Domino’s Pizza has been given the “boot” in Italy after it failed to win over the locals.

Launched in 2015, the American company’s ambitious invasion of the homeland of Pizza has met a predictable end.

Franchise holder ePizza SpA, which operated its outlets in the country, filed for bankruptcy after being dealt a final blow by the pandemic.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent and prolonged restrictions from a financial point of view have seriously damaged ePizza,” the company said.

Originally hoping to take a 2% slice of the Italian pizza market by 2030, Domino’s recently closed the last of its 29 stores in Italy.

Thanks to the pandemic and lockdown Italy’s traditional pizzerias moved into the delivery space.

Domino’s failed to beat back competition from traditional pizza restaurants offering delivery through apps, such as Glovo, Just Eat and Deliveroo, according to the bankruptcy filings from April.

Bosses intended to eventually open 880 Italian stores, believing the firm’s structured national delivery service would grab attention, Bloomberg reports.

Domino’s have not yet given comment.