Domino's founder Tom Monaghan starts gourmet burger delivery business
Domino's founder and billionaire philanthropist Tom Monaghan, pictured in 2008 outside the Domino's Farms Office Park in Ann Arbor Township, is starting a gourmet burger delivery business in Florida.
AnnArbor.com file photo
At 74, Monaghan said he hopes to open his first Gyrene Hamburger store in downtown Naples, Fla., in two months.
He thinks the business could take off, eventually becoming more popular than Domino’s.
“Hamburgers are more popular than pizza,” he said. “My bag is delivery. So I thought I had something there.”
Monaghan founded Domino's in Ypsilanti, building it into a global brand. He sold the pizza business in 1998, when he turned to building Ave Maria University in Florida. Today, there are more than 9,000 corporate and franchised Domino’s stores in 60 countries.
Monaghan detailed his burger plans in the Daily News report - and said that he could end up franchising.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
AA
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
Please . . . .is it just me or is this a recurring nightmare?
pseudo
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 11:52 a.m.
I guess he had another epiphany that the money wasn't endless...for someone that has worked so hard and spent so much money trying to persecute others, esspeciallyh gays, I can't say I wish him success. Peace? yes. Commercial success so he can have more money to spend on political campaigns to deny gays/women/"them" their rights?? not so much.
Max Maximus
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 1:04 a.m.
If he called it "Free Leonard Peltier" Burgers, then I'm sure many of the normal whiners here would think it a brilliant idea. But, oh yeah- he's openly very religious and his fortune was made in the evil, corrupt big business world. (ooooooohhhhhh, don't look behing the door- there's a boogeyman back there). I never met the guy and have no ties to anything Dominos, but he did more for this town and the State of Michigan than than any of us could ever dream of. And I wish him, and all American entrepreneurs, the best of luck. If you don't want one of his burgers, well, don't order one. God Bless America- yes (aghast!)- I really said that.
AA
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.
Please . . . .is it just me or is this a recurring nightmare?
alan
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:47 a.m.
a) Sounds like a dumb idea to me. Keeping the tomato from soggying the bun on the drive over is a trick. b) If the food is as good as his pizza he won't last long.
RoboLogic
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 12:21 a.m.
I'd say we miss you, but I cannot speak for others......... I miss you Tom. You were good for Michigan.
Homeland Conspiracy
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 11:16 p.m.
I'll have a God Burger a side of crucifrys & a small Jesus juice.
NewStart
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 10:06 p.m.
Is he listening to Food Revolution leader Jamie Oliver concerning using Angus Beef? I have been. If not Good Old Tom's idea is a flop waiting to drop!
say it plain
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:58 p.m.
Oh my, yes, @kms, "gyrene" is a slang term for marines (I'd never heard it, but then I don't know many marines), thought to come from the combo of GI and Marine. And indeed, says the linked story, all the Ave Maria sports teams are called "gyrenes" ,because in Monaghan's view, they should be 'warriors', warriors for the 'good'. Apparently this 'good' includes the factory farming of beef that would be required to stock the 'burger delivery empire' he hopes this business will become! The whole theme too is military, how lovely! The workers will wear camo, and shout out orders military style, and call customers (presumably in a loud, barracks-style voice?!) "SIr!" and "Ma'am!". I guess he wants to call up those good-grub associations people might have with mess halls?! Or maybe it's just the personality cult he tends to fall into, and he must be feeling nostalgic about his days as a marine just about now. Will the delivery look like marines landing at your door with your piping hot gourmet burger...yessir! how comical really...performance art would be required I suppose to distinguish oneself in the silly 'gourmet burger' wars. Especially if nobody actually offers the true gourmet-ness of say, nicely raised grass-fed beef that makes all the difference to any burger!
mitch
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.
i make my own burgers, nothings better.
xmo
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:34 p.m.
Tom: We need you back in Michigan!
treetowncartel
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:30 p.m.
Uhm wasn't "Burger Fresh" an epic fail already?
treetowncartel
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 2:56 p.m.
Yes, even McDonalds gave up on the McDLT, where the hot stays hot and the cool stays cool. BTW, That marketing campaign starred none other than George Costanza from Seinfield.
KathrynHahn
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 9:33 a.m.
They had good chili, it's just hard to put toppings on a burger and keep that "freshness" as it sits in a delivery box, or under a heatlamp waiting for delivery. Nice idea, almost impossible to pull off though
Homeland Conspiracy
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 11:13 p.m.
I miss Burger Flesh... oh my bad I meant Fresh
say it plain
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.
"Gyrene"?! Sounds like 'gangrene' lol, I'd change that... Plus, do we really need to encourage the consumption of beef by having it delivered to your house as well as available on every other street corner?! He's really a steward of the planet now, isn't he?!
Basic Bob
Tue, Sep 27, 2011 : 3:36 a.m.
How about an eco-friendly alternative on the menu: Soylent gyrene.
kms
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:35 p.m.
I just googled the word gyrene. Evidently it's a slang term for a U.S. Marine.
kms
Mon, Sep 26, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
I agree. Gyrene is a terrible name. It sounds like a cleaning product to me. Wonder if they did any focus groups.