Wonder of the Day: Dominoes
Dominoes are black and white rectangles that you can arrange in long rows to play games. People also use them for art projects and as parts of Rube Goldberg machines. You may also have seen a domino rally, where people set up huge domino constructions and then knock them over in a spectacular display. Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Juan, who wants to know more about the domino effect.
There are many different types of domino games, but the most common ones are blocking and scoring. In blocking games, one person puts down a domino edge to edge against another in such a way that the exposed ends match (i.e., a double-six with another double-six) and the total number of dots on all the exposed sides is a multiple of 12. Players can then lay down more dominoes in the same way. The player who makes the last play wins the game.
In scoring games, players earn points by laying down dominoes in certain configurations or moving them around. For example, one way to score in Draw and Go is to place a double-six in the center of a line of six other dominoes that are either touching each other or that form some specified total. Other scoring games require putting down sets of tiles in particular positions and earning points for completing these configurations.
You can find domino sets made from a variety of materials. Traditional European domino sets are usually made from bone or ivory with contrasting black or white pips. Some sets are carved from natural stone; others are made of wood (e.g., acacia or rosewood) or even brass or pewter. The most common material for modern dominoes is polymer, which is a type of plastic that has been used since the 1930s.
The first domino pizza restaurant was founded in 1960 by Tom Monaghan. He took over the company after James DeVarti traded away his share of the business. When the company was growing, Monaghan needed to come up with a name for his restaurants, and he chose Domino’s after a suggestion from a former employee.
Domino’s is a great example of how a business can thrive by listening to its customers and adapting to their needs. When the founders of Domino’s saw that there was a problem with the way they were operating, they took action. David Brandon quickly put new changes into effect, including a relaxed dress code and a leadership training program. When Doyle became CEO, he continued to promote this value and spoke directly with employees to hear what they had to say.
Then, as the company evolved, it adapted even further to meet the changing demands of its customers. For instance, it now offers delivery through the app and has begun to offer pizza by texting and through devices like Amazon Echo. Domino’s believes in the principle that “think global and act local.” And this has paid off. The company is now the largest chain in the world.