Domino’s Pizza: Pizza Operators Respond to Dead Puppy Dilemma
(FranchisePick.Com) Related Posts: Domino’s Killed Her Puppy in 30 Minutes or Less,
FRANCHISE POLL: IS DOMINO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR PUPPY’S DEATH?
All eyes are on FranchisePick.Com as the poll results come rolling in. The polls at the pizza industry Think Tank at PMQ are showing 27% in favor of Domino’s buying the obnoxious dog owner a new puppy (Actual response: “definitely. Poor puppy!”),
PMQ Poll: Should Domino’s buy this lady a $900 puppy?
27% Definitely. Poor puppy!
61% You outta your freakin’ mind?
11% Free Cheesy bread & 1 topping with next order. Final offer.
Despite the poll numbers, the comments from the pizza shop operators at PMQ were overwhelmingly in favor of Domino’s replacing the puppy, if only for PR reasons:
paul7979 from gainesville, florida: I probably would buy her a puppy, despite the fact that I think she was in the wrong. She claims to have been watching the dogs, so how did one end up outside? But the bad publicity that is sure to follow this incident will cost them more than $900(a ridiculously high price for a jack russel). Should have named the dog Noid.
royster13, Montrose BC: I am sure that Domino’s could legally avoid paying, however, their losses from the bad publicity will be way more than $900.00…..
Kristi, PA: …You have to take common sense out of the equation here. The cost of a new puppy is far less of that caused by the damage of this woman writing newspapers and telling her story (as wacky as it sounded) to anyone who’ll listen…
Apologize for causing the dog’s early demise, emphasis the fact that this was an accident and that driver safety is the top priority at your shop, explain how how everyone at your shop, including the driver is so distraught by this event, buy her a new dog and pay for the dead dogs funeral. Maybe even start a doggie fund in the memory of her dead dog. Or have a fundraiser in the dogs memory that will send money to ASPCA or dog kennel…
pizzapirate, Southern California: I suppose the non-emotional, less hassle way to deal with it is to just buy her another puppy but I have a real problem with this…
Patrick, Nashville, TN: …they should have bought her off BEFORE it became a PR mess. Now, the damage is done.
Not everyone was as accomodating. Always count on the New Yorker’s to cut to the chase:
RobT, Long Island: Tough Luck. Your dog was run over on a public street.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
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16 opinions for Domino’s Pizza: Pizza Operators Respond to Dead Puppy Dilemma
PUPPY LOVE
Aug 3, 2008 at 5:53 pm
You know this may not have seemed like Domino’s was at fault if the irresponsible delivery person had stopped after he ran down the innocent puppy!! The issue should not be who is at fault (puppies get out sometimes no matter how well they are watched just as children do) To me the bigger issue is why didnt the driver stop? why didn’t he wait a minute until they caught the puppy after they told him it got out?
The issue shuold be that this driver was totally irresponsible as is the management of Domino’s.What happened to the customer is always right. Which in this case I strongly believe she was!! I don’t see how she can be at fault for this idiot running down the puppy! What if it had been a child or elderly person? ever think about that?!!
sean
Aug 4, 2008 at 6:39 am
You know this may not have seemed like Domino’s was at fault if the irresponsible delivery person had stopped after he ran down the innocent puppy!!
The puppy was not innocent. He crossed in the middle of the block, outside the designated crosswalk.
PUPPY LOVE
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:24 am
The puppy was innocent unless he mauled someone to death. He was a baby animal for god
sake. Did he hurt someone? NO. Not true of the driver!
sean
Aug 5, 2008 at 3:27 am
The driver was following traffic laws and working for a living.
The puppy was guilty of jaywalking at the very least. Even puppies need to observe and follow traffic laws. The puppy should have crossed at the corner within the designated crosswalk area when he had the right of way.
The same would be true if it were an elderly person. They’ve got to follow traffic laws also. Outside the designated crosswalk, you’re fair game. This is America. You’re free to break the law but be ready to take the consequences.
PUPPY LOVE
Aug 5, 2008 at 7:16 am
he was a baby! he had’nt had time to learn the
rules. DUH
Mark Daniels
Sep 2, 2008 at 2:21 pm
“I don’t see how she can be at fault for this idiot running down the puppy!”
Calling someone a derogatory name or term doesn’t automatically make them one. I would like to see your visual damning proof (besides your opinion) of this Driver’s so called idiotic behavior.
I’m not calling myself a saint, but I drove for Domino’s for 3 years, made good money, made mistakes, made customers mad even. I even ran over a cat that darted in the road and killed it. I have two lovely cats myself and I adore them, I ran up to the house whose yard the cat came from. I explained what had happened, and apologized… I wasn’t about to offer free pizza for a misguided cat. But the customer took the news well and told me it was okay, even thanked me for telling him.
That being said, there are things that happen to people in the service industry that are innocent mistakes, or miscommunication takes place, we are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I hear you saying that the driver, who was clearly not fit to be in operation of a vehicle, chose not to listen to the lady about her dog being out. Key phrase CHOSE NOT TO listen.
I’ve delivered to lots of houses where it’s kinda crazy, money is flying everywhere, changing hands, trying to get the pizza on the table, out of the bag, babies are crying, dogs are barking, being restrained… and it sounds as if it was a pretty hectic place that this driver delivered too. Ever been to a party where you miss something happening because there’s a lot going on? Happens to all of us.
Do you really expect a delivery person that makes $5.50 an hour plus tips to take hours and hours of prep training to avoid these seemingly obvious pitfalls? You don’t get “idiots”, you get people who are trying to make a living.
Carol Cross
Sep 2, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Yes! And, isn’t it just great that the franchisors pass off all of the liability and expense of operating businesses and hiring and paying employees to the franchiSEES who build and finance the physical units that rent and wear the famous brand names.
It is the franchisee who has to pay for and carry insurance on the delivery vehicle and who is responsible for the driver, etc… I’m sure Domino’s Corporate would have no vicarious liability for the death of the puppy, and this, of course, is why really smart people are franchisors and not franchisees.
sean
Sep 2, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Carol:
You’ve got to be kidding! Franchisees are becoming McMillionaires by the score while the franchisors get thanked by being sued for the outrageous actions of the employees these franchisees are letting run wild.
McDonald’s corporate gets sued every time a manager bites a teenage worker’s breast , refuses to serve a midget or take money from a handicapped person’s toes at the drivethrough, or tells a lactating mother that she can’t bring her own food in, or even lets franchisees sell Devos stupid hat.
In most cases, it’s the franchisees who have all the fun, who get to run over pets and discriminate against Muslims and the handicapped while the franchisor is left to clean up the sometimes considerable mess.
PUPPY LOVE
Sep 6, 2008 at 11:36 pm
He’s an idiot simply because he did not apologize.
What is so very wrong about expecting some one to apologize for something that hurt someone else weather they were at fault or not. Sorry if that offends you but I would say the same about my own family members if they did this (though my family members have enough heart and compassion to apologize) apparently this is a huge problem in the world today. If I was a delivery person and I stepped on a clients pet cockroach, even though I would think they were crazy, I WOULD APOLGIZE, simply because it’s the right thing to do. If I failed to do so I wouldn’t blame them if they called me names.
sean
Sep 7, 2008 at 9:24 am
PUPPY LOVE:
The owner did call to apologize, but that wasn’t good enough. The lady insisted on him buying her another $900 puppy.
This lady is clearly a mess. First off, she could afford $900 for a puppy but can’t afford more than $9.99 to feed her family?
Second, her dogs were clearly out of control, as she states “I gave my son my credit card number to pay for the pizza over the phone, thinking ahead so I didn’t have to deal with our dogs barking or getting loose when the delivery man came… I generally put them in my laundry room if I know I am going to go to have to open my door…”
Maybe she should have gotten a puppy for free from the Humane Society, spent some money on obedience classes, and eaten frozen pizzas from Sam’s Club until her household was under control.
Frankly, I think the driver should sue her for pain, suffering, slander and diminished tips.
PUPPY LOVE
Sep 7, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I never saw any thing in any of the articles or comments stating that he apologized, besides if he did so after the fact i’m sure it was a scripted apology from Domino’s mngnt. Definitely not from the heart, just some words put together to hopefully avoid a law suit and negative publicity. This kid probably didn’t even know why he had to do it. Some one should probably explain it to him (from both sides)
carol cross
Sep 7, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Puppy Love —Insurance and Domino’s.
I’m sure that any compassionate delivery person or kid who kills a puppy by mistake, even if the puppy was negligently in his path, feels sorry for the owner of the puppy and would apologize or offer sympathy to the owner of the puppy if the owner approached him/her and they had some exchange of conversation about the unfortunate accident. But —maybe not!
]Of course, the owner franchisee of the Domino’s is required, of course, to have insurance on the automobile being used for delivery and on his premises, as well, and he wants to avoid any unnecessary claims or bad publicity for his business because his franchisor will be after him and his business if UNFAVORABLE publicity is generated in the community.
Domino’s Corporate, who is protected from any actual liability, has probably indicated in the contract that “any bad publicity” or any “offense” against the brand name and image is grounds for “termination” or threats of termination that could mean that the owner-franchisee could lose his business.
I have often wondered if the Franchisors encourage the circumvention of the law when they mandate “delivery” services be provided by their franchisees. The franchisee owners, who often can’t afford a delivery van and the insurance, and still stay in business, hire delivery drivers and the drivers use their own personal cars to deliver orders as sub-contractors. I’m sure many of these drivers don’t report this to their insurance companies, and then, who is liable? For damn sure, it won’t be the Corporate franchisor.
Franchisors avoid all of the expense and liability of operating the physical units from which they extract the profits on the gross sales. If the Franchisor wants the franchisee to pay the $900 to the lady, I’m sure she will get the $900.
sean
Sep 7, 2008 at 6:27 pm
The lady failed to control her dog and it ran out into a public street.
What does it matter that it was the delivery driver? It could have been anyone.
Which one of you would whip out your checkbooks and pay some irresponsible pet owner $900 because she didn’t put her dog in the laundry room?
PUPPY LOVE
Sep 7, 2008 at 8:04 pm
There is no more use to continue this cause you just don’t get it and you never will, I give up cause you can’t make a point to a rock. why don’t you go get a job at Dominoes and run down any thing in your path. I sign off forever,goodbye and good luck, you’ll need it
carol cross
Sep 7, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Sean!
If you are trying to make the point that people think these big Brand Franchised Businesses, like Domino’s, have lots of money and that they can get into their pockets, I’m sure you are right. But, of course, Corporate hardly ever has any liability for what happens to the franchisee in the operation of the business, and their deep pockets are protected from those who would set up their franchisees thinking they could get their hands into those deep pockets.
In this case, the woman is definitely out of line, in my opinion, because she was negligent in letting her untrained puppy run lose. But, she probably thinks the Domino’s Pizza owner is rich and she might as well try to get $900.00 from someone.
I was just making the point that Corporate can demand that franchisees apologize, whether they are right or wrong, and that if Domino’s wanted the bad publicity to stop, they would put pressure on the franchisee to stop it —-even if it cost the franchisee $900.00.
Am I wrong?
sean
Sep 8, 2008 at 4:40 am
Domino’s didn’t make the franchisee apologize.
Domino’s didn’t make the franchisee pay $900.
I think the story point here is one of personal accountability, and people’s immediate attacks on a company with a recognized franchise brand as evil, greedy corporations.
They fail to realize that franchisees are small business owners with problems and challenges just like them. Why should the Goshen, IN franchisee pay $900 because some woman lets her dog run in the street? Why should Domino’s Corp.?
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