It is not uncommon to see knock-offs or copycats of big brands that try to cash in on the popularity of established names. We have all heard of the imitations, like "Burger Queen" instead of Burger King, or "Laysi" copying Lays. Now hold your laughter, because the newest copycat making waves on the internet is a pizza joint in India called “D'manoj Pizza.” Yes, not Domino's, but D'manoj. It is not just the name that's getting people talking, it is everything from the design to the products offered inside.
A content creator recently posted a video on Instagram that left viewers amused. The video begins with the creator saying, “Pehle America kehta tha, kya hai tu, ab hum kehte hai, tu kya hai, ye dekho, D'manoj Pizza” ("Earlier, America would say, 'Who are you?' Now, we say, 'Who are you? Look at this, D'manoj Pizza."). The clip showed a small roadside pizza outlet. Nothing fancy, just a modest setup with a "pure veg" promise plastered on the shop. The tagline on the sign outside the store reads, "The Real Taste of Pizza".
The store was the same shade of blue as Domino's. Outside, the store had posters displaying pictures of pizzas, pastas, burgers, and shakes that are on offer. The store was even promoting discounts. The overlay text in the video read, "India is not for beginners."
"Pizza was unexpectedly good,” the creator claimed in the caption. Take a look:
The video went viral in no time and the imitation quickly caught the attention of none other than Domino's itself. The pizza giant couldn't resist commenting on the post, asking, "Yahan ka address milega?" ("Can I get the address to this place?") followed by a few emojis.
The Internet was quick to join in:
One user joked, “Domynose Pizza.”
Another wrote, “Domino's (no) D'manoj (yes).”
A user made fun imitations of other brands, saying, “Kfc (no) K'asif (yes)." while another said, “Starbucks (no) Sattaarbakhsh (yes).”
A user wrote, “Brother Manoj has started selling pizza.”
Someone joked, “Manoj was also from Italy.”
The viral video has clocked a whopping 27.8 million views so far.