Papa John's just made subtle dig at Domino's

Domino's is dominating the pizza industry right now.

But that doesn't mean that rival Papa John's plans to copy the Domino's strategy of expanding its selection of sandwiches, pasta, and side dishes, according to Jonathan Maze at Nation's Restaurant News.

"Pizza will be our focus," Papa John's COO Steve Ritchie told investors on a recent conference call."Do not expect to see us introduce an extensive development of sandwiches, side items, that would create complexity within the operations model."

New items at Domino's, particularly the "specialty chicken" strips topped with cheese and sauces, are driving up the average ticket sale at Domino's, CEO Patrick Doyle told investors earlier this year.

The company is opening hundreds of new locations and profits are soaring. Morgan Stanley recently named it the "leader in US delivery pizza."

Business at Papa John's is also thriving.

Sales rose 6.5% in the first quarter.

"A combination of service, quality and technology are all contributing to strong sales of late," Maze writes.

Technology is also helping brands like Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Papa John's take market share from other restaurant brands.

Papa John's says that more than half of orders now come through digital channels.