Domino's Pizza vs Yum! Brands: Founders, CEOs and History
Domino's Pizza was founded in 1960 by Tom Monaghan, James Monaghan and is led by Joseph (Joe) Jordan. Yum! Brands was founded in 1997 by Andrall E. Pearson, David C. Novak and is led by Chris Turner.
Company facts
Domino's Pizza
- Founded
- 1960
- Headquarters
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Current CEO
- Joseph (Joe) Jordan
- Employees
- 10,500
Yum! Brands
- Founded
- 1997
- Headquarters
- Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- Current CEO
- Chris Turner
- Employees
- 36,000
Founders
Domino's Pizza
Tom Monaghan
Tom Monaghan co-founded Domino's in 1960 when he and his brother James bought DomiNick's in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with about $900 in borrowed money.
James Monaghan
James Monaghan co-bought DomiNick's with his brother Tom in 1960. Unwilling to give up his postal job for the long hours of the pizza shop, he traded his half of the business to Tom in 1961 in exchange for the store's Volkswagen Beetle, a deal often cited as o…
Yum! Brands
Andrall E. Pearson
Andrall E. Pearson, a former PepsiCo president, was the first chairman and chief executive of Tricon Global Restaurants when PepsiCo spun off KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell in 1997.
David C. Novak
David C. Novak was vice chairman and president of Tricon at the 1997 spin-off and later served as chief executive of Yum! Brands from 2000 to 2015.
CEOs and their tenures
Domino's Pizza
- Patrick Doyle2010–2018
Former Chief Executive Officer
Doyle's tenure is widely credited with one of the best-known restaurant turnarounds; the stock rose sharply during the 2010s as digital ordering became a core sales channel.
Source - Ritch Allison2018–2022
Former Chief Executive Officer
Handed over to Russell Weiner in May 2022.
Source - Russell Weiner2022–2026
Chief Executive Officer (2022-2026); Executive Chairman Designate
Joined Domino's in 2008 as Chief Marketing Officer and helped lead the 2009 Pizza Turnaround. As CEO he oversaw revenue growth to $4.94 billion in FY2025 before handing the role to Joe Jordan on October 1, 2026.
Source - Joe Jordan2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Inherits a business with slowing U.S. same-store sales and a target of more than 175 net new U.S. stores in 2026.
Source
Yum! Brands
- David Gibbs2020–2025
Former Chief Executive Officer
A Yum and PepsiCo restaurant veteran since 1989, Gibbs was CEO from January 2020 until Turner succeeded him on October 1, 2025.
Source - Chris Turner2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
Turner spent more than 13 years at McKinsey and later held senior roles at PepsiCo before joining Yum as CFO in 2019. He added chief franchise officer duties in 2024 and became CEO on October 1, 2025.
Source - Ranjith Roy2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
Yum's CFO following Turner's move to CEO.
Source
Timeline: Domino's Pizza and Yum! Brands side by side
1960Domino's Pizza
DomiNick's purchased
Tom and James Monaghan buy a small pizza store in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
1965Domino's Pizza
Renamed Domino's Pizza
The business adopts the Domino's Pizza name as it expands.
1983Domino's Pizza
First international stores
Domino's opens in Winnipeg, Canada, and Queensland, Australia.
1997Yum! Brands
PepsiCo restaurant spin-off
PepsiCo separated KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut into Tricon Global Restaurants.
1998Domino's Pizza
Bain Capital recapitalization
Tom Monaghan sells a roughly 93% stake to Bain Capital.
2002Yum! Brands
Renamed Yum! Brands
Tricon adopted the Yum! Brands name.
2004Domino's Pizza
IPO
Domino's lists on the New York Stock Exchange under DPZ.
2009Domino's Pizza
Pizza Turnaround
The company reformulates its core pizza recipe and admits past quality complaints in national ads.
2016Yum! Brands
Yum China spin-off
The mainland China business became Yum China Holdings, a separate public company.
2020Yum! Brands
Habit Burger Grill acquired
Yum added the fast-casual burger chain.
2025Domino's Pizza
FY2025 results
$4.94 billion revenue, $601.7 million net income and 776 net new stores.
2025Yum! Brands
Chris Turner becomes CEO
Turner succeeded David Gibbs effective October 1, 2025.
2026Domino's Pizza
Joe Jordan becomes CEO
Joe Jordan succeeds Russell Weiner as CEO on October 1, 2026.
2026Yum! Brands
Pizza Hut sale completed
Sales of Pizza Hut to Yum China (August 7) and LongRange Capital (early September) closed for $2.7 billion in total.
Acquisitions
Domino's Pizza
- Bain Capital recapitalization of Domino's (Domino's was the target)1998Undisclosed
Yum! Brands
- Dragontail Systems2021Undisclosed
- Tictuk Technologies2021Undisclosed
- The Habit Burger Grill2020$375M
Questions about Domino's Pizza vs Yum! Brands
Who is the CEO of Domino's Pizza, Inc. and Yum! Brands, Inc.?
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is led by Joseph (Joe) Jordan and Yum! Brands, Inc. is led by Chris Turner. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Domino's Pizza, Inc. founded vs Yum! Brands, Inc.?
Domino's Pizza, Inc. was founded in 1960 — 37 years before Yum! Brands, Inc., which was founded in 1997. Domino's Pizza, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Yum! Brands, Inc..
How many employees does Domino's Pizza, Inc. have compared to Yum! Brands, Inc.?
Domino's Pizza, Inc. employs approximately 10,500 people, while Yum! Brands, Inc. employs approximately 36,000. Yum! Brands, Inc. has the larger workforce at 36,000 employees, compared to Domino's Pizza, Inc.'s 10,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Domino's Pizza, Inc. and Yum! Brands, Inc. headquartered?
Both Domino's Pizza, Inc. and Yum! Brands, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Domino's Pizza, Inc. and Yum! Brands, Inc.?
Domino's Pizza, Inc. was founded by Tom Monaghan, James Monaghan. Yum! Brands, Inc. was founded by Andrall E. Pearson, David C. Novak.
Which company has a longer operating history — Domino's Pizza, Inc. or Yum! Brands, Inc.?
Domino's Pizza, Inc. has been operating for approximately 66 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Yum! Brands, Inc. has been in operation for around 29 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Domino's Pizza vs Yum! Brands overview