Dennis Tran: From Flyers to Franchisee to Fastest Pizza Maker

Dennis Tran began working for his family business as a teenager. The work was fun on an ice cream truck, but the pay was low. At the time, a friend of his worked for the local Domino’s store in Gaithersburg, Maryland, passing out flyers door-to-door – earning more money than Dennis was making. The store needed additional help and management asked if Dennis wanted to join the team. With the prospect of a pay raise and a job with a friend, he couldn’t say no.

“Accepting that job was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Dennis said. “I had no idea what the future would hold, and that that would be the beginning of an incredible career with Domino’s.”

After more than three months of passing out Domino’s flyers, a manager asked Dennis if he was interested in filling an open customer service representative position. Dennis was elated at the opportunity and accepted the promotion. He continued to work at Domino’s throughout high school and when he turned 18, he began making occasional deliveries, but his primary job was a shift runner in the store.

“When I was 20, I was expecting my first child, and that’s when it all hit me,” he said. “I wanted to take my career more seriously, and I knew right then that one day I wanted to own my own Domino’s store.”

In order to do so, Dennis knew he needed to join Domino’s manager-in-training program to gain more knowledge and experience, and so he did. After serving as an assistant manager, store manager and then store supervisor, he officially became a Domino’s franchise owner when he purchased three stores in Tallahassee, Florida in 2009. In 2011, he purchased two more.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Team Washington (the local franchise owner who gave him his start) though,” Dennis said. “I spent 18 years with them and that is where I met so many incredible people, made lifelong friendships, gained the foundation that made me the operator I am today, and explored different paths within Domino’s.”

In addition to owning his own stores, Dennis has taken joy in participating in Domino’s World’s Fastest Pizza Maker competition. He competed a total of 19 times and has never finished outside of the top 10. In 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2016, he won the competition – impressively making three large pizzas in under 34 seconds!

Outside of Domino’s, Dennis enjoys playing golf and loves spending time with his wife and family. He also cites how important being active in his community has been to him.

“I love what I do,” Dennis said. “My stores are very active in the community. We give deep discounts to our public schools and churches. We donate a lot to nonprofit organizations. We have been voted ‘Partner of the Year’ several times by our local schools. It is incredibly important to me to give back to the community that has continually supported us throughout the years.”

For more information on this story, contact us.