Domino’s has abruptly shuttered 13 locations in Ohio, but the pizza chain insists the closures do not reflect its performance.
The closures in the state's north-central region are due to “an isolated franchisee matter,” a Domino’s spokesperson told The Independent.
The stores were operated by franchisee Anthony Satterwhite’s company, Mile High Pizza, and now the pizza chain is looking for a new owner.
“This is an isolated franchisee matter and is not reflective of the overall strength or performance of the Domino's brand.
“We are actively working to transition these stores to new ownership so that customers in the affected communities can enjoy the quality products and service they expect from Domino's,” the spokesperson said. The Independent has reached out ot Domino’s for additional comment.
Satterwhite reportedly owned a total of 25 Domino’s stores in Ohio. The shuttered locations were in Mansfield, Canal Fulton, Galion, Crestline, Ashland, Akron, Barberton, Wadsworth and Mount Gilead, according to a Fast Company review.
Employees at affected locations were fired by Satterwhite via text message on September 4, Joe Mills, a manager of the Domino's store in Galion, told the Mansfield News Journal.
"It was like 6:15 p.m. on Friday night," Mills said. "We were in the middle of our dinner rush."
The text reportedly indicated that Satterwhite planned to close the stores the following Sunday and hoped employees would work through the weekend.
"I was like, 'We all just got fired,'" Mills recalled telling his co-workers. "I was like, 'We're all done.' And that was it. Like, everyone just walked out."
There is a possibility that affected Domino’s workers could get their jobs back.
A Domino’s spokesperson told the Mansfield News Journal, “As these stores transition to new ownership, we are hopeful that impacted employees will have opportunities to pursue employment with the new franchisee."
Domino’s competitors have also faced closures in recent months.
The parent company of Pizza Hut, Yum! Brands, announced in February that 250 underperforming stores were set to close during the first half of 2026.
Another pizza chain, Papa John's, told investors in February that it would shutter about 300 underperforming stores in North America by the end of 2027.
