Monday, June 30, 2014

Late For Work

I hate being late for anything, and I had to be late for work tonight.

Long story short, we bought a forclosure and are remodeling it.  I had some help to finish a difficult task tonight on the roof and we were almost done.  My expert help wasn't available again for another week.  So I stayed a little extra to try to finish, before calling in reinforcements.  I ended up getting to work about 40 minutes after my scheduled time.

The computer was aware and required manager approval before I clocked in!

My night was pretty unremarkable, except that I took my first 4-bagger at the new store.  $10 total in tips on that trip.

For the night I worked 6.86 hours, took 15 runs, drove 70 miles, and earned $43 in tips.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Learning My Way

I took 14 deliveries tonight and only used my GPS once (and I actually had the route correct, I just wasn't sure if I missed the street or not.

Tonight was a really good night for me, despite business overall being slow due to the International Festival in our town.  Out of my 14 deliveries, every customer tipped at least $2, and I had 5 tips of $5 or more.

My 2 biggest tips were in a row, both large orders to gatherings.  Some older gentlemen were gathered in the basement, watching sports or playing cards I'm not sure, but the customer tipped $10 on a $46 order.  The very next order I pulled in and heard loud music and voices coming from the garage.  I actually knocked on the garage door.  The girl hosting the party tipped $8 on a $31 order.

Totals for the night were 8.84 hours, 14 deliveries, $55 in tips, and 65 miles.  I'm enjoying the work and the money, and starting to wonder if I can keep it up at least a couple nights / month during the school year when I am back to teaching math!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

A Tale Of Two Cities

What an interesting night!  Our shop is on the border of 2 cities.  In comparison, one is very low-income with apartments, duplexes, and older homes.  The other city has a higher average income and has many newly-built homes.

Tonight I had 7 deliveries to the "wealthy" city, collecting $23 in tips, an average of slightly over $3.  The range was $2-$5.

I had 3 deliveries to the "lower-income" city, collecting $10 in tips, also an average of slightly over $3.  This was skewed because one of these tips was to a co-worker and fellow driver who tipped a very generous $6 on her $27 order.

I also had 2 hotel deliveries that tipped a total of $10 ($6 and $4) and one business delivery ($167 in pizza) that tipped $10.  This was 15 large pizzas, and I got to use our store's special (box-shaped) bags that have built in racks and hold 10 pizzas each!

All together my totals were 13 deliveries in 9.48 hours, $54 in tips and 73 miles driven.  The mileage was higher and the delivery count lower due to the large number of single trips to the far corner of the "wealthy" city.

It was the best night I've had so far!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Two Orders, One Lousy Tip

There was a major storm in our town tonight.  Trees and branches were down, roads had standing water, and power was out in scattered sections of our delivery area.  Our store did not lose power so deliveries continued.

My next-to-last order of the night was $12.xx in wings to a very nice house in a very nice development.  Zillow tells me the house was built in 2004 and has over 2000 square feet.  Now living in a nice house does not mean you should tip more, just like living in a less expensive house doesn't excuse the customer from tipping less.  But you kind of expect to be treated decently in nicer neighborhoods.

Wrong.  This order tipped one wadded-up dollar bill.

Shortly after I got back to the store, I saw the same address again on the dispatch screen and asked what was wrong.  I expected this was a remake.  No.  A different customer at the same house had ordered again.  Again the order was $12.xx.  Again I took the delivery, but this time no wadded up dollar ... zero tip.

This was a frustrating way to end a decent night.

In 7.9 hours, I drove 65 miles, took 15 deliveries, and made $31 in tips.


Friday, June 13, 2014

I'm Back!

Due to a career change in my full-time job, I haven't delivered pizza since March 2011.  That all changed tonight!

My new job is teaching high school math, which gives me summers off.  We are working on a remodeling project that is costing more than expected, so I decided I could drive a few nights a week this summer.  I contacted my friend and former co-worker Nick who is now the General Manager at a franchise near my the house we are remodeling and of course he hired me.

Tonight was mostly eventless.  I worked 6 hours, took 11 deliveries, drove 50 miles, and made $25 in tips.  The highlight (if there was one) was the guy who tipped me $2 and suggested I buy myself a pop or a coffee if I worked late.

Delivering pizza is a job ... not something drivers do so they can buy an extra pop!