Domino’s Pizza CEO Says More Immigrants Are Needed To Solve Worker Shortage
Domino's Pizza CEO says the chain needs to hire more immigrants.
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Since its inception in 1960 Domino’s Pizza has grown to become one of the most popular pizza chains in the United States. Even after poor business decisions almost forced them to go bankrupt back in 2009, they were able to bounce back and attain an even larger amount of success. However, due to slow domestic population growth combined with a mass exodus of workers quitting their jobs, Domino’s Pizza is once again suffering. Franchise CEO Ritch Allison spoke to CNBC’s Jim Cramer and said that in order for Domino’s to continue to maintain that level of success and the ability to offer consistent and reliable products and services, an influx of immigrants is needed.
Allison spoke candidly about the reasons that he thinks that an increase in individuals immigrating to this country would serve to ease the burden of a larger problem currently afflicting the United States. He detailed that because the United States’ population growth has essentially flatlined, there simply are not enough domestic workers to fill all the roles that Domino’s Pizza needs to be filled .”It’s a challenge. In the U.S. with minimal population growth organically, we do — we need immigration in our industry to continue to have enough team members,” said Allison. Cramer followed up by pointing out that “We don’t have population growth in this country. … But more importantly, he’s saying, we cut off immigration.”
Domino’s Pizza CEO Ritch Allison noted that while the fact that population growth is at a stalemate and immigration is all but blocked completely is directly affecting his business, that it really is a nationwide problem that can be seen in nearly all levels of domestic commerce. In fact, even aside from that fact that global travel is currently at a standstill because of the pandemic. Immigration impediments are largely due to policies put in place during the Trump administration.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the amount of people who have been able to successfully immigrate to this country is the lowest that it’s been in a decade. In 2016 approximately one million people came into the United States however, by 2019 that number fell by nearly 50 percent with the census bureau reporting a total of only 595 thousand people who were able to enter the nation. Thus, it is clear that Domino’s Pizza surely is not the only industry leader suffering from less qualified people to employ. Other large national chains like Subway and Dunkin, which also rely heavily upon immigrant employment, are also experiencing the effects. Subway has especially been feeling the heat, considering that the franchise is still trying to rebound after the scandal that arose around them allegedly selling sandwiches made with fake tuna.
The pressures of a reduced labor force are beginning to come to light as more and more businesses like Domino’s Pizza are coming forward and starting to vocalize their concerns. The recent record drop in employment has only further served to highlight a rapidly intensifying issue. At this point, it is unclear how dire the consequences and lasting effects of a severely taxed and understaffed workforce will have on the United States. However, it is clear that an already fatigued infrastructure is plagued by a perfect storm of pandemic-induced strains, and a larger socio-political issue. The next steps to alleviate the growing problem will surely need to be implemented, but it still remains to be seen what actions the current presidential administration will take to do so.
