The Best One Yet - 🍕 “6 days of no pizza” — Domino’s disappearing biz. Bed Bath & Beyond’s college holiday. Lockheed’s Javelin missile.

Episode Date: May 4, 2022

Domino’s worker shortage got so bad, they lost the equivalent amount of business as closing every location for 6 days. Bed Bath & Beyond is struggling so much they’re creating a new holiday: Decision Day. And a big reason Ukraine has defended Kiev so well is the $200K Javelin missile (Made in Alabama).$DPZ $BBBY $LMT $RTXFollow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok: @tboypodAnd now watch us on YoutubeWant a Shoutout on the pod? Fill out this formGot the Best Fact Yet? We got a form for that tooLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Nick. This is Jack. It's Wednesday, May the 4th be with you. And today's pod is the best one yet, Jack. T-B-O-Y. First, though, the news from the Supreme Court. Okay, so Jack and I, we were shocked and angered to learn about it. Because the Supreme Court's action would hugely affect women's health and their autonomy.

And we know we are least affected by this. But we are in full support of our female besties. We don't think this is a political thing either. No, we don't. This is a human rights thing. Now, let's get to the T-Bow. Jack, what's our first story? TVOI for our first story,

the bed, bath, and beyond has gotten so desperate they're creating a new shopping holiday. Happy College Acceptance Day. For our second story, one colorful number tells us everything we need to know about Domino's Pizza. Six days of lost sales. For our third and final story, one big reason that Putin hasn't won in Ukraine

is the javelin. The javelin at 200,000 bucks. Looks and pop, the javelin missile is about to get a really big order. But before we hit that wonderful mix. Fantastic mix for a Wednesday, Jack. It's Wednesday. It's the middle of the week. We can all use a mindful moment. It's not Thursday the new Friday.

It is still Wednesday, people. So get your eyes off your screens for it. Here's what we're thinking. Jack and I just discovered yoga for your eyes. That's right. Eyeball yoga is the newest workday wellness act. This is a new thing. Because the more screen fatigue we're all getting,

the more people are doing eye yoga. these days apparently. Give your eyes a deep breath in the middle of the day. Yes, so eye yoga, it's kind of like body yoga, but very specific. Eye yoga is a series of blinking, staring, and looking with your eyes. Followed by

more blinking, staring, and looking. So instead of like the four second inhale, followed by an eight second long exhale, we're talking a four second look up and an eight second look down. Instead of neck and head rotations, it's eye rotations. Okay, it's actually an ancient practice known as Netravee.

Ayama mom. It's kind of vinyasa for your vision and your eye muscles. This is pull-ups, but for your pupils. Now, right now, go ahead. Pause the pot. No one's watching. Try out your first eye yoga. Here's how it goes down. Breathe and then blink. Breathe and then blink. Breathe and then blink fast and then close your eyes. It's a downward, don't close your eyes situation. Namas stare into the distance. So, Jack, you tell me that chavasana is the same in eye yoga as it is in regular yoga? Yeah, you just close your eyes for a while, but you keep your eyes extra close. They're super closed.

Let's hit our three stories. Let's hit our three stories. Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea that caused a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but the best is a known. 50% that's a fat tip. Tea Boy City on your at list. If you know, you know, because we're ready to go.

We can't wait no more, so just start the show. For our first story, Bed Bath and Beyond is struggling right now. So they're going to try something pretty creative. Yeah, they created a new holiday. They're calling it Decision Day. I mean, everyone's complaining Christmas isn't long enough. Why don't we do this? Jack, when you and I were 18, when you got that letter from Middlebury College before you matriculated, what happened when you got into colleges?

I think my mom got me the sweatshirt and I like, we're like, we're going to school one day. He showed up to school. People were like, hey, he's going to be a Panther. Well, today, the debut of what college you're going to. It's a little different. It is. You broadcast your choice on social media like you're a blue chip defensive end going to the crimson tide. Decision Day has become like a huge thing.

I've taken my talent to South Beach for the University of Miami. Now, bedbath and beyond has historically had two big sales bumps every year. True. They get the holidays and then they get back to school season. Right. You're headed off to college. You need a soap holder for the communal shower. Right.

Yeah, you do. And you need one of those big recliner pillows to put on your bed and turn it into like a cheap The one with the giant arms, they're bigger than your mattress, mattress, mattress. They're huge. Oh, and while you're there, might as well get a computer stand, a plastic trash can or two, and like a half dozen towels. Why not? We know you're only going to use one of those towels, but, you know, you let your parents splurge on the extra five. And let your parents get you that shower curtain runner, because I know you forgot.

But here's the problem. Bedbath and Beyond, they've been on a 10-year decline in the age of Amazon, Jack. So they announced this week to try to curb that decline. Yes, Jack. Decision Day will become a national holiday. Okay, so Bed Bath and Beyond is trying to turn Decision Day into the new back to school. I didn't know what Decision Day was. It's on the story.

Apparently it's May 1st every year. Okay, don't adate ourselves here, but Facebook, that was invented like when Jack and I were graduating from high school. So Decision Day was this past weekend, and it's the day that you have to let your college know that you humbly accept their offer for admission. Now, here is the sales strategy here. Bedbath and Beyond wants you to channel that pre-campus. matriculation, excitement into shopping now. So starting this past weekend, they're offering future college students financial incentives to splurge your bed bath and beyond.

Yeah, they're dropping free same day delivery and 20% off any student thing. They're also offering these bright young minds decision incentives. Okay, so like a curated checklist of accessories so you don't have to think about all the money that you're about to spend at bed bath and beyond. Chachain. Don't forget the shower curtain line. Okay, but Jack, what was kind of the most shocking and surprising thing that Bed Bath & Beyond whipped up? A free feature called Pack and Hold, which lets you order all the stuff you're going to need for the fall, and they'll hang on to it until you need it.

So this is takeout, but at a level we've never seen before. They'll hang on to all your gear until the last week of August when you finally head to campus. So everyone listening who works in supply chains right now, you're probably thinking, yeah, this is a potential warehouse inventory disaster. But Bedbath and Beyond doesn't have great options right now. So they're willing to take their chances. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Bed Bath and Beyond? This is hashtag hijacking. And it can go one of two ways.

Get this. Jack and I notice that posts on TikTok with hashtag Decision Day 2020 have 6.3 million views. Because Decision Day has become a cultural movement reflected by those hashtags. But here's the thing. When brands jump on hashtag trends like this, they tend to get one of two results. It could be helpful. You post what school you're going to, and you want to post that you got a bunch of dorm room savings, too. But usually it's pretty lame when companies jump in and get involved with these hashtags.

Yeah, nothing ruins a social media moment like branded post trying to capitalize with some sales. How do you do, fellow kids? Bedbath and Beyond need some help. So it's trying to hashtag hijack your decision day. For our second story, Tropicanna is putting oranges on Pizza Jack. No, they're not. Actually, a second story, Domino's is trying to transform from a delivery pizza company into a takeout pizza company. Because six days disappeared last quarter for Domino's.

Absolutely gone. Okay, Jack, this doesn't often happen with pizza news. It doesn't have been happening with Domino's news either, but can we start with the bad news? Let's rip off the pepperoni and start with the bad news. Delivery revenue for Domino's fell by 11% last quarter. And Domino's stock is down 40% this year. Now before you pull out an extra napkin for Domino's here, silver lining for the Ann Arbor-based Domino's franchise company.

Takeout orders are still boomed. Takeout orders. Jack and I jumped in T-boy style into the earnings call. We noticed that they said the word pizza 20 times on the call. The anti-Atkins diet of Carbo-heavy, it's a thing right now. Interestingly, though, while they said pizza 20 times, they said the word carry out 27 times on the Domino's earnings call. Carry out.

the Midwestern way to say takeout because takeout revenue did the opposite of delivery for Domino's. It grew by 11%. For the rest of the pod, we're going to say takeout. They're offering discounts and paying you money at Domino's if you will just come get the pizza yourself. Okay, this is wild. Jack, what happens if you want to do takeout instead of delivery? What will they send you? They'll give you a $3 off coupon for your next meal as a thank you for coming to get the pizza. Jack, let's say you got one of those post pod cravings for their legendary Domino's 32 piece bread.

Bread Bites. Okay, that's going to be $6 on the takeout menu, $7 on the delivery menu. Excuse me? That's how into takeout Domino's is right now. So we know what you're thinking out there. Why is Domino's suddenly so obsessed with takeout, aka Cario? Because they literally don't have drivers to deliver you the food. Yeah, Jack, those famous beat up sedans with the Domino's logo magnet on top? Yeah, you just stick it on top of your car. They're out of those. They're an endangered species.

Now, we knew that Domino's was struggling from the worker shortage. After all, the entire economy is struggling from a worker shortage. Domino's used an image to show just how painful the driver shortage has become. Domino's CEO announced last week that the lack of drivers cost Domino's the equivalent of six days worth of business in the past quarter. That means that over the last quarter, over 90 days, Domino's lost six days of business because no one was around to drive. It's like 8 or 9% of sales. God.

It's like six days of pizza sales just disappeared. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Domino's? Stories are more powerful than numbers are. Nothing communicates numbers like a story. When we were a much smaller pot a few years ago, we didn't say our audience by the number of listeners. No, when people asked our audience size, Jack and I would say,

we fill a Yankee Stadium every day with listeners. Because what's more compelling? A number of podcast downloads or a size of an entire epic, legendary Yankee Stadium full of listeners? The numbers are equivalent. The message is not equivalent. Now, we knew there was a worker shortage. We knew Domino's was probably suffering.

But we didn't know it was like Domino's being shut down for six days a quarter. Six days of lost business? That's a story. And that's more powerful than a number. And now a word from our sponsor, Robin Hood. Nick, you got introduced to the Robin Hood app the old fashioned way, right? Yeah, I did. My girlfriend now wife's older brother, who was that guy who worked in tech and, like, knew about

the next iPhone before Apple did. He told you about the Robin Hood app. You told me about the Robin Hood app. All right. So you signed up because you wanted to buy a stock. Because like it was hard to figure out how to buy a stock when you're 25 and it's 2014. Yeah, back then you had to find a broker.

Call a broker on the phone. Call them. Pay a commission to that broker. Instead of calling, suddenly there's this app. you just swipe and you could buy the stock. Robin Hood's interface felt as easy as ordering an Uber or snagging a sandwich on seamless. And it still is.

So if you're not a Robin Hood user yet and you want to get started, you can go to Robinhood.com slash T-boy and you can choose, get this, a free stock. That's robinode.com slash T-B-O-Y. Certain limitations apply and all investments involve risk. Robin Hood Financial LLC, member SIPC. Robin Hood, by the way, no longer affiliated with us or the podcast. For our third and final story, President Biden was in Alabama yesterday talking about one word, one thing only, javelins. He wants $33 billion of venture funding to defend Ukraine.

So when Jack and I first started talking with you about the war in Ukraine, we said that the U.S. had weaponized finance with sanctions. Well, they're also weaponizing weapons. The old-fashioned ones. Since February 24th, the United States has sent $3.4 billion with a business. be dollars worth of military aid to Ukraine. We sent Ukraine cannons, anti-aircraft stinger systems, javelins, ammunition, good old-fashioned body armor. But now, President Biden is asking Congress for more. Actually, much more. Actually, 10 times more. Why? Because Putin's immense pride means he might

never accept defeat in Ukraine. So Ukraine needs to continue defending itself from Russia, potentially for years. So at the heart of the heart of the war, Part of this crucial $33 billion in Ukraine aid that Biden's asking for is javelins. Javelins. The tank destroyer. I think it's destroyer of tanks, Jack. The destroyer of tanks are manufactured in Alabama. And that's why Joe Biden was in Alabama yesterday at the factory that's run by Lockheed Martin.

Now, the way these javelins go down is pretty intense. Jack, can you walk us through the process? Yeah, you put it on your shoulder. It's huge. and it shoots a missile up to two and a half miles, which can hit and destroy a Russian tank. Basically, it's like a bullet, but for tanks, oh, and it happens to be heat-seeking too.

Right. After you shoot this thing, 200 computer chips guide the missile to the target so that the shooter can take cover. And Lockheed Martin, who manufactures it on their website, has a really interesting video that explains this, except it's set to rock music,

which is a little messed up. Little messed up that these war toys are like being glorified. like that, but they are amazingly advanced products. So so far, the United States has sent 5,500 of these javelins to Ukraine, which is depleted like a third of our javelin missile inventory. That's a little concerning. But Ukraine has used them well. Jack, what's the shooting percentage over Ukraine?

According to Ukrainian government officials, they've destroyed over a thousand Russian tanks with these American-made javelins. So you could argue that the javelin missile is a key reason why Kyiv is still in the hands of Ukraine in the first place. Yeah. One issue here, those javelins, the price tag is $200,000 each. And we've sent 5,000 of them. It's going to cost you. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in the javelin industry?

Government spending is the secret venture capital for American innovation. These javelin missiles, they're not just weapons. They are profit puppies for the companies like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon that manufacturer. You see it in their stock prices. The stock price of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, are up while the rest of the market is down since Putin started the invasion. And these javelins, they're also a key tool for the U.S. to support Ukraine without strategically declaring war.

And the javelins, like so many advanced products of war and peace in this country, they exist thanks to government money. Jack, it was 1989, a year after our birth, that the government contracts came in to initially fund the javelin missiles. Five years later, Lockheed Martin's like, we're done. here's your first javelin U.S. government. So traditional venture capital, yeah, it searches for financial returns. Government venture capital searches for power returns.

Yeah, can you whip up the takeaways for us over there? Bed Bath and Beyond wants your family's future freshmen shopping there. So it's hijacking the hashtag of Decision Day. For our second story, Domino's delivery issues. They cost the equivalent of six days of sales last quarter. Yeah, that's a story, which is more powerful than the numbers. For our third and final story, javelins. That is the key war product for the war in Ukraine.

And they exist because of the government's venture capital money. Now, time for our best fact yet. This one sent in by Rebecca Weber from lovely Providence, Rhode Island. Great. I'm pushing play. Hi, T-Boy listeners. I'm Rebecca Weber in Providence, Rhode Island, and I'm honored to bring you this timely best fact yet from my home state. Rhode Island's reputation is often overshadowed by the state's diminutive dimensions.

But Rhode Island is more than a unit of measurement. May 4th is a reminder that the nation's smallest state boasts an outsized independent streak. It marks the day that Rhode Island declared independence from Great Britain, two months before the remaining 12 colonies. Not surprisingly, Rhode Island was also the last of the newly United States to sign the Constitution in 1790. So you went to college in Rhode Island. I was going to say the other best thing to come out of Rhode Island, the falafel at Eastside pockets. My brother went to Providence College. So I've spent my day or two at Thayer Street.

So May the 4th, both a Star Wars holiday and the most important day in Rhode Island's history. A galactic holiday and a Bay State holiday. Everyone listening, you look fantastic today. If you haven't yet, take a breath and stare off into the distance with that eye yoga. Rest the retness. And if you also haven't yet, follow us on Instagram and Twitter and TikTok at T-BoyPod. That's where we're dropping new stuff. Nick and I, we'll see you tomorrow.

T-boy Pod. Jack and I will see you there. And before we go to everyone who celebrates a happy Eid outfitter. Congratulations to Dylan Dickman, who finished his MBA down at SMU. Brian and Becca got their first baby, Avery Nicole, down in Virginia. Congrats to Eric Hinkle, who got a new job with AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pairs. And Laura Pooze Light Happy, congrats on the new job down in Austin.

Congrats to Sarah, who just got a new job in Pediatrics. up in Vancouver. And David is moving from Austin to San Francisco for a real estate role. Congrats to Dusty Whitney, who's retiring in Utah. And Paolo Marcano graduating from the Florida International University. Jason Ballantine found a can of Arizona iced tea, the big boys, 23 ounces, for 58 cents. That's got to be a record. Unprecedented. And happy birthday to Hannah David down in Bozeman, Montana. And happy birthday to Ann Bo Trannley in Chattanooga, Tennessee. And Jessica Baskin-C-Celo over in Bakersfield, California. Carlton Miller in Charleston, South Carolina.

And Allison Hanover, happy birthday while you're on your way to Nantuck this summer. And to anyone else celebrate something today, make it a T-Boy. Celebrate the wins. This is Jack. I own stock of Amazon and Nick and I both on stock of Robin Hood. And now a word from our sponsor, Robin Hood. The first time I tried to buy a stock, I got burned badly. Is this when you wanted to buy a share of Ford because you like the chassis over in Detroit?

Yes, I had $200, so I bought $200 of Ford stock. I didn't get $200 of Ford stock, though. I got $192. Ah, the commission fees. By the time the stock climbed back to $200, I sold it, but again, I didn't get $200. I got $192 again. Another commission fee. The stock grows 8%, but I was down on my investment.

Because commission fees made small money investing impossible. So Robin Hood came in and killed commission fees. And commissions are still dead in stock and crypto trading. Thanks to our sponsor. If you're not investing on Robin Hood yet, to get started, go to robinood.com slash t-boy and choose a free stock. That's robinhood.com slash T-B-O-Y. Certain limitations apply for a list of other fees. View their fee schedule at RBNHD.C.

All investments involve risk. Robin Hood Financial LLC, member SIPC. Oh, and by the way, Robin Hood is no longer affiliated with us or the podcast. And the stocks Jack just said are for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. Excuse me?