A Pizza Rant
If you’re interested in hearing a rant about how stupid a pizzeria can be…one that has nothing to do with the Yankees or baseball, read on….
(And, if not, skip this.)
This evening, we decided to pick up a pizza for dinner. So, I called ahead and placed the order.
It’s me, my wife and our two kids – ages six and four. It seemed like a small pie was the right amount – two slices each for me and my wife and one slice each for the kids. So, when I called in, I asked for a small pie, for pick-up, and the girl on the other end of the phone told me that it would be $10.25. Sure, fair enough…
When I get to the pizzeria, to pick up the order, I see a large sign on the door that reads “Monday Special: One Large Pie, $9.00.” As soon as I see it, I think “Shoot, had I known that, I would have gotten a large pie.” And, it sticks with me as I walk in…
When I get to the register, and give the girl – who is the same one I spoke to on the phone – my phone number, I’m told “That will be $10.25.” (This is the same amount as she told me on the phone.) Still bothered by the sign on the door, I said to the girl, as I’m paying her for the pizza, “You know, if you would have told me on the phone about the special, I would have ordered a large pie.” (Here, I’m thinking, she’ll do the right thing and not charge me $10.25 for the pie she handed me.) When I say that, all she does is shrug her shoulders.
O.K., so, now, I’m pissed and I say what I’m thinking: “This is not right.” At this point, the guy who makes the pizzas comes over and asks if there’s a problem.
So, I tell him “I called in an order for a small pie. When I called, no one told me about the special. If they would have told me, I would have ordered the large pie. Why in the world would I spend $10.25 for six slices of pizza when I could have gotten eight slices for $9.00?”
This is what he says to me: “As soon as you said, on the phone, that you wanted a small pie, we figure that’s what you want. So, we’re not going to try and sell you a large pie. If you had asked for a large pie, we would have told you that we had a special where you would only pay $9.00.”
Now, I’m even more pissed. So, I said to him “That’s crazy. But, fine. Let’s do this…here, take back the small pie, give me my $10.25 back, and then sell me a large pie for $9.00.”
To this, he laughs at me and says “We can’t take a pizza back. You already bought it.”
So, now, I smile, and laugh back at him and say “O.K., there’s a way to try and make this right. Give me two more slices. Stick ‘em in a bag. That’s the difference between a small pie and a large pie – one is six slices and the other is eight. Give me two slices and I don’t even care about the $1.25.”
To this, he laughs even harder and says “I’m not doing that.”
At this point, I’m about to Hulk-out. One more time, I say to him “Look, why in the world would I spend $10.25 for six slices of pizza when you’re also charging $9.00 for eight slices? Even if I only needed six slices, I should be able to give you $9.00 for eight slices and then throw out the other two slices. This is insane.” But, now, he saying nothing back to me.
I look at him and say, loud enough for everyone in the place to hear, “Smart. Know what you just did? You lost a customer for life because you won’t do the right thing” – and I leave.
Yeah, I know, it’s just $1.25 and two slices of pizza. But, it’s the principle of the whole thing. No one likes getting screwed – even if it’s over $1.25 and two slices of pizza.
But, I’ll say this, it will be a cold day in Hades before I ever eat pizza from this pizzeria again. That’s a lock. Put it in the books and bank on it.
Good for you. That’s exactly what you should have done in the face of such arrogant indifference.
Well said, and well done.
This is what he says to me: “As soon as you said, on the phone, that you wanted a small pie, we figure that’s what you want. So, we’re not going to try and sell you a large pie. If you had asked for a large pie, we would have told you that we had a special where you would only pay $9.00.”
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And he’s right.
I can only imagine the number of times the young lady may have been bitched at on the phone by people who hate to be upsold. I’ve seen it too many times (done it myself, actually), and is one of the reasons I don’t work customer service anymore.
Having said that, once I saw you get agitated, I would’ve just given you the large pie, just to get you out of my store
FWIW, his attitude tells me that if he is the owner, it’s not often that customers complain about the special.
Absolutely correct Steve. In ‘my day’, a business would NEVER alienate a customer over $1.25. Terrible business. Never buy there again. But still… call the owner and make a stink. Personally, if not fired, someone should get their ass reamed good.
I’m amazed how so many ‘business people’ have so little sense. Stunning. Really… speak to the owner. I’ll bet you get at least 1 free pie.
I am always interested in reading about the stupidity of this species.
I also never heard of a 6 piece small pizza. All of the pizza places I’ve gone to, with 1 exception, has 8 pieces, regardless of what size, with size just determining how big each piece is.
That 1 exception was my grandmother’s favorite pizza place, who had a monster size (I don’t know what they called in, so that’s my word) square pizza cut into a lot of square slices. Strange size, but incredible pizza.
Lee – actually, it’s pretty standard around here.
Small pie = 6 slices
Large pie = 8 slices
And, FWIW, and it makes this whole thing worse, the slices on the small pie are actually smaller than the slices from a large pie.
If I had to guess, I would say that the slice from a small pie is about 75% the size of a slice from a large pie.
~~Personally, if not fired, someone should get their ass reamed good.~~
I’m also guessing that the staff on for a Monday night is not the same as the staff on a Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Business is probably slower – hence the special. And, because I was dealing with the “B” team, I got less than “A” service.
Evan3457 – thanks.
Raf – Re: “it’s not often that customers complain about the special” – I would bet that few complain because it’s probably rare for people to buy the small pie.
FWIW, I sometimes get a look when we’re in pizzerias and order it. But, hey, my kids can barely finish one slice each and there’s no reason for my wife or I to eat more than two slices of pizza at a meal. So, given my status, why would I buy a large pie when the cheaper one fits us?
However, in this case, because the larger pie was cheaper than the smaller pie, it was stupid not to get the larger pie, for less money, and then just freeze the extra slices…or, like I said, just toss them…because it was less for the large than the small…
…of course, this all was tied to them telling me that the larger was cheaper…which they never did.
And, had they told me about the special, it would have not been a “upsold” thing – because they would have been saving me money by telling me about it…
Upsold in the sense that you’re getting a larger pie. Whomever was working figured a small pie was what you wanted, which is why you ordered it. Like I said, I’ve seen too many customers get agitated at CSR’s (myself included on both sides of the transaction), to understand why nothing was mentioned about the $9 pie, especially if the special has existed for a while (having said that, I’m assuming it’s a Monday Night Football related special).
Something else that should be taken into consideration is the number of people who try to hustle a restaurant out of free food. I know that wasn’t the case here, but it has happened.
I would talk to the owner, see what he says about it. At the very least, it gives him a heads up about what goes on when he’s not around.
The 6 slice pizza is odd to me as well, but I’ve seen it done before. Usually, pies are cut into 8 slices regardless of size.
Whenever I order a pizza, the first thing I always ask is “do you have any specials?” Pizza around here is ridiculously expensive unless you get it in a special.
Customer service. Customer is always right.
The credo the industry lives by.
Yeah, I would have left, too. Especially if he was laughing at me. What’s up with that?
It’s not an upsell thing, but I’m not going to say whether they should have mentioned it or not. But, once you asked for them to make it right, they should have. It makes sense that a customer would ask that and it’s not worth whatever it costs them to save the two slices. I would have just given you the special.
Thanks,
Patrick
One other thing, it’s not the cashier’s call “to make it right.” That gets escalated to a manager; she can get fired for doing something like that.
My only comment is that your family eats like a bunch of birds — a small pie for 4 people?!!!
LOL – remember, two of the four are 4- and 6-years old, and have small stomachs. And, for the adults…well…it’s all about making good food choices and exercising sound portion control, no?
BTW, thanks to all for the comments, etc., on this one. It’s nice to know that I wasn’t just losing my mind on this one…
>> And, for the adults…well…it’s all about making good food choices and exercising sound portion control, no? >>
With things like broccoli, sure.
It’s nice to know that I wasn’t just losing my mind on this one…
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Nah, you weren’t unreasonable, nor losing your mind.
It was more of a miscommunication than anything else. I can see both sides of the story, and can understand why the counter girl may not have said anything about a special.
Personally, as you were making a stink, I would’ve given you the large pizza. Especially if there were other customers in the store waiting.
Or taken the small pie and cut it into 8 slices