Domino is an ancient game of chance and skill that involves placing a number of dominoes on the table, each with an arrangement of dots or “pips” (the same pips used on a die) on one half of the face. The other half is blank or identically patterned. Players score points by laying dominoes with their exposed ends touching each other (one’s touch two’s, for example) and adding up the numbers on the exposed ends of all the exposed dominoes to find the total. If that total is a multiple of five, the player scores.
Dominoes can be made of bone, wood, or carved ivory. Today, dominoes are largely manufactured from heavy plastic. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, though many are rectangular. A domino set can be as simple as a standard double-nine (91 tiles) or as complicated as an elaborate 3-D structure. In addition to being a fun and challenging game, dominoes can help kids develop core math skills as they learn to count, match, sort, and classify pieces. And building up the intricate domino rallies can build motor skills, color recognition, and artistic expression.
As a result, Dominoes has become a popular toy in classrooms. Children often use the rally sets without the numeric markings to learn about patterning and spatial relations. And the process of arranging and then tipping over dominoes encourages patience and precision.
In the modern era, Domino’s has invested heavily in technology to improve and streamline its delivery services. Its pizza-making machines are all state-of-the-art, and the company has even created its own delivery vehicles to meet specific needs of urban areas and rural customers. These efforts have helped Domino’s remain competitive, but they have also added to the company’s debt.
For this reason, many experts believe Domino’s is vulnerable to a shakeout of its delivery services, with smaller, more nimble companies poised to take market share and profits. In the midst of this uncertainty, Domino’s has been experimenting with new methods of pizza delivery. It has recently started offering emoji-based ordering on its app and is experimenting with delivery by drone.
Domino’s strategy may look like a hammer-and-nail approach, but it has helped the company ride out the economic storm and stay in business. As long as the chain can keep up with its technological investments, it will continue to grow and deliver.