Manager Speak

Manager:  "I need to see that ticket"

Waitress:  "Which one?"

Manager:  "The one with that pizza ..."

I overheard this conversation tonight and it cracked me up.  We are a major PIZZA chain.  All of our guest checks have pizzas on them!

I worked 4.66 hours, drove 35 miles, took 7 deliveries, and made $20 in tips.

First delivery was a $5 tip ... I arrived at the house about 10 minutes before the customer.  I knocked a few times, then called, he was still on his way home from work.  I wonder why he didn't just pick it up himself?

Anyhow, I spent the time chatting with the next door neighbor (who shares a driveway) who was sitting out on her side step.  She commented, "At least you get a break."  To which I replied, "I don't get paid as much when I'm on a break."  She asked a few more questions and I got to educate her:

• Drivers get minimum wage.
• Drivers don't get the delivery charge
• Drivers get about $1 per delivery towards car expenses but have to buy their own gas
• I make about half my money on tips
• Most people these days seem to be tipping around $3

And indeed, 5 of my next 6 deliveries tipped $3 exactly.  (To go along with 1 stiff).

More News (Waitress Stories & Redbox Codes)

This article from the Cleveland paper describes how some restaurants try to force the waitress to pay the bill when the customer dines and dashes. This is certainly not fair, and from the story, it seems to be dangerous also.

And since I know I have many readers who work hard for their money, here's a way to save a little. This article contains a link to a site that shares Redbox coupon codes.

Secrets From The Waiter / Waitress

I found this article on Yahoo!, it's pretty interesting. Check it out! The title is 20 Secrets Your Waiter Will Never Tell You. And the very first one is from a pizza waitress!

Santa Hat

I did remember to wear my Santa hat today, and also a green long-sleeve t-shirt under my black uniform shirt. I almost never wear a coat when driving, I'm in and out of the car so fast ... my car stays warm from running (and also from the pizza) and putting a bulky coat on and off is just not worth it.

Anyhow, I drove 4.5 hours tonight (stayed until almost 10:30) and took just 6 deliveries (including a double right before 10). I drove 22 miles and made $14 in tips. Of the 6 deliveries, 3 were cash (for $7 in tips) and 3 were credit (also $7 in tips).

Best tip was on a $30.42 cash delivery, the customer counted out $35 and said, "Merry Christmas!"

Jeannie had delivered a gift from the managers, a Christmas mug and some chocolate. Today I also got a card, a pen, and several homemade cookies and treats from waitress Catherine!

Off-Day Post

I didn't work today, it is Sunday so maybe I was observing the 4th commandment from Exodus 20:8-10, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work."

But I did contact the Chronicle about last night's robbery attempt. I was interviewed over the phone and even went in tonight and got my picture taken. We'll see if I'm in Monday's paper.

I discussed the incident with 2 of our young waitresses who often answer the phone. Cat especially seemed genuinely concerned and vowed to do more call-backs of new addresses.

Then I stopped over at a rival franchise where our ex-driver Amy used to work and talked to their manager Matt for a while, letting him know what happened and reminding him to be safe.

Finally I went over to Dominos and, surprisingly met the driver Nick who actually was robbed 3 weeks ago. He confirmed that the address I went to was the same, and his decription of the guy was similar. He did say that he found his car a couple blocks away the next day.

And one more thing I meant to add about yesterday, the robbery set-up was actually the 2nd fake order of the night. I had earlier taken an order to unit F of a particular apartment building. As I was going in there was a Chinese food delivery guy just going out. Well the people in F said they did not order food.

Just then the people in unit E opened their door and told me the Chinese guy had knocked on their door with an order they didn't place either. Seems like somebody was pranking the whole building.

Obama - "Shares The Wealth"

I heard this on the radio the other day. I'm sure it's not true but it's an illustration and it explains why I am voting for John McCain on Tuesday.

A businessman is walking into a restaurant. On his way in he passes a homeless man wearing an Obama t-shirt, asking for money. The businessman takes note but walks on past.

While eating, he notices his waitress "Wanda" is wearing an Obama button under her nametag.

When he finished eating, he paid the bill but left no tip. He then gave $10, the amount he would have tipped, to the beggar outside. The waitress, upset at seeing no tip, followed the man outside and confronted him.

"I worked for the tip, why are you giving it to him?" she asked the businessman.

"I noticed you both were Obama supporters so I figured you would want me to share the wealth," the businessman explained.

Obama's tax policy, while not quite full-blown socialism, takes from those who work and earn, like Joe the Plumber and Wanda the Waitress, and "redistributes" to those who do not.

Catching Up

Here are a couple miscellaneous items I've accumulated over the past few weeks that I intended to post.

First, a Yahoo! article about some lawsuits filed against some top NYC restaurants that relate to tip-sharing. We have no tip-sharing where I work. A few years ago I used to regularly make $50-60 in tips and share $5 or so with the cooks. Lately I have been getting half of that on a good night so tipping out the cook has become pretty rare.

Next, a link to a work-in-progress book being written by a fellow pizza driver called Topless Delivery. Beware, the book is not just about pizza. Predictably, the driver / main character meets and falls in love with a stripper!

There's one more item, saferoadmaps.org, but I think I will give it it's own post.

Congratulations Kaeliegh!

For my 2nd post tonight I want to send out congratulations to ex-pizza-waitress Kaeleigh who was crowned Apple Princess today at our town's festival!

Labor Day

I drove for 3 1/2 hours tonight and took 4 uneventful deliveries. I drove 20 miles and made $15 in tips. My first run was a double that I was lucky to get, as I pulled into the parking lot just a few seconds ahead of driver Chris. And it was fortunate, as I made $6 on the first delivery and $5 on the second.

The other amusing thing that happened tonight was that we had a local radio personality and his family come in and dine-in. Catherine, our waitress, asked me which radio station he worked for and I let her know it was 95.5 The Fish.

This sparked a discussion about Christian radio and I remarked that I used to listen to 103.3 but not as much any more as the shows I listened to are either not on or have been moved to a different time.

"I listen to 103.3", Catherine said, just as the radio guy's wife stepped to the counter to pay the check.

"You lost your tip there, huh" I joked. Catherine looked at the woman and said "I listen to the fish too" and the woman smiled.

A Diner's Bill Of Rights

(from the book Service Included)

1. The right to have your reservation honored.

2. The right to water.

3. The right to the food you ordered at the temperature the chef intended.

4. The right to a clean, working bathroom.

5. The right to clean flatware, glassware, china, linen, tables, and napkins.

6. The right to enough light to read your menu.

7. The right to hear your dining companions when they speak.

8. the right to be served until the restaurant's advertised closing time.

9. The right to stay at your table as long as you like.

10. The right to salt and pepper.

Service Included - Book Review

I recently read the book Service Included by Phoebe Damrosch. The subtitle is Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter. As someone who works in the restaurant business, I was intrigued.

Well the book is by this girl who got a job at a fancy restaurant in New York City called Per Se. The book started out interesting, talking about her early days as a waitress and how she got the job at Per Se, and some of the training she went through.

It then jumps around, spending several chapters discussing her love life and relationships with her coworkers.

My favorite part was the discussion about how they prepared for and served Frank Bruni, the restaurant critic from the newspaper.

Per Se is a very fancy restaurant where they offer a "tasting menu" for $275 per plate. I'm a picky eater so I would probably hate it. And it really has nothing in common with the pizzeria where I work.

Still, if you want to see how the "other side" lives (or rather, eats), check out this book!

Dining room report

After only 3 weekends as a "server", I really don't have too much to report.

I got to buy a new pair of black pants but they are making me wear my husband's shirt and nametag.

Tips are way lower than I expected. Almost without exception, I tip at least 20% whenever I eat out. Tips people are leaving me average much closer to 10%.

I'm grateful I haven't had to clean the bathrooms. I have a HUGE public bathroom phobia.

For the most part, I'm enjoying the customers, especially taking orders over the phone. But the dine ins are great too. Like the man last night from Louisiana who was floored that I knew how to pronounce crawfish, and a beautiful teacher couple with an amazing 2 year old son.

Last night I had 2 different tables stiff me. One was a lady who came in a sour mood. She snapped at me twice before I even took her order. The other was a group of 2 who didn't like the sauce on their 3 handtossed pizzas. Manager Nick wouldn't agree to take anything off the check when I mentioned it to him. I saw him speaking with the lady as she paid on her way out. I don't know if she got him to help her out or not but she left me zilch.

One thing I learned from working in libraries....KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS HAPPY AT ALL COSTS. One disgruntled patron would spread their experience to at least 10 other people. And they'll all take their business elsewhere. Our pizza chain is competing with at least 3 others within walking distance. I wish we would do more to make a good impression.

There was a pickup order who had to wait for his calzone like meal to be remade after it got stuck in the oven. He had waited to begin with because we thought it was still cooking, then he had to wait for it to be remade and recooked. All he wanted to do was sit down and have a beer on the house. We charge $1 for a 12 oz frosted mug. Now, we could have had him sit at a table and be served the beer. He would have had to pay for it because of state laws but his meal could easily have been discounted to make up for it. For a lousy dollar, this man could have been made satisfied and left with a happy impression of our restaurant. But instead, he was made to sit in the hot lobby for an additional 15 minutes and left probably never to return.

The woman with the 3 hand tossed pizza's...why didn't the manager offer to remake her pizzas on our traditional crust? Or take half off her bill? Neither one of those things would've hurt us as much as one disgruntled customer can.

The Minivan Squad

When I got home from church this afternoon I noticed my Chevy Prizm had a flat tire. So I had to deliver tonight in my wife's Mercury Villager. The ironic thing was that I was working with Steve, who drives a Ford Windstar.

The villager got us 18.6 MPG on this tank of gas.

I worked 5 hours, took 11 runs, drove 48 miles, and made $28 in tips.

I'm having minor surgery tomorrow and will be off work for a few weeks, but in the meantime my wife Victoria is starting as a pizza waitress. Hopefully she'll be able to post a few times in my absence.

Thanks Nick!

First of all, thanks to fellow driver Nick for giving me a ride tonight. After my shift, I drove my Chevy Prizm over to an auto repair shop to get the clutch worked on. Nick followed me over there and gave me a ride back to my house. So for the next couple days, my wife and I are down 1 vehicle.

I drove 5 hours, took 10 deliveries, drove ? miles, and made $20 in tips. It was a pretty uneventful night.

The only semi-interesting delivery was where the dad wanted to tip, the mom had no money, and the elementary aged kid said he had money. The dad sent him for $3, saying, "I'll pay you back." I wasn't sure who to thank, other than not the mom (who could have written a tip on the credit card slip).

Finally, let me add this story from England I came across today. It's a great example how not to increase your tip. Evidently there was some dispute between the waiter and the customer, and the waiter added a vulgar note to the customer's bill.

Wait Around Wednesday

Tonight was a pretty quiet night. I worked 5 hours, drove 27 miles on 7 deliveries, and pulled in a very nice $22 in tips, an average of over $3 per run. Maybe these high gas prices ($3.15) are having an affect on people.

I got reminded again tonight about the dress code, as I was still wearing my jeans. I am going to have to do something different, I suppose. I've been putting it off.

I really don't have much to write about, but there are 2 interesting threads on a fantasy football message board that I frequent that are mildly relevant, since our pizzeria fired a waitress last week. One is about a restaurant manager that recently fired a waitress and the other is about a businessman that is considering firing his assistant, and wonders about the timing and possible severance pay.

Pizza For Steelers Fans In Cleveland

My final delivery of the night was just before 11 PM. I knocked on the door and as the customer came to the door I made my standard greeting of "Hey how 'ya doing tonight?"

Then I noticed he was wearing a Steelers T-shirt. "Oh a Steeler fan huh?", I said in a mildly disgusted tone. "I guess I won't say anything about it."

"It's good to be a Steeler fan isn't it?" he asked.

"I guess it is today," was my answer. Since his Steelers beat my Browns 31-28.

In 6 hours I took 12 deliveries. I didn't write down my starting mileage. I made $29 in tips.

I worked with a new driver today, Jon. He's driving a gas hog, a Ford Escape, but he seems like a good worker so far. Also, we lost an employee today. Waitress Erica got fired. I don't know all the details, so I won't speculate.

Madhouse!

Tonight my son's soccer team (that I do not coach) had their end-of-season party at the pizza shop where I work. They had about a dozen kids plus families.

We only had 1 waitress on duty so I pitched in, refilling some pitchers of Pepsi. Meanwhile, the phone was ringing and I started answering it. After about 4 consecutive phone orders, Steve asked me if I could take over cut and pack for a few minutes.

I ended up clocking in and working for about an hour.

Between the big dine-in party, the Indians game, and the rainy weather, it just meant a very busy night for us.

When it was time for us to go home, my kids had a great time busing the tables.

Another Crappy Night

Tonight was another horrible night for making money. I took 13 deliveries and 6 of them didn't see fit to give me even $1 as a tip. The fact that the other 7 each gave at least $2, including 2 tips of $5 or more, made the night almost tolerable.

First idiot customer of the night had ordered a large pan pizza for $11.99. He came to the door with a coupon for an extra-large hand-tossed pizza for $9.99, and was sure that was what he ordered. I got on the phone and got his pizza marked down to $9.99. What did I get for my efforts? A whole 31 cents!

An hour or so later I took a delivery to "111 Shower Court" of 1 pizza, half pepperoni and half cheese only. These people were so cheap they sent their kid (about 9) to the door to pay and not tip me.

When I got back to the shop, I looked and saw the exact same order to the exact same address. I had manager Nick call to confirm that they did indeed order again. Unlucky for me, but I drew that delivery a 2nd time. I knocked, rang the bell, beeped my horn, and tried to get their attention for about 10 minutes. I saw the kid peek out the upstairs window. They never did come to the door!

The in-store excitement happened before I arrived tonight. Cook Steve "accidentally" spilled barbecue sauce on waitress Jeanette. She had to change into blue jeans, which are of course a violation of our uniform policy (everybody must wear black pants). I joked about titling tonight's blog "How Steve Got Jeanette Out Of Her Pants", but I didn't want people to think this was another x-rated website.

Totals for the night were 7 hours driving, 13 deliveries, 47 miles, $27 in tips.

Tipping & Travelling

I'm traveling for my day-job this week and I thought, since I can't write about delivering pizza, I would write about tipping.

Monday Lunch - we stopped at Quiznos. For myself, my wife, stepdaughter, and baby George, our total bill was a little over $25. I put $1 and the coin change in their tip-cup. I really don't like tip cups in places like that, but I will give them something.

Monday Hotel - we're staying at the Atlantic City Hilton all week. I have a huge suitcase of clothes (I pack like a girl). My wife brought not as many clothes but she brought a cooler of food, 2 beach umbrellas, lawn chairs, and of course beach toys for George. All this stuff got loaded onto a bell-cart and the bellman brought it up to our room. I gave him $10.

Monday Dinner - we ate at Corky's Ribs & BBQ. We had separate checks so I could charge my meal to my corporate card. I got the full slab of ribs and my check was $26.75. I added a $5 tip on my card. Wife and daughter's check came up to $29.96. I paid with 2 $20's. The stupid waitress brought me back a $10. How was I supposed to tip with that? I made her make change and I left her another $5.

Tuesday Hotel - we had to switch rooms on Tuesday because the room we got on Monday didn't have the right number of beds. I paid the bellman another $5 to help move our stuff from the 6th floor to the 9th floor. Also, we leave $5 for the maids each day.

Tuesday Snack - Tuesday night while walking on the boardwalk to the Tropicana Casino to play poker, I got a single slice of pizza for $2.60. Another tip cup, this time they just got the coin change.

Casino Tipping - While playing low limit ($2/$4 or $3/$6) Texas Hold 'Em, my wife and I each tip the dealer $1 for each hand that we win.

Working With The Idiots

I want to preface this by saying I enjoy my job as a pizza driver and there isn't anyone at work that I dislike. Having said that, almost everything that anyone could do tonight to screw me up was done.

I drove for 8 hours, took 16 deliveries, drove 64 miles, and made $30 in tips. I also made a rare $1 tip on a pick-up order.

Now on to what went wrong. Our POS system requires the driver to "dispatch" and "return" each order. This timestamps the order within the system and calculates the oven time and the delivery time. Let's say the order was entered at 6:00 PM. The driver dispatched at 6:15 and returned at 6:35. Travel time of 20 minutes gets cut in half and the order is stamped as delivered at 6:25, or 25 minutes after the order was entered.

Several employees (including managers) don't understand how this works and think that if the driver isn't back 30 minutes from the order entry time, the order is late. Delivery on-time percentages are calculated and compared from store to store. Some managers will "return" a driver when he isn't really back, to make their numbers look better.

This upsets me to no end. First off my on-time numbers are always good to begin with. Second, returning a driver early is a lie. Also, returning a driver early makes it difficult to edit or void the order, if the customer found a coupon or if the order was a fake order. Finally, returning drivers out of order adds confusion, as the computer can't be used to mark which driver returned first (and thus which driver is up next).

Well tonight, somebody was returning drivers and there was mass confusion on who would be up next. At one point driver Chris accidentally took an order ahead of me when it should have been my turn before him.

Later on somebody actually returned me, which at that time was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. It happened to be on an order where I was shorted 5 cents by the customer. Now 5 cents is no big deal but there's no reason I should be expected to cover for the customer. The order should have been discounted by the store but it was too late.

At that point I stopped dispatching myself and returning myself, figuring if somebody else thought they should do it, I would let them try to figure out which deliveries I was taking.

The cooks also got into the act, forgetting cinnamon sticks on one order and making a supreme rather than a super supreme on another. This is bad enough, but both of these times the mess up would have went nicely as a double, saving us drivers both time and gas (money).

The phone people screwed by taking the same bad address twice. First they put the address as "19 STREET", as in house number 19 on STREET. We called back to try to get the address right an no one answered so the order was voided. Later they called back and this time gave a valid street address on Douglas. Except for the fact that their house was about 1 mile past the end of our delivery area. Desiree took the order and they shorted her $1 because they thought that was all they should pay due to the late pizza.

The address was marked and we will NOT be going there again, if I can help it.

Later I arrived at a house and asked for $24.84, the guy said he had paid by credit card online. I called the store and sure enough, we had neglected to transfer that info from our internet computer to our ordering computer. I apologized to the guy and told him I was working with a bunch of idiots tonight.

New manager James even got into the act in a very minor way. He was on cut-and-pack and missed a "well done" note, but I caught it before leaving with the food, so that item was put back in to bake a little longer.

To top it all off, my customers also joined in. Half of them tipped $1 or less. One of them left their sprinkler on (in the dark) for me to walk through.

The worst was the woman who answered the door, telling me her husband was getting the money. I thought she meant upstairs. She meant at the bank. I waited in their driveway for about 10 minutes!

I'm sure I could say more but it's almost 3 AM and I'm bushed. So I'll just note that I was so upset for a while that someone called in manager Nick (on his day off) to try to calm me down. Nick went for a ride and told me about his failed romance, and it actually helped.

Good news of the night ... there was a huge dine-in group of about 20-30 people. Both waitresses, Catherine and Jeanette, served them. The diners then gave each of them a $50 bill as a tip! WOW!