A six-month Fairfax Media investigation alleged widespread wage underpayment at Domino’s and franchisees, including deliberate penalty underpayment through a delivery scam and the illegal sale of migrant sponsorships for as much as $150,000. Former franchisees described financial strain; one said he did not underpay workers but understood why some franchisees did.
A six-month investigation by Fairfax Media into Domino’s and its franchisees has uncovered widespread underpayment of wages, the deliberate underpayment of penalties using a delivery scam and the illegal sale of sponsorships of migrants for as much as $150,000.
Fairfax Media reported franchisees faced fees and rising costs while head office collected royalties on sales, and cited allegations of corner-cutting and underpayment. Domino’s denied systemic wage underpayment and said franchisee profitability averaged $138,000–$145,000 annually; it also disputed figures suggesting many stores were struggling. A former franchisee admitted wage violations and repaid more than $200,000.
Fairfax Media too has spoken to a number of current and former franchisees who described a system that is “dictatorial”, where Domino’s calls the shots and wields its power to make more and more financial demands of its franchisees.
Fairfax’s investigation shows that the Domino’s business model is based on franchisees growing sales, not profit, with head office taking a royalty from every sale as Australians chomp through one million of its pizzas every week. Stores are bought and sold on a multiple of these sales, not on profit.
Alongside a store’s purchase price, which can range from less than $300,000 to more than $1.5 million and stamp duty, there’s a $60,000 franchise fee for the right to use the Domino’s brand, a $20,000 training fee for a six-week course and a $5500 administration fee for the preparation of documents.
On August 21, 2023, DP Eurasia, Domino’s master franchisee in Russia, said its Russian subsidiary would file for bankruptcy after an attempted sale and cited a challenging business environment and sanctions. Domino’s told the BBC that its subsidiaries had stopped supporting the Russian market in early 2022; Russian outlets had remained open after royalty payments were suspended in March 2022.
Domino’s Pizza announced it is closing all of its outlets in Russia, becoming the latest Western company to pull out of the country since it invaded Ukraine last year. DP Eurasia, the master franchisee of the Domino’s Pizza brand in Russia, said Monday it is filing for bankruptcy for its Russian entity, DPRussia. DP Eurasia said this follows an evaluation of the company’s Russian unit, including its presence in the country, “the impact of sanctions and its continuing ability to serve its customers in Russia.” The company said the decision to file for bankruptcy comes after it attempted to sell DPRussia. "With the increasingly challenging environment, DPRussia's immediate holding company is now compelled to take this step, which will bring about the termination of the attempted sale process of DPRussia as a going concern and, inevitably, the Group's presence in Russia," it said. "A bankruptcy petition of DPRussia will be filed in accordance with the relevant statutory requirements in due course." In March 2022, soon after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February, DPRussia suspended royalty payments from Russia, though the outlets in the country remained open. The company has 142 stores in Russia, along with locations in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. A series of Western companies have chosen to suspend or completely withdraw operations in Russia amid the war in Ukraine. According to a database from Yale University, more than 1,000 companies have publicly announced they are voluntarily curtailing operations in Russia beyond the legally required international sanctions. Other large U.S. franchises that have taken such action include McDonald's and Starbucks, which have completely withdrawn from Russia. Other companies, such as Apple and FedEx, have suspended operations in the country.
Domino's Pizza Inc, the American multi-national business and master franchisor, told the BBC that through its subsidiary companies, it stopped providing "any support for the Russian market in early 2022".
The company that oversees the Domino’s Pizza brand in Russia said it will file for bankruptcy there, signaling a definitive end to its operations in that country nearly 18 months after President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
After a 1998 complaint alleged race-based delivery denial, the Justice Department and Domino’s reached an agreement in 2000 requiring safety-based procedures and prohibiting decisions based on race or other protected traits. The U.S. made no finding on the allegation, which Domino’s denied, and closed its investigation; it said it could reopen the matter if further complaints arose.
The "Limited Delivery Service Standard" in the form that is attached hereto as Appendix "A" has been adopted as a Standard in the Domino's Pizza system and is applicable to all Domino's Pizza stores. This Standard has been distributed to all stores in the Domino's Pizza system and will be incorporated into Domino's Operating Manual which is provided to all Domino's stores. This Standard provides that decisions to limit delivery service are never to be based on factors such as race, national origin, religion, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Standard also requires stores to adopt a procedure for the orderly and systematic investigation of an area that is suspected to be unsafe to Domino's employees before making a final decision to limit delivery service in that area.
In resolving the matter, Domino's agreed to develop a nationwide policy to ensure that decisions to limit pizza delivery are based upon a legitimate safety concern for their delivery drivers. The policy will be in effect in the more than 650 corporate stores and 3,900 franchise stores throughout the country.
In a report with no publication date specified, Domino’s store manager Azrael Yin alleged that franchisee Pamir Dehsabzi told him to keep labor costs below 27% of sales and that he reduced payroll-recorded hours and pay. Yin said he had complained to Domino’s head office nine months earlier but was still awaiting a response.
It took Domino’s store manager Azrael Yin three years to pluck up the courage to inform head office that one of its biggest franchisees was exploiting workers. When he finally did, nobody seemed to care.
On July 23, 2026, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises said it was considering an appeal after Australia’s Federal Court found its historical statements about enterprise-agreement coverage misleading. The court assessed one former worker’s loss at about A$11,869 plus interest; the company said potential exposure to other workers remained highly uncertain and unquantifiable.
July 23 (Reuters) - Domino's Pizza Enterprises (DMP.AX), opens new tab said on Thursday it was considering an appeal after the Federal Court found the company made misleading representations about the application of certain enterprise agreements.
A June 2023 report said a lawsuit accused a Domino’s manager of threatening a Black worker with scissors after the worker complained about being called the N-word. The supplied evidence does not provide further details or an outcome.
Domino's manager threatened Black worker with scissors for complaining about being called the N-word: lawsuit
Workers and activists alleged that New York franchisee Dave Melton violated labor laws, including through wage underpayments, unpaid overtime and retaliation; organizers also sought to hold Domino’s responsible. A 2013 report described protests and a lawsuit involving more than 70 workers, but the supplied accounts do not state the case’s outcome.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2010 by six workers alleging Melton violated state and federal labor laws. More workers joined the next year, bringing the total to over 70 plaintiffs. Workers' grievances include allegations of paying workers less than minimum wage, requiring unpaid overtime, denying workers time for breaks and lunch, unsafe working conditions (including being forced to make deliveries on bicycle in severe rain and snow), as well as retaliation against workers for standing up against these offenses.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenathal (D-Manhattan) joined activists Saturday in protesting what they called abusive labor practices of Domino's Pizza in New York City.
The group gathered outside the Domino's Pizza at 464 Third Ave. in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan.
Activists accused Domino's franchises of running "sweatshops," where workers were forced to work long hours and never even given time to eat, and where payroll records were falsified to "steal workers' wages."
"When workers stood up for their rights, instead of changing their ways, Domino's Pizza fired them. After three years, Domino's Pizza Corporation continues to refuse to take responsibility and right these wrongs," activists said in a news release.
At the Saturday protest, activists were expected to announce plans to form a "citywide student network against the sweatshop empire," as many students â according to activists â face similar conditions to Domino's Pizza workers as they deal with grim job prospects.
"The increasing number of students who are taking low-wage or unpaid internships or turning to retail and service jobs to pay back enormous student debt are joining forces with the Justice Will Be Served Campaign to improve working conditions," the activists said in a release.
Fast food workers at Domino's and other chains picketed earlier this month, demanding higher wages for their low-paying jobs. Some called for $15 per hour, rather than the current $8 per hour that some make after several years.
The current statewide average pay is $8.25 per hour.
The Domino's store where the protest was held declined to comment to 1010 WINS, and referred all questions to corporate headquarters.
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In May 2016, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued Domino’s and three franchisees, alleging workers at 10 stores were underpaid at least $565,000, including through minimum-wage, overtime and expense-reimbursement violations. The suit claimed Domino’s was a joint employer; the company disputed that responsibility and said it had proposed restitution and compliance measures.
Domino's urged franchise operators to use the company's "PULSE" computer system even though executives knew the system had under-calculated gross wages for years, the investigation found. Domino's decided not to fix the flaw, treating the issue as a "low priority," the investigation also concluded.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The state’s attorney general has sued Domino’s Pizza Inc., affiliates and three franchisees alleging they underpaid workers based on payroll reports generated by the parent company’s computer system.
On October 15, 2025, a Minnesota federal judge ruled that sugar purchasers had plausibly alleged that ASR Group and United Sugar coordinated through a broker to share pricing data and raise prices. The judge narrowed the broader case, dismissing claims against other producers; the companies denied wrongdoing. Alleged price effects remain claims, not findings.
U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell said, opens new tab consumers, commercial buyers and other purchasers had plausibly alleged for now that ASR and United Sugar coordinated through a broker to share sensitive pricing data and raise prices.
The EEOC’s February 2023 lawsuit alleged that Parris Pizza, then operating a Domino’s franchise in Olean, allowed managers to direct slurs and other harassment at Black employees from at least 2019. The agency said Andrew Ross resigned after complaints were followed by further harassment and intimidation. Parris Pizza later agreed to pay $150,000 and provide other relief to settle.
Two white Domino’s managers mimicked the “voice and mannerisms” of slave owners in April 2021, calling the employee who ultimately quit “boy,” according to a federal lawsuit filed Feb. 2. The managers later received pay raises, and one was promoted to assistant manager, the complaint says.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, beginning in at least 2019, Parris Pizza permitted Black employees to be harassed by White coworkers. The mistreatment included two shift managers’ regular and open use of slurs during every shift. Among other incidents, one of the managers mimicked the voice of a slave owner and called an employee “boy” while the other manager stood by and laughed. Black employees repeatedly complained about the harassment, but Parris Pizza did not take any action. Because of the harassment and Parris Pizza’s failure to do anything about it, one employee was compelled to resign.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged the company allowed White employees to harass Black employees, which violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Parris Pizza Co. also allegedly didn’t take any action in response to complaints from Black employees, compelling one employee to resign, according to the agency.
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Parris Pizza Company, LLC, a Domino’s Pizza franchise in Olean, New York, violated federal law when it permitted race-based harassment of Black employees by managers and co-workers, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.
Some Domino’s franchisees accused the company of pushing smaller operators out and giving favored multi-franchisees special treatment, including offering stores below market price. A 2017 report said stores traditionally sold for 26 to 28 times average weekly sales, while some went for less. Domino’s said it had never forced franchisees to sign business agreements.
Some franchisees accuse Domino’s of unfairly pushing some smaller franchisees out of the system and giving special treatment to certain multi-franchisees, including offering them stores at prices below market rate.
A Fairfax Media investigation reported hundreds of worker claims and Domino’s-commissioned audits alleging wage violations at stores in several Australian states. Domino’s said some cases involved misunderstandings and that all underpayments were addressed; it reported terminating four franchisees operating seven stores for wage fraud since 2015, but did not disclose how many audited stores or workers were affected.
The Fair Work Ombudsman recently instigated its own inquiries into the franchise network, conducting a number of “site visits” at stores across the country. It is compiling a report following the expiry of a two-year compliance deed it entered with Domino’s in September 2014.
Snopes rated false the claim that Domino’s itself financially supported Operation Rescue. It said founder Tom Monaghan donated to pro-life causes from his personal wealth, not as a company officer, and that he sold the Domino’s empire to Bain Capital in 1998. A separate 1994 account said NOW boycotted the chain over Monaghan’s political activity; a Domino’s spokesperson said the boycott was no longer apparent.
Domino's Pizza LLC has never supported organizations on either side of the reproductive rights issue. The corporation and its 1,825 independent franchise owners across the world have one goal: to sell pizzas and grow our market share. We can't accomplish that goal if we alienate potential customers, as this issue certainly would.
NOW chapters began their boycott in 1989 after Domino’s president, Thomas Monaghan, helped finance a referendum drive ending Medicaid-funded abortions in Michigan. He’s also been involved with Christian fundamentalist groups opposed to the former Sandinista government in Nicaragua.
An Australian Financial Review report published July 23, 2026, said Federal Court judge Bernard Murphy ruled for Riley Gall in his long-running class action against Domino’s, finding the company had not paid penalties for overtime and public holidays he worked. The article said the judgment followed the trial by more than 1,300 days.
In April, he finally handed down his decision in the Brambles class action, 1300 days after the trial wrapped up. Then this Wednesday he ruled in Riley Gall’s favour in his long-running class action against Domino’s, finding against the pizza giant for not paying him penalties for overtime or public holidays he worked.
In 2014, the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index gave Domino’s a score of 35. Spokesman Tim McIntyre said Domino’s had stopped participating and that the survey used outdated information; he said the company had offered benefits to all married couples regardless of gender since 2012. HRC’s listing showed 50/50 for inclusive benefits, 25/25, and no penalty.
"Our score reflects the fact that their information is years out of date, as we have elected not to participate in the HRC survey for some time now," Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre said in an email. "Since 2012, Domino's has offered benefits to all married couples regardless of gender, which is not reflected in their outdated information. We are a diverse, inclusive, global brand and there are a number of gay and lesbian team members, managers, franchise owners and senior level executives in our company."
A 2017 report said former Bathurst franchisee Devanshi Panchal disputed Domino’s payroll-audit findings of more than $80,000 in underpayments; she said the amount was negotiated down, and later received $25,000 in back pay for her own earlier work. Former manager Azrael Yin alleged underpayment and excessive hours at Pamir Dehsabzi’s stores; Dehsabzi denied wrongdoing, and Domino’s said it found limited policy discrepancies that were rectified.
Devanshi Panchal says running a Domino’s store threatened her health, relationships and financial wellbeing. In 2013, after three years managing stores in and around Sydney, she decided to buy her own store in Bathurst on the NSW central tablelands.
A 2015 report said Domino’s hired a lobbyist and helped the American Pizza Community recruit franchisees, suppliers and other chains to oppose aspects of menu labeling. The group backed a bill easing some requirements, including online calorie disclosures for delivery-focused pizzerias; it had not passed. The FDA later allowed calorie information by the slice, but Domino’s representative Liddle criticized the concessions.
Domino’s hired a lobbyist to fight menu labeling. Liddle and her counterparts recruited franchise owners, suppliers, and other big chains such as Papa John’s and Little Caesars, representing roughly 20,000 restaurants. The APC, created in 2010, fights the most objectionable aspects of menu labeling. It held weekly conference calls to discuss strategy, and in June 2012, members flew to Washington — “the first wave of an ongoing effort to inform leaders about the industry,” according to an APC press release.
In 2012, the Labor Department said its investigation found PDQ Pizza, a Domino’s franchisee operating 19 Florida locations, violated federal wage and record-keeping rules, including by underpaying tipped workers for nontipped duties and overtime. PDQ paid 401 employees $371,675 in back wages and agreed to change payroll practices and comply with the law.
Investigators found systemic violations resulting from the company's failure to properly compensate tip-earning employees, such as delivery drivers, for all of their hours worked. Even when performing nontipped duties such as cooking, cleaning and stocking, the workers were paid as if they were tipped employees, with hourly wage rates as low as $5.15 rather than the required federal minimum wage of $7.25. The employer also made illegal deductions from employees' wages for uniforms, and failed to properly calculate and compensate tipped employees for all overtime hours (those worked in excess of 40 in a week). Finally, the employer failed to record and designate hours worked as tipped or nontipped in order to pay employees correctly, which violates the FLSA's record-keeping provisions.
On May 16, 2024, Domino’s Pizza said it referred a customer’s religious insult in an online order to police. The company expressed disappointment in both the customer and a staff member who posted the incident and personal information online, and said it planned appropriate action against both; police had opened an investigation.
GEORGE TOWN, May 16 — Fast food chain Domino's Pizza said today it has referred the case of a customer's controversial religious insult in an online order to the police.
An analysis cited in a 2015 report found that pizza-industry donors gave about $1.3 million to Republican federal candidates over the prior two election cycles, compared with $157,000 to Democrats. The report also said the frozen-pizza lobby had not taken a position on proposed changes to nutrition rules, while a pizzeria advocate hoped Congress would revise menu-labeling law.
Fresh or frozen, the pizza industry tends to support Republicans. In the last two election cycles, Republican federal candidates received about $1.3 million from the industry, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics of major companies and those listing “pizza” in their name. Democrats received just $157,000. (The biggest beneficiary was 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, despite published reports that he pulls the cheese off his pizza.)
Domino’s Pizza LLC delivery drivers’ wage claims were allowed to proceed despite arbitration agreements: the Ninth Circuit upheld a ruling that interstate-commerce workers were exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act. In a separate California case, a judge sent a former employee’s proposed wage class action to state court, saying Domino’s had not substantiated its claimed violation rates.
Domino’s Pizza LLC will address a former employee’s wage violation claims in state court after not providing evidence backing how often it committed straight time and overtime infractions, a federal judge said.
Domino’s Pizza LLC must face a lawsuit by delivery drivers alleging wage law violations—even though they signed an arbitration agreement—because a statute promoting arbitration exempts workers engaged in “interstate commerce,” a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled Thursday.
Archived OpenSecrets data lists Domino’s lobbying spending at $280,000 in 2023 and $80,000 in 2024. The 2024 entry ranks the company 1,980th among 7,862 organizations. The supplied record does not specify the issues or policy positions connected to this spending.
OpenSecrets’ lobbying profile lists Domino’s Pizza reports concerning the Data Privacy Act of 2023 (H.R. 1165) and American Privacy Rights Act of 2024 (H.R. 8818). The page shows four reports for H.R. 1165 and three for H.R. 8818; it does not specify the company’s position on either bill.
<table id="DataTables_Table_0"> <thead> <tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Bill Number</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Congress</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Title</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">No. of Reports & Specific Issues*</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>H.R.1165 </td> <td>118</td> <td>Data Privacy Act of 2023</td> <td>4</td> </tr><tr> <td>H.R.8818 </td> <td>118</td> <td>American Privacy Rights Act of 2024</td> <td>3</td> </tr></tbody> <tfoot> <tr><td rowspan="1" colspan="4">*Each quarterly filing is treated as a separate report.</td></tr> </tfoot> </table>
The FCC issued Domino’s Pizza an official citation, released April 29, 2009, for an apparent violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and commission rules on prerecorded messages. The supplied account does not describe the calls or report a subsequent outcome.
Official citation issued to Domino's Pizza, Alpharetta, GA, for apparent violation of the TCPA and Commission's rules regarding pre-recorded messages.
A 2015 report said pizza advocates had split from other food groups to form their own lobbying force. It reported that the sector’s biggest spenders gave less than $500,000 to lobbying in the prior year and $1.5 million in political contributions over the previous two election cycles, and said the effort had achieved some congressional successes.
Pizza advocates have taken a different, more combative tack. They’ve separated themselves from other food groups to become their own lobbying force.
The supplied Human Rights Campaign listing for Domino’s Pizza Inc. shows a rating of 5/5. The evidence provides no date, rating criteria or further context.
Law360 reported that a Domino’s franchise operator and a former delivery driver reached a settlement, according to a joint notice filed in September 2026. The driver’s proposed class and collective action accused the operator of pushing pay below minimum wage by underpaying expenses. The supplied account does not state the settlement terms.
By Zach Dupont ( September 10, 2026, 8:14 PM EDT) -- A Domino's franchise operator and a former delivery driver reached a settlement to dismiss the driver's proposed class and collective action accusing the franchise operator of pushing driver pay below minimum wage by underpaying expenses, according to a joint notice of settlement filed Thursday. . . .
A Financial Times article published August 21, 2023, was titled “Domino’s Pizza leaves Russia after sale efforts fail.” The supplied evidence contains only the headline and subscription-page text, so it does not establish details of the departure, the sale efforts, or the outcome.
Domino’s Pizza leaves Russia after sale efforts fail
A March 9, 2015 report said a farmer-funded promotional agency, authorized and overseen by the federal government, encouraged fast-food chains to use more cheese. The effort partially funded Domino’s 2009 launch of American Legends pizzas, which were topped with 40 percent more cheese.
Pizza is such an efficient cheese-delivery vehicle that a farmer-funded promotional agency, authorized and overseen by the federal government, pushed fast-food chains to load pizzas with more cheese. That effort led to Pizza Hut’s 2002 “Summer of Cheese” campaign and partially funded Domino’s 2009 introduction of its “American Legends” pizzas — pies topped with 40 percent more cheese.
On June 8, 2023, the Justice Department announced a settlement with Maryland-based Treacy Enterprises, which owns and operates several Domino’s franchises. DOJ said the company improperly demanded extra work-authorization documents from a lawful permanent resident and required a green card. The agreement requires a civil penalty, staff training, policy revisions, and monitoring; Domino’s itself is not identified as the operator.
The agency found that Treacy Enterprises discriminated against a lawful permanent resident by requiring them to prove their status by providing a green card. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, employers can’t demand additional documentation to prove work eligibility beyond what is required by federal law.
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Maryland-based Treacy Enterprises Inc., which owns and operates several Domino’s Pizza franchises (Treacy Enterprises). The settlement resolves the department’s determination that Treacy Enterprises violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by requiring a non-U.S citizen worker to provide more documents than necessary to prove his permission to work, even though he had already shown sufficient documentation.