Domino's Pizza feeds profits hunger with 27% leap

"Some people might say it's a sad indictment of the average British male," the boss of Domino's Pizza said today about the double-digit leap in demand for its pizza deliveries last night compared with Valentine's Day a year earlier.

But chief executive Chris Moore added: "we are very happy with it."

Aside from pizza being Britons' food of love, Domino's enjoyed a 27% jump in pre-tax profit in 2010 to £38 million, helped by strong orders from its website and iPhone app.

It continued its roll-out across Britain, opening 57 stores. Moore said demand from franchisees and a surplus of property on the High Street means it plans to open 60 stores this year.

"We're going into smaller and smaller towns," he said. "Last year we opened a branch in a South-west England town with only 1200 households, about a third of the average for our branches. In its first week it took £50,000, which was an international store-opening record."

Domino's created 1700 jobs last year and said new positions could hit 2000 this year. Moore has high hopes for the royal wedding. "It's going to be nine days when people are sitting at home watching the telly. that's our key point of sale," he said.