It's almost a necessity once in a while to enjoy pizza. Pizza offers a variety of options for the soul, vegans, vegetarians and vicious meat eaters join in sweet harmony over toppings galore. Before enjoying the first bite of crispy, cheesy deliciousness, that order must be delivered! Here are a few things to remember when interacting with your local driver.
I actually got hungry while writing this and ordered pizza. The delivery guy was happy to tell me a few of his frustrations. While this list may be filled with pet-peeves of deliverers, to get a comprehensive list of everything NOT-TO-DO, contact your favorite person that delivers food as a job.
1. Expect your driver.
"Uhh.. did you order pizza?"
Nothing feels more awkward than standing in front of someone on their property and wondering if you got the correct house. Don't send your kids, they didn't pay for the food. How will they know they got everything? Strangers are dangerous people! Greet your driver instead of waiting quietly for food and the awkward conversation between you and a stranger will be all so much easier!
2. Control your pets.
"Mam, your dog is literally trying to bite me!"
You'd be surprised how many times I've experienced people telling me (thick southern voice) "Oh, he won't bite!" as the dog is literally trying to bite me. If your dog is bigger than your driver, it is automatically considered a threat, thus reducing concentration to the task at hand, thus making the driver less productive. Your dog knows you; You know your dog. Your dog does not know your driver.
Pro Tip: We probably wont help you or your kids try to round up the loose dog that your kids let out (see no. 1).
3. Tip your driver.
This shouldn't have to be said, but..
The two dollar delivery fee doesn't always go to the driver. That fee can just be for the company that provided service (eg. Pizza Hut). That means while your driver was on the delivery to your house- making $2.18 (per hour), and providing exceptional service, he ended up loosing money from you. Although you paid for your order, he braved the same traffic you didn't want to deal with. Pay for your service; your pizza was warm in a bag, not frisbee'd to your front door (it has been done before folks, people are crazy out there).
If you had no idea about the tip situation, don't fret! I like the way Tim wrote his article about the types of tipping and what situations to tip in our culture. It even comes complete with a tip chart for easy reference!
4. Turn a light on.
"Peekaboo house, I see you!"
It doesn't matter if you live in a campus dorm or a mansion. Do one simple favor, turn on a light. When surveying your house compared to your neighbors houses, a porch light can make all the difference. If you had a house party, wouldn't you turn on your light at night so everyone could find your house? Same principle. Some houses don't have numbers on mailboxes, but on the house. That doesn't make a difference if the numbers aren't able to be seen.
5. Appreciate whats being done.
Driving 20 minutes for you...
You ever think about what your driver goes through? You know your house/street/neighborhood. You know when the street dips and if you go to fast, you'll scrape the bottom of your bumper. I bet you dodge every pothole in a mile radius around your house. Needless to say, your driver doesn't. This person comes to your house and risks their car for your satisfaction. This person does all of that in the pouring rain! This person quickly goes from a proud and humble hero to an unwelcome guest! Keep that in mind in your awkward conversations.
Through these five tips, you'll be on your way to your diver looking forward to deliver to you! That also means you probably get your food faster. Enjoy the pizza.
