Domino's CEO Russell Weiner on how the company became the No. 1 pizza chain in the world
Take-Away with Sam Oches
Nation's Restaurant News
4.9 • 17 Ratings
🗓️ 24 October 2025
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Russell Weiner, the chief executive officer at Domino’s Pizza, at the company’s headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich. Russell shares the strategies that have driven Domino’s to become a dominant global leader in pizza, and he reflects on his 17 years with the company, which included what could be the most remarkable brand transformation in retail history. Sam also talks with Russell about how brand perception can affect product quality, why you have to rethink the KPIs you’re using to measure success, and how a disciplined decision making process can ensure consistent innovation.
This is part of NRN’s 2025 Brand Icon package featuring Domino’s and powered by The Coca-Cola Company; for more, click here.
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
- A singular focus will help you accomplish bigger success
- Your brand perception is probably affecting your product quality
- The success of your innovation might not be what you think it is
- By promoting a fun working atmosphere, you’ll have harder working teams
- With a disciplined decision-making process, you’ll stay ahead of the game
Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Takeaway with Sam Okas, a podcast for leaders of growing restaurant companies looking to take their businesses to the next level. In nearly two decades covering restaurants, I've gained access to some of this industry's most influential decision makers, and I'm letting you in on the conversations. |
| 0:26.6 | In today's special bonus episode, you'll hear from the CEO of the largest pizza chain in the world about the strategies that it uses to keep ahead of competitors, and you'll also learn about the benefits |
| 0:38.4 | of promoting a fun but disciplined working atmosphere. |
| 0:42.3 | Russell Wiener is the chief executive officer at Domino's Pizza. |
| 0:46.5 | I traveled to Domino's headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan last month to sit down with Russell |
| 0:51.5 | and other executives at Domino's in person as just part of our |
| 0:55.5 | just released brand icon package. And we're excited to offer you this full interview with Russell, |
| 1:02.1 | in which he reflects on his 17 years with the company, which included what could be the most |
| 1:06.9 | remarkable brand transformation in retail history. We also talk about how brand perception |
| 1:13.6 | can affect product quality, why you have to rethink the KPIs that you're using to measure |
| 1:19.4 | success, and how a disciplined decision-making process can ensure consistent innovation. If you want |
| 1:26.4 | more from Domino's and our brand icon report |
| 1:29.2 | powered by our friends at the Coca-Cola company, head to nrn.com slash brand-dash icon. That's nrn.com |
| 1:36.7 | slash brand-dash icon. By the way, if you learn anything from this episode, go follow |
| 1:41.7 | takeaway wherever you listen to podcasts and leave some feedback. |
| 1:45.4 | It is the best way to get that lesson to a fellow restaurant leader. |
| 1:49.9 | Jumping now into my interview with Domino's CEO Russell Weiner. |
| 1:54.2 | Also, don't forget to stick around after the interview as I will share my five takeaways |
| 1:57.6 | from this discussion, actionable insights that you can take with you on the go. |
| 2:07.4 | Russell Wiener, the CEO of Domino's Pizza. Thanks for sitting down today. Thanks for happening. |
| 2:11.9 | Very excited to talk about your perspective on this company because you have a unique perspective. You've been with this company for 17 years. You started as CMO back in 2009, around that. Late 2008. Okay, you've seen a lot |
| 2:26.2 | of change in this company. We're going to walk through that, but I think to start, 17 years at this |
... |
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