Did Domino's New "Domidog" Lift Its Q2 Earnings?
Chipotle's Q2 falls flat, Canadian delivery data, a very weird new van
It’s Q2 earnings season, meaning we’ve got lots of news to cover today — Domino’s and Chipotle results, data from DoorDash Canada, Faraday Future’s new van — and a whole lot more coming down the pike later this week.
This week we have extra industry coverage, thanks to our partners at SWITCH.
Today:
Marketing Stunts Power Domino’s Q2 Growth
Learning from Faraday Future’s Frivolous Van Launch
Chart Time | What’s Eating Canada?
Chipotle Stumbles in Q2
ROBOTICS | Domino’s Unveils Domidog And Boosted Q2 Earnings
Domino’s UK just unveiled a whole new type of delivery vehicle: the Domidog. Based off of Boston Dynamics’ tech, the robotic hound features stereo cameras, 360 degree vision, and autonomous navigation capabilities. Ad agency One Green Bean envisions it protecting British beachgoers from the bothersome birds that steal summertime treats from visitors to Ol’ Blighty’s dreary shores.
The Big Picture: Is it a marketing stunt? Sure! But, Domino’s has proven that clever campaigns can get customers back in stores (or ordering on the apps, as the company has now fully rolled out its partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats.) The pizza heavyweight credits the launch of new stuffed crust pizzas as a big driver to same store sales, up 3.4% domestically and 5.6% worldwide. Other stats looked good as well, with revenue up 4.3% compared to the year prior and income from operations growing 14.8%, although net income took a ding due to the realization of losses associated with its DPC Dash holdings in China. Domino’s also noted that its carryout business performed quite well, up 5.8%.
PARTNER | Urban Fleets Are Getting an AI Teammate — Join for Early Access
SWITCH is launching its new Agentic AI platform – designed to optimize every layer of fleet operations, from demand forecasting to task automation. This is more than just analytics: it’s an intelligent agent that integrates directly into your tools, simulaing outcomes and acting on real-time data.
Now in Early Access, the program is free and already working with operators worldwide – from those managing a few dozen large vehicles to others running hundreds of thousands of micromobility units. Whether you’re in shared mobility, last-mile delivery, or car rental, if you manage urban fleets, this is your chance to help shape the future of AI for urban fleets.
✅ White-glove onboarding
✅ Influence the product roadmap
✅ Early access to new capabilities
VEHICLES | Faraday Future Launches FX Super One Van
Embattled EV maker Faraday Future launched a new vehicle — the FX Super One van — and the reception was, let’s say… colder than lukewarm. Jalopnik called it a “complete disaster” while Core77 deemed it “bizarre.” The event itself was marred by the vehicle wraps getting stuck on the vans, while attendees had to sit through long disclaimers about the company’s weak financial prognosis. Most damning of all, the van itself appears to simply be a rebadged variant of Chinese OEM Great Wall Motors’ Wey Gaoshan plug-in hybrid MPV. The only difference is the addition of a "Super EAI F.A.C.E. (Front AI Communication Ecosystem)” screen on the nose of the van, where information can be projected for viewing by other motorists and pedestrians.
The Big Picture: While the automotive press has been less than enthusiastic about the clunkily named outward facing screen, might Faraday Future be on to something here? As the world moves towards robotaxis and autonomous delivery vans, there remain big shortcomings in how AVs can communicate their intentions to other road users. A human can wave another car into their lane, or even communicate subtly with his or her face; a self-driving car cannot. And while most delivery bots have small screen up top, they are otherwise rather sparing in what info they present to passersby. Might more screens, and more communication, allow folks to get more comfortable with these machines more readily?
CHART TIME | What Are Canadians Ordering?
DoorDash Canada released its 2025 Delivery Trends report, chock full of interesting stats from 3PD users in the Great White North. Of note, alcohol delivery sales are way up, with 40% more users boozing than the year prior. Also interesting, 64% of users decide their orders in 10 minutes or less.
FINANCE | Chipotle Profit Falls in Q2
Tech-forward burrito giant Chipotle had a mixed Q2, with revenue up 3% YoY to $3.1 billion, but income falling $19.1M to $436.1 million. Also bad: comparable sales were off 4%, while both corporate level and restaurant level operating margins fell. The Newport Beach-based company opened 61 new locations, 47 of which sport its optimized Chipotlanes. The company is projecting flat full year comparable restaurant sales, and is actively buying back shares.
The Big Picture: Digital sales accounted for 35.5% of total F&B rev, a slight improvement from the 35.1% the company saw across 2024. Chipotle shows no signs of giving up on its tech prowess; new back-of-house machinery aims to speed up and grow its catering biz, while a collaboration with Snapchat, dubbed the “AvoLotto Lens” aught to drive new adoption of Chipotle Rewards.
A Few Good Links
Instacart launches Season of Savings. White Castle teams up with Uber Eats, Coco Robotics and Checkmate to deploy delivery bots across Chicago. Veho & GLS expand parcel service. Teamsters rebuff UPS offer. Uber Eats Australia pushes in-restaurant dining. India’s EatClub raises $22M for cloud kitchens. Just Eat Takeaway.com talks electronics delivery. Deliveroo expands Co-op grocery partnership, launches football-related stunt with Boots. Gopuff integrates ads across Disney platforms. Bay Area bakery contends DoorDash overcharged for years. Ballerina Farm Store is the Erewhon for Republicans. Chinese regulators urge 3PDs to compete fairly. Yango Pakistan and DealCart launch grocery delivery. Why Cartken pivoted to industrial robotics. Compass buys Vermaat. Tesla’s diner opening underwhelms as Optimus struggles with popcorn, company plans robotaxi launch in SF despite lack of permits. Uber adds Women Preferences, while Lyft adds Driver Favoriting. Norwegian grocers add digital price displays. South Korea wants to help America regain shipbuilding prowess. DD loses challenge to UE lawsuit. Tariffs bite into GM earnings. Coco Robotics expands LA fleet. Now hiring: Walmart nabs Daniel Danker, formerly of Instacart, Uber and Facebook (see him at Curbivore 2020,) while Bolt Delivery seeks a Chief of Staff and Director of Operations. Rumor mill: Robot.com (née Kiwibot) plans 2026 IPO.
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