extra award at his grave site next time I'm up that ways...
Thanks guys!!