"pizza delivery" news and stories

It's pretty stiff competition out there now in the pizza chain delivery business. First there was online ordering so you wouldn't even have to break your stride while working away at your computer. Then came Papa John's ordering via text message. Driving home from work and don't want to stop somewhere to pick up dinner? Just send a text message with your order. Not soon after we saw Papa John's implement pizza ordering via text message, Pizza Hut is offering the same service.

Oh, the options!

It may not sound like a big deal -- people stealing a pizza here and there every day -- but this was an armed robbery by an 11-year-old boy.

An order was placed via cell phone, and when the delivery person arrived, the boy took the entire order. When the driver protested, the boy pulled out a handgun then took off with the $35 takeout dinner of pizzas, Buffalo wings and cheesy bread.

Seems a waste that he's made himself a felon for only $35, but then again, he also tried to take off with the $250 bag that keeps the orders warm.

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Some genius has figured out that, like peanut butter and jelly and chocolate cake and milk, nothing goes together better than pizza and porn movies.

There's a new business in Winnipeg that not only delivers pizza, but they also deliver adult films! (And yes, let's all make as many jokes about "toppings" as we right now). You have to be of legal age, of course, and show an ID at the door. The movies are underneath the pizza in the box. But as Paul at archiseek.com points out, how secret can this be if the pizzas are delivered in cars that have giant neon signs that have a blonde on them and the word porn?

[via Boing Boing]

Hot on the heels of our discussion about tipping, the NY Daily News came out with a piece about tipping tips from the experts. That is to say that they went to people in each industry and asked what an appropriate tip was. They (rightly) point out that in some cases, tips can make the difference between making a living - or not, though it seems that more people are gettting tipped than ever before. The article covers cab drivers (20%), hair stylists (15-20%) and doormen ($5-$10). It also mentions that babysitters and camp counselors are tipped, something which I am positive did not happen when I was the one watching neighborhood kids on Saturday nights.

The most relevant to us here at Slashfood is, of course, the restaurant tipping guide.

• The average restaurant tip in New York City is 18.8%. "Leave 20% if you're really happy with the service, 18% if the service was good and 15% if you're unhappy, [Tim Zagat, of the Zagat guide], advised."
• Tip 15-20% on drinks in a bar and the same at "modest coffee shops."
• Pizza delivery should justify 10-20%, especially if you live in a walk-up.
• Tips are optional for the guy at the deli that makes sandwiches to-go.

A Starbucks representative told the Daily News that it was not necessary to tip baristas to get legendary service - but( trust me) they appreciate it and always remember someone who tips well.

[via Waiter Rant]

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In Nome, Alaska, ordering a pizza is easy. Just call up Airport Pizza, which delivers free of charge, by plane. Population in the western Alaska town is 3,500, but Airport Pizza delivers to almost a dozen sub-arctic villages via Frontier Flying Service, which provides the delivery free of charge, even as far away as 500 miles to a small island in the Bering Sea.

But that doesn't make a pizza meal cheap. A small cheese pizza starts at $16, and can go up to $32 for a large specialty. Fuel costs keep the the cost of getting ingredients like garlic, red and green bell peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes. These are rare ingredients in Nome, Alaska. However, reindeer sausage is not.