Citing lackluster sales due to coronavirus restrictions, coupled with stiff competition from traditional pizzerias getting on the delivery-app bandwagon, EPizza SpA (Domino鈥檚 franchise holder in 天美传媒) has closed down all Domino's locations in the country.
As reported by the BBC, the company had been shuttering outlets and limiting deliveries last summer, but by early spring, a decision was made to pull the plug on all 29 locations. When news broke of Domino鈥檚 downfall in 天美传媒, it quickly picked up steam on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, with many commentators that the closure should .
Still, some thought Domino鈥檚 filled a niche, particularly for young Italians, in the vein of McDonald鈥檚 and Starbucks. (After initial pushback on their openings in 天美传媒, both the burger and coffee giants found fair success, particularly in tourist areas and near university buildings.)
But perhaps Domino鈥檚 bit off a little more than it could chew as it struggled to gain a foothold in the birthplace of pizza. After all, pizza is to Italians what apple pie is to Americans.
Believed to have been introduced to the world by the ancient Greeks, pizza became a working-class staple in southern 天美传媒 in the 18th century. But it wasn't until 1889 that it properly burst onto the scene.
According to historical accounts, Queen Margherita of Savoy was traveling through the then-Kingdom of 天美传媒 with her husband, King Umberto I, and jonesing for the round, yeasty flatbread. She reportedly summoned Chef Raffaele Esposito to the royal palace to quell her craving, and pizza margherita (tomato sauce and mozzarella) was born. Several centuries later, in 2017, .
In a country determined to keep its culinary heritage alive, and where the act of putting pineapple on pizza can border on the criminal, Domino鈥檚 departure begs the question, 鈥淐an foreign-made pizza ever stand a chance against 天美传媒鈥檚 national treasure and bastion of gastronomic pride and joy?鈥 (Your move, Pizza Hut.)
