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Curse you, unruly reindeer! Domino's reins in reindeer delivery plan

Domino’s Japan said that after a few days of working with reindeer to deliver its pizzas in cold, snowy Hokkaido, Japan, it's abandoning the plan to use them for delivery.

December 2, 2016 by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In retrospect, Domino’s Japan probably should have talked to Santa before attempting to train reindeer for pizza delivery. After all, Santa is one of the jolliest men we know, and even his patience is tested every Dec. 25 by those unruly reindeer. 

And now, Domino’s Japan has come to the same conclusion, according to a news release on the company’s Japanese website. Domino’s Japan said that after a few days of working with the antlered animals to deliver its pizzas in cold, snowy Hokkaido, Japan, it set the little fellas free because … well, frankly, they’re just  uncooperative.

The news release said simply that "it is difficult to control the reindeer" and that they’d veer off the roads and go "through without stopping in front of the house." In fact, on the Domino’s Japan website, they back that up with a video of one of the training days. 

So the reindeer are out as delivery vehicles, though a news release said it was an "agonizing decision." Instead, the company said it will now go with the next best thing, "reindeer-ornamented scooters," called "Tonaaratame bikes." 

The company said that the adorned delivery scooters still provide"reindeer excitement to delivery."

Still, we’re pretty sure that somewhere in the snowy north of Japan, a rowdy group of reindeer are snickering to themselves. 

About S.A. Whitehead

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Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb editor Shelly Whitehead is a former newspaper and TV reporter with an affinity for telling stories about the people and innovative thinking behind great brands.