Strong sales for Domino's

The company posted like-for-like sales growth of 10.5 per cent in the 13 weeks to March 28 even though winter weather caused many stores to close.

Domino's, which was helped by offers such as its Two for Tuesday, also maintained expansion plans with the opening of eight new stores during the period, bringing its UK and Ireland total to 616.

"We are pleased with our current performance and trading continues to progress in line with expectations," chief executive Chris Moore said.

Domino's also launched a campaign for its hottest pizza – Meltdown: The Revenge – last month. The fiery dish contains jalapenos, sweet chilli peppers, birdseye chillies and mustard.

Customers are also logging on in growing numbers to order takeaways, the firm added. Internet pizza sales are up more than 50 per cent on a year earlier at 25.3m and now account for almost 29 per cent of delivered sales.

The group plans to open 55 new stores this year but warned of much tougher sales comparisons in the second half of 2010.

The firm's new, bigger base for manufacturing ingredients will also open at West Ashland in Milton Keynes at the end of June.