UPDATE:
As of the beginning of the Putin V. Ukraine war – Russian businesses have had difficulty with being able to operate in the UK. As such DODO has had to withdraw from the UK, but we remain in contact with them and look forward to them one day returning to the UK.
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We have been fortunate in our involvement in the design of the flagship store for the UK Dodo Pizza operations situated in Leamington Spa. Currently, we are working on a new store for them in Cheltenham.
But what is Pizza Dodo?
What makes them different why exactly should you be taking note of yet another Pizza company?
Who is ‘Dodo Pizza’?
With over 549 pizzerias in 13 countries, and the goal to add another 1,000 in Europe, Asia, and Africa over the next five years, Dodo Pizza may seem ambitious. But the founder has been said to be the ”Steve Jobs” of Pizza and having sampled the Pizza ourselves, we are undoubtedly impressed by the quality of the product.
According to Econsultancy.com –
Dodo delivers “Pizza with a side of tech. Dodo Pizza describes itself as ‘a company that merges IT and retail’. This is because, instead of relying on third-party software, it has brought development in-house, a decision it believes will be crucial to its future success in the QSR (quick service restaurant) industry.”
But that isn’t all – take a look at the Econsultancy article for in-depth analysis, but the top differentiating factors of Dodo Pizza are:
- They built their own in-house IT system.
- Transparency and data – of their business aims, ambitions, and financial status, which, if you are a subscriber, they will send out to you.
- Customer-centric focus – it’s built a hybrid model of dine-in and delivery. Doesn’t use dark kitchens or third-party delivery companies. Instead, they train their drivers to deliver their products with care and attention, making every customer feel appreciated.
What’s the product like?
The pizzas are thin or thick based, with fresh ingredients that are exciting in their choices of pairings and combinations. The style of pizza creation is likely to be an in-house secret, but let us just say the pizzas that come out of their kitchens are bursting with freshness and zeal. We love them.
An interesting name choice?
The choice of name for Dodo Pizza might seem odd to some. However, we can appreciate that when you think outside the box, choosing a dodo for your mascot is part of the differentiation process that makes Dodo Pizza stand out from the crowd.
The look of the stores
A palette of clean whites, vibrant satsuma orange and black lead to the restaurants looking zappy and edgy. Lighting is kept bright and unfussy, and big windows help to make openess and accessibility part of the sales pitch.
Pizza restaurants share certain core characteristics in the process of kitchen design and product delivery methods. However, the product itself can vary dramatically in the time and approach taken on different elements of the production, which is where Dodo stores stand out from their competitors. This was carefully incorporated into the production area of Dodo Leamington flagship store. By the time it gets to the front of the house, the lighting and presentation make the colours pop, while the smells get customers salivating with excitement.
What can other restaurants and pizza businesses learn from Dodo?
Transparency can be a good thing. Taking the time to invest in your workforce can pay off. Quick expansion might frighten some, but if you can prove the product’s success through the figures, why not strive for world domination?
Final thoughts
We have enough experience under our belts to know what works when designing a pizza restaurant, but every client has specific needs that differentiate them. At Listen Design Deliver, we took the time to sit down, face to face, listen to what the client needed and to understand their ethos because the best designs come from conversations and excellent communication.