Missing that old 30 minutes or it's free

Of pizza and delivery chains...

from JoeUser Forums
With a big nod to a friend for the inspiration for this article...

I'm blog clicking, blog exploding and AIM'ing between posting a few articles here at JU. In the AIM'ing with a friend, he mentioned pizza and wanting to get some because his daughters had a few friends over. As we IM'd back and forth, he was searching for the best deal and trying to determine which delivery pizza he should order.

He made his decision, going with Dominos, and then mentioned in another quick IM to me that they anticipated approximately 60 minutes for his order to arrive. That inspired a comment from my friend (in IM) that he missed the good old days of Dominos' 30 minutes or it's free guarantee.

Thanks to threats of, and actual law-suits over Dominos old guarantee and it's apparent incentivizing Dominos drivers to leave safety behind while climbing in their delivery vehicles, Dominos was forced to drop their guarantee, and things just haven't been the same since.

I can understand not keeping that guarantee, since (by what I had heard, read, and recall about it) it took money out of the pockets of drivers that were slow to deliver, but we've gone from getting hot pizza from the delivery guy to getting stone cold crap that doesn't get to your house until well over an hour in most cases. In my friends case tonite, 85 minutes from placing the order to getting the food. That's pretty pathetic for a delivery service.

How can a pizza that takes about 2 minutes (tops) to make up, and that runs through a chain broiler type pizza oven that accepts the raw pizza on one end and after approximately 5 minutes outputs one that is cooked on the other end, take that long to deliver? Most Dominos and Papa Johns are about 5 miles (tops) from customers in their delivery area. They keep their delivery areas small, and have locations all over the country, many with overlapping, or close to overlapping delivery areas. All designed around getting food to customers fairly quickly, and yet many seeming to no longer be meeting that obligation.

The last several times my family has ordered from either Dominos or Papa Johns, we've also been left waiting a long time for food. That's part of why we much prefer to go to the local deli type greasy spoon and get food there. Or, in my case, just get a Redbaron, Tony's, or similar frozen pizza. At least with one of those I won't be stuck waiting all nite for my dinner.

30 minutes or less, where or where has it gone? Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot "sued into oblivion."
1,386 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Only another 80 minutes (give or take) before a pizza would get here (if I actually called to order one!)
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
We have a pizza place here that when I order one it rarely takes more than 15 or 20 minutes to get here.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's only 2 blocks away
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Go with almost any small place that's been there more than two years. If they're not good, or they're not fast, then they don't survive.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
If they're not good, or they're not fast, then they don't survive.


I wish that were true. Here, anything...ANYTHING...takes at least an hour.

We ordered Chinese food a few days before Christmas and they told us that it would be 45 minutes, max.

We waited an hour and 15 minutes and it still wasn't here. We called the place, and they said the driver had just left, so it wouldn't be more than 10 minutes. The place we ordered from is technically in the same town as us (we're on a military base connected to a town, about a 10 minute drive from off-base to the main stuff in the town).

At 2 hours and about 15 minutes, the delivery guy arrived.

We were extremely pissed, as we were spending close to $50 on the meal.

The driver bragged to me about how we were the "big daddy" and the biggest order of the night. I mentioned (in a friendly voice) that we had waited over two hours for our food and weren't exactly happy.

He reminded me that it was not his fault and that this was why "they" encouraged people to order early (I ordered *the minute* the place was open for delivery orders). I explained to him that the place hold told us, 45 minutes ago, that he had left. I signed the slip (without tip) and he looked at me, incredulously. I told him that the restaurant had told me that he left the place over 45 minutes ago.

He scowled.

Tough shit. I usually tip well, and NO tip is very, very, very unusual for me, but it was obvious to me that either a) the place lied about when he left or b) he delivered a bunch of shit before ours.

I told him to take it up with the restaurant.

Two hours and cold food for $50. Not cool.

I was supremely pissed.

That's the worst it's been, but our pizza usually gets here in 45 minutes to an hour and a half, even though we're a very short drive from the pizza places. It's ridiculous. I DO remember the guarantee, and I can't understand what takes so freakin' long.

We order pizza about once a week. WE are their bread and butter, and I'm a good tipper. Why is our pizza cold, and why is it take an hour or longer to bring it to us?
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
d'oh double post


Don't worry, that post would have been worth it

I DO remember the guarantee, and I can't understand what takes so freakin' long. We order pizza about once a week. WE are their bread and butter, and I'm a good tipper. Why is our pizza cold, and why is it take an hour or longer to bring it to us?


That's my point here too. It should not take that darned long to get Pizza to a customer. If it does, then someone is seriously slacking.

The same for your Chinese food. It doesn't take that long to cook it, even if the kitchen is as backed up as backed up gets.


A similar story, dine-in though, for you....

A few years back I was doing some work in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area (I would think you are familar with that area TW ) and because I was going to be in that area so long, my family was along with me... Knowing my family likes seafood, I took them to a Landry's Seafood that is down on Beltline, near the Plano Parkway. We got to the restaurant nice and early, just when the opened actually. We walked in and stood at the door for about 3 minutes waiting for someone to greet us. Uh oh, bad sign. Finally someone greets us, sits us down at a table, and takes a drink order. We see no other customers, and no other employees. It's Friday nite, busy nite normally, but it's early. 4pm time frame. 5 minutes goes by. No drinks. 10 minutes. No drinks. 15 minutes. No drinks. Between the 10 minute and 15 minute mark, another group of potential customers comes in. Stands there. Waits and waits. That 15 minute mark for no drinks had passed, and the people at the door were waiting as well. They were at the 5 minute mark. 20 minutes finally passed for us on the drinks, and we said F- this and got up to leave. No employees to be found in the entire time. Whatever they were doing, they weren't paying any attention to customers. We told the people that were waiting near the door they'd be best off to leave as it just didn't seem to be a good nite for that restaurant.

As it turns out, we went about a block up the street to a nice place called Truluck's Steak and Stone crab. Waited about 0 seconds to be greeted and seated, and got great service during the meal (and saw all other customers also getting good service). Tipped them very well (nice to be on an expense account/per diem for the day though I tip well anyway)


My recently departed Grandmother was a waitress in a seafood restaurant for years. She busted her butt every day of working in that place. She'd get tipped *very well* -- well enough that other waitresses that were much lazier and much poorer at serving customers would get mad and try to steal her tips. They'd get quarters while she was getting dollars. Several dollars from some customers.
Knowing the amount of work that she did, I am notorious for tipping well, even though I really hate the custom and just wish that employers would pay their wait staff a fair wage that took gratuities into account already. (It just seems stupid to be paying extra for the service you deserve anyway).


But I'm becoming more and more impatient about poor service in the area of pizza and other take out/delivery food. Many companies best be asking themselves how much business they want to see leave. I can cook up a storm at home if I so choose. I go out or order out because I don't have the time. But when it takes 2 hours to get food, then I did have time, and I do remember it the next time. Instead, I'll go somewhere else, or just make food at home. I'll wind up eating better, be much less frustrated and happier over all.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Growing up we never had pizza delivered--we would order it, and then head up the road to pick it up. The place was less than a mile away and it would take no more than 10 minutes to get it and get home.

Since then, I've gotten lazy (though my parents still pick up their own pizza) and have it delivered. It can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour--even though the place is exactly one mile away. Forget that--I've started calling in my order and letting them know that I will be there in 15 minutes to pick it up. Works like a charm.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

Growing up we never had pizza delivered--we would order it, and then head up the road to pick it up. The place was less than a mile away and it would take no more than 10 minutes to get it and get home.

Same with me growing up, but I think I did it 20 years before you.

IN College (and only there), they did have delivery - but only Dominoes (I hate them to this day!).

Here, they say 45 minutes, and it is here in 30!  Go figure!  That is Papa johns and Pizza Hut.  I dont do Dominoes!