Family trespassed from Domino’s pizza chain after claim of metal screw in pizza slice turns nasty

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A family has been trespassed from all New Zealand Domino's stores after claims of a screw being found in a pizza, and then a resulting verbal stoush at a store. Photo / Supplied

A family has been trespassed from all Domino's stores in New Zealand after an in-store stoush over a claim they found a metal screw in a slice of pizza their child was eating.

Police were called to Domino's on Auckland's Point Chevalier Rd on Friday night after the child's father returned to the store to speak to staff.

It is understood the man was given a refund but was still unhappy. It is alleged he became abusive to staff and police were called.

A photo of the cheese pizza with a shiny metal screw in the crust was messaged to Domino's New Zealand last night.

Domino's head office in Australia said they believed the screw had been put in the pizza after the cooking process.

"Based on the images provided, including both the position and colouration of the foreign object, we have determined it is extremely unlikely to have originated in our store and been baked in a gas oven at 265 degrees Celsius," a Domino's spokeswoman said.

"We have reported this matter to the police, and they have advised us to notify the individuals they are no longer welcome to visit any Domino's store in New Zealand in the future."

Police confirmed they were called to the fast-food restaurant at 7.10 pm on Friday.

"It appears a male has been trespassed from a store on Point Chevalier Rd as a result of his behaviour while making a complaint," a police spokesman said.

Police said a further report had been made to police on Saturday morning.

Family members responded on social media confirming the trespass order and that they had been accused of putting the screw in the pizza themselves.

"They phoned and got abused, they went to the store and got trespassed…You seriously have a member of your staff that is playing silly buggers at the cost of my grand baby," one said.

Another said: "No apology, just an accusation he did it himself.. Crazy."

Vincent Arbuckle of New Zealand Food Safety encouraged anyone with a food complaint to go to them directly.

"When considering these types of complaints, we look at all parts of the food chain including ingredients used by the food business, the food business and all the way through to the consumer," he said.

"We take each food safety complaint seriously and where there is any evidence of wider risk to the public we take action."

Arbuckle said it was important to note that not all complaints about foreign matter can be validated.

"In our experience, foreign matter such as in the picture you have sent does not usually originate in the production and retail of food."

Arbuckle said New Zealand Food Safety had not received a complaint from the family but were endeavouring to make contact with the person who made the claim.

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