Continue to Site

Peeved about a delivery request

W

wa_dave

New member
Tonight we had a customer phone for a delivery but asked the phone girl if we could pick up a 6 pack beer for him on the way. I told her we won’t do it as 1) it is illegal to do so as it constitutes breaking the liquor licensing rules; 2) it could go to an underaged person; 3) we only deliver what we sell in the shop - we are not a convenience to pick up things for people too lazyto get it themselves.
I was really brassed off at the audacity of someone thinking we are there for their convenience and them thinking a delivery fee entitles them to get us to do errands for them.
The girl told the customer we couldn’t do the request. He then blasted out that we had done it many time before so stick the order.
We refuse to fill this request as we also refuse to pick smokes or any other item that we don’t stock in the shop - point blank, NO !
I just felt so hostile that this person turned on our staff, cancelled an order and then told us to stick our business just because we abided by the law. I don’t think this person was a customer previously as we haven’t had requests like this since taking over the store 5 years ago. The previous slumbag owner used to do this but he had no morals what so ever.
Just had to have a rant as it got up my nose with someone thinking we will run errands just because we do deliveries.

Dave
 
Last edited:
We get this request occasionally, beer, cigs or worse yet, stop by Subway or Burger King and pick something up for them on the way. We always refuse. Sometimes they cancel the order. What really stinks is if they wait until the food is in the oven then call with the request thinking that we won’t deny because we already cooked the order.

Rick
 
Last edited:
When I get a request like this I will explain to the customer the fine for my drivers and me would total up to $15,000 if we were caught delivering alcohol or tobacco with out the proper license. I have a delivery service that sometimes takes deliveries to places that are outside my normal service area. This service has a license to deliver alcohol and tobacco. I will tell the customer I can not have my staff drivers do it but they can call XYZ Delivery Service and have them pick up the order along with their other requests. This gives the customer the option of paying the service the extra for the multiple stops or taking the food delivery from us at our rates.
 
Last edited:
Want to know a dirty little secret? He is probably telling the truth. Your drivers probably HAVE done this for him before. It goes on a lot. Keep an eye out for “call before delivery” requests. Those are often customers that have figured out how this works. Amazing the risks a pizza driver will take for an extra $5 tip.

We don’t do it either and it is a firing offense, but I have no doubt that it happens.
 
Last edited:
Years ago I had a guy call and ask if we could pick up a gallon of milk for his prego wife and because their car was broke down…after some time I finally said yes. Hung up the phone and he called back and asked if we could also get a pack of orange zig zags (rolling papers) That was the last time there was any exception to the rule. :shock:
 
Last edited:
where i used to work was next to a liquor store and pple would ask for beer and cigs all the time… boss always said yea… just killed em on the price… 10 bucks for smokes and 12 dollars for every 6 pack
 
Last edited:
At times we have considered getting a license and delivering beer… then I imagine the newspaper story about the high school kids that were killed driving drunk on beer they ordered and had delivered…

You think your drivers would actually refuse a $20 tip to deliver beer to under age customers? I am not that confident. At least by having a policy that we do not deliver anything but our own products we can minimize the problem.

A driver for another pizza store in town was popped for delivering pot about 10 years ago. Now there is phone call I would like to get at home around midnight sometime! This whole issue is a slippery slope to oblivion.
 
Last edited:
Would the ability to enforce rules be different for employees versus contractors?..
 
Last edited:
The ability to terminate a contractor can be easier than an employee in some places… but in nearly all instances, shops that are using drivers as contractors are kidding themselves. There is a lot more to defining contractor status than simply deciding that is what you are going to claim. Drivers are not contractors and the store will get clobbered for workman’s comp or unemployment when it gets challenged.

Here are some of the key considerations or tests for contractor status:
  1. Bidding the job: Do you negotiate the contract or offer a wage? Do the drivers bid against each other for key shifts or bundles of shifts?
  2. Supplies services to more than one “customer”. Does the driver supply delivery services to more than one business?
  3. Provides tools: Does the driver bring his own hot bags, supply his own uniform etc
  4. Determines work schedule: Does the driver determine when he works… or does the store write the schedule?
    You don’t have to pass all these tests… but it is a sure bet that if you fail all of them, the person is an employee not a contractor.
If there is a food delivery company that offers delivery service and offers it to several businesses at a negotiated rate, that delivery company is very likely a contractor… but there are many examples of restaurants using “contractors” that then got a rude suprise when a work comp claim or unemployment claim came along. Not only do you lose… you also get hit with tons of back payments, fees, penalties etc.
 
Last edited:
Well, my sons drive for me, and if I found out one of them was delivering “other” items not on my menu, that’s an arse beating.

As for the employee/contractor debate, in my past business venture (which will go unmentioned due to a few people’s pahntees getting in a bunch the last time I mentioned it) Independent Contractor Agreements are wonderful. Spell out, in writing, what the ICs requirements are to contract work for you, i.e. days of the week to work, time of shift, company owned clothing and equipment to rent from you, etc. Everything you need of an employee can be required of an IC in the agreement. No compete clauses to keep them from learning from you, then opening a delco. Now, you can’t keep them from earning a living working at/for another delco though. IC doesn’t show up for a shift? Fine them, as long as it’s in the agreement.

How do I know? I got sued by a few of my former ICs wanting their substantial fines back for leaving me in a lurch. A couple of them hired lawyers. Every question they asked of me I answered. Did you tell them when to start working? Yes. Did you make them conform to a schedule? Yes. Were they allowed to bid for the work? No.

Every case, when they finished asking me these questions, and the judge said it was my turn to ask questions of them, I told the judge, “I don’t have any question for them your honor. All I have is the agreement they signed. Here it is. You honor, all you need to do is tell us if this agreement is lawful or not. If not, tell me I have to give their money back. If it is, let them know.”

One judge took a month to say the agreement was lawful. The other two judges looked at the agreement (2 pages) and said the agreement was good.

I know, CSB…csb.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top