I worked for Domino's before all the bad publicity over the 30 minute guarantee got started. It was really exciting to see a company really "get off the ground" ; CIP: the company newsletter really played up the expansion into Canada, where they were flying blind ... especially the farther north they went. This was 1983, and the vehicle chosen for delivery there was a Russian Lada, complete with an auxiallary starter crank! In Sault St. Marie, Michigan, they used small boats to deliver to the lakers at the locks, and Jeep CJs ffor the rest of the area. They ran a pipe from the exhaust manifold to the beds of small pickup trucks to keep the hotboxes warm in some places.
Also, the guys who franchised out in Alaska and Canada had to make their own sauce[according to company recipes, which constantly changed...], because the company couldn't send trucks there. They might have had to make their own sausage, too...I don't remember.
My favorite of the big chains was always Noble Roman's; the Monster was the best, followed by the Deep Dish Sicillain. Some of the bigger malls in the area have Luca's Pizza, and that's a pretty good slice, New York style...but I agree, the best pizza in town is usually local. Pizza Hut , Domino's and all the other big chains all taste the same to me.
I could tell you some delivery stories...
Dan