Free food for COPS on the job?

[wiseguy]

I’ve read about it, seen it in movies, etc… Anyone here actually give COPS (on the job) free food. I know I wouldn’t give Barney a free pie to take home, but if he’s on the beat and stops on for a sub or something…anyone comping these? Responses from COPS?

 

[pizzabarntn]

i have a little knowledge on this we give beat cops free food while on duty subs,breadsticks,6" pizzas ice tea but we are in very small town if i was in a big city probally just do drinks some have tried to take advantage one guy ordered 10 hot wings and med meat lovers pizza i made him pay and told him subs or 6" for free . most really appreciate it seeing how they only make 10.00 bucks a hour.and they keep a good watch on my place even sit in my parking lot at night .but first b/s ticket i get im done

 

[Piper]

We try every time they’re in. The answer is always the same: “We aren’t allowed to accept free or discounted services from anybody in the city.” We still offer every time though, and I think they appreciate it. But for some reason our city won’t allow them to do it.

To their credit, not one has ever said “OK, just don’t tell anybody.” Those annoying little do-gooders :lol:

 

[paul7979]

I give them anything they want for free, even the ones out of uniform that I recognize. I even have a few regulars from other counties that stop when they are driving through. In return I assure you that I get better 911 response times. They spend a good amount of time in our parking lot at night, and they may possibly give my drivers a bit of a break on their driving habits. Most importantly I want every scumbag who may consider robbing a pizza shop to remember how often they see police cars out front of my place when they are thinking of who they will rob next.

 

[system]

great idea
I am in a small town and I think it would work well.

I have an 8" pizza, cost of goods in it is under $1 for the cheese, even with a couple of topping, would be well worth having the police cars around.
they are probably not being overpaid also…
do ya’ll that do it make it an open policy, free pizza for cops on duty, or more formal, a certain item is free ?
Otis

 

[The_Fat_Boy]

cops, highway patrol, deputys all eat for a $1 on the buffet these guys are the most underpaid for the risk they take i charge a dollar that way they can’t get in trouble from the chief on friday nights i have anywhere from 3-10 officers in my place

 

[NicksPizza]

Our public safety personnel get a discount from us: Fire, Police, sheriff deputies, State Patrol, etc. We have done it that way since the day we opened, and it works fine. We cannot give it away to them, as they see that as a conflict of interest and all (we offered . . .they refused). We do give free iced tea to any officer on duty . . . keeps them alert and in their cars.

Now that I’m on City Council, some tried to make a hoo-hah about it, but I have years of track record before, and will have after, I am in office. Our local City Attorney declared he saw no conflict of interest in my doing this.

 

[SaraH]

paul7979:

I give them anything they want for free, even the ones out of uniform that I recognize. I even have a few regulars from other counties that stop when they are driving through. In return I assure you that I get better 911 response times. They spend a good amount of time in our parking lot at night, and they may possibly give my drivers a bit of a break on their driving habits. Most importantly I want every scumbag who may consider robbing a pizza shop to remember how often they see police cars out front of my place when they are thinking of who they will rob next.

This is how we do it too. We are located in a shopping center that has a movie theater, ice cream place, TGIFridays, bar, etc. It is a big teen hang-out on Fridays and Saturdays, along with the adult crowd. On those nights, there are cops whose only area to cover is our plaza. So, yes we appreciate them and treat them right. They appreciate it and usually leave a tip that is large enough to almost cover what they would have paid anyway and that makes our servers happy! In the end, everyone is pleased.

 

[td_VP192]

I’m surprised at how many of you guys give away free food.

We do 50% for all police, fire, ambulance workers that come in. They are very appreciative. For all they do though, they deserve it !

 

[Registered_Guest]

What about teachers, Red Cross volunteers, Goodwill/Salvation Army people, Marine/Air Force/Army/Navy/Coast Guard people?

They all make about the same amount of money as the cops/fireman/ambulance people - and surely they provide just as valuable a service to the community.

 

[pizzabarntn]

well if i get shot during a robbery and the paramedics have to come get and they save my life i will hook them up if i die they gonna pay full price :lol:

 

[td_VP192]

Registered Guest:

What about teachers, Red Cross volunteers, Goodwill/Salvation Army people, Marine/Air Force/Army/Navy/Coast Guard people?

They all make about the same amount of money as the cops/fireman/ambulance people - and surely they provide just as valuable a service to the community.

Good ole Registered Guest. :shock:

We take off 10% for teachers, 5% for Red Cross volunteers, 13% for Goodwill/Salvation Army people, 75% for Marines, 50% Air Force, 65% Army, 35% Navy/Coast Guard.

And if you were to stop posting here, I’d give you 100% off.

 

[Daddio]

Orphined orders go to the station free if they order then it is 30% off. That is for all emergency workers.

 

[NicksPizza]

Registered Guest:

What about teachers, Red Cross volunteers, Goodwill/Salvation Army people, Marine/Air Force/Army/Navy/Coast Guard people?

They all make about the same amount of money as the cops/fireman/ambulance people - and surely they provide just as valuable a service to the community.

In my community, there are no Red Cross or military units. Discussing Goodwill/Salvation Army moves into private organizations rather than public safety/service personnel (plus, they aren’t here either). Teachers get paid light years more than our police department, so that isn’t an issue for our town. Police here until last Monday were paid 11.22 per hour. I do not stutter, and did not mis-type that number.

It really came down to a business decision on our part. We decided to support municipal service providers this way, and that was that. Should we get a military unit in our town of 2500 people, the economic impact would be astronomical, and we would discuss discounting for active military. Hasn’t happened.

We WILL try to provide lunch to the volunteers for a Habitat for Humanity build in September. Gotta get the newspapers and possibly TV media out for that photo op!

 

[system]

after much deliberation and pondering on this…
50% discount on food and a free soda for the on duty cops…even if they are on there way in or home,

Otis

 

[PizzaDiva]

I never offered free food. Its bad business in my opinion unless it is for an event. 10 percent off all fire, police and paramedics. Twenty percent seniors all the time. I had a LOT of these customers and they are your best word of mouth people.

When nittycame to gritty, in my community, price was not an issue. Quality, Customer Service and Speed is what keeps you rocking and rolling.

PD

 

[Tom_R]

The cop shop is right around the corner, we take a couple pies down there once in a while. We ussually send the screw-up orders there. We actually gave them a pizza that some punks crank called for. The idiot kids forgot that we had caller I.D. Yeah, I took the pizza to the cop shop,
gave them the address that matched the phone number, and they tracked the kids parents down. The cops got free dinner, and the idiot kids paid for it!
tom R

 

[tommieknowspizza]

I am running for City Council in my small town, and will be running for Mayor next year and I view it at a Conflict of Interest.

Providing free food in a natural disaster, or an emergency might be acceptable, but giving officer a discount, or even free food is not acceptable.
It will create conflict within the officers mind, should he ever be in a situation where he/she has to uphold the laws that you are breaking.

We recently had a huge fire just outside of town, it burned about 2 square miles of forest about a mile from town. I called up the Forest Service, and the Fire Service who were on the front line battling the fire for upwards of 16 hours before they got relief, and offered to feed them for free, they denied my offer, and instead purchased 20 pizza’s from me.

I have instead let the various charities that support the officer, firefighter, and Hospital know that I am willing to donate any amount of pizza anytime, for them to raise money, or give as a gift. Usually in this situation you aren’t the only pizza joint in town, or restaurant they go to for donation of food, or gift certificates, and it is more readily acceptable in the eyes of the public.

 

[goomba]

td_VP192:

I’m surprised at how many of you guys give away free food.

We do 50% for all police, fire, ambulance workers that come in. They are very appreciative. For all they do though, they deserve it !

I am in a busy area w/ many cops around and they’re at my place often for hoagies,chse.stks.,etc…What we do for them and anyone in uniform is give them a 30% discount and they are very appreciative of that.Every now and then we’ll send a couple of pizza’s to the police station or the fire house which they also appreciate.And this keeps them yapping to everyone about us which is our goal after all.

 

[NicksPizza]

tommieknowspizza:

I am running for City Council in my small town, and will be running for Mayor next year and I view it at a Conflict of Interest.

Please let me offer some simple advise on the matter for politicians operating businesses. There are two distinct matters for two distinct roles. One key element is to avoid making statements like the above in public. It can affect your business, and can actually impact your credibility in office . . . in a negative way . . . should unusual situations rise, and needs change. Consult your City Attorney quietly and follow his advise about doing it or not.

As a business owner, we retain private citizen and business operation rights regardless of holding office. We have a higher level of ethical demands and disclosure placed on us, but we do not forgo commercial rights. Make business decisions as a business person . . . make governance decisions as an elected official. Keep the two as separate as you can, and you will be respected for it (by at least 12 people anyway).

For me, offering discounts to on duty public safety officials sometimes keeps them in town during the entire shift rather than their having to go to the next town to get dinner if they didn’t bring a meal with them.