It might be a good idea to answer the door if you have ordered food to be delivered

[BowserKoopa1]

Yes that's right, I have heard stories about this from so many people, and it happened to me too. The latest story was from 1 guy I worked with who delivered to a house, knocked a few times, no answer. Called the phone number, no answer. Tries the front door again, still no answer. Tries phone once more, yup, no answer.
The delivery driver comes back to the store, and guess who calls the store complaining that they never got their pizza Well then, answer your stupid door or your phone, you fucking idiots.
Also I have had to deal with quite a few people who seem to like to sit in their backyards, so when I come to their house, they can't hear when I knock ( always knock because doorbells quite often don't work and electronic ones do not work if they are turned off). You want to sit in your backyard and enjoy the weather? That's fine with me. But if you are expecting food delivery within the next 30 minutes, do not be someplace where you cannot hear someone at the front door.
1 last thing real quick.... Another delivery driver said he would never answer his cell if it was an unfamiliar number. I told him that if he had ordered food for delivery, most likely if someone called and they didn't recognize the number, most likely it was the delivery driver asking for directions or wondering why no one is answering the door. I am however aware of the fact that there are many soliciting phone calls and so I understand why he wouldn't answer his cell then.

[EricKei]

I have had all of those happen to me, back when I was slinging pizzas. You have my most profound sympathies.

My worst one, however, was the time when the teenager who was present in the house at the time -- and who the pizza had been ordered for -- did not respond because, in his Mom's words, "He doesn't answer the door." I found this out from her after repeated knocks and phone calls, as she walked up with her baby in a stroller as I was about to give up and leave. So, double fail on their part, as she KNEW he was like this, and she effectively left the house with no-one to open the freaking door. x.x

[Salesmonkey]

Could you take a picture of their front door or house number and text it to your boss? You would have verification that you were there and the customer was not.

[evilfarmer]

I am unfortuantly guilty of being in the back yard when food was on its way. In my slight defence I didnt realize how long I had been back there and came right around as soon as the delivery guy called..

[An Haddock]

I've been on both sides of that fence... delivered pizza for 5 years. Had every combination of people being in the back yard, doorbell not working (and not marked as such), not answering the door, not answering the phone, etc.

Then again, I sometimes forget to leave our porch light on for the pizza guy.

[MelindaJoy77]

My husband and I do sit out in the backyard a lot during the summer, but if we're expecting a delivery that's when we leave the back door open so we can hear the doorbell...

[Jester]

Because I often do not hear the front door from my room, whenever I order delivery, I ask them to have the driver call my cell phone when he gets to my place. Never a problem!

[MoonCat]

Because I often do not hear the front door from my room, whenever I order delivery, I ask them to have the driver call my cell phone when he gets to my place. Never a problem!

I like this idea. I usually sit by the computer when waiting for food to arrive, so I can check out the front windows, and the drivers usually honk the horn first, but calling would be great.

[emax4]

Could you take a picture of their front door or house number and text it to your boss? You would have verification that you were there and the customer was not.

This is a BRILLIANT idea! But I would add one thing. After the initial door knock and doorbell ring, have the delivery guy record video of ringing the bell and knocking the door again, so it will be a 4-step validation. If a customer complains, the manage can state "I have video of our driver knocking on your door, ringing your doorbell, and waiting (x) minutes, AND we have your address in the video, so do not challenge me on this. Pick up your pizza from our shop within 15 minutes or we'll eat it ourselves..."

[barainga]

We have one address SO bad about not answering either the door or phone we require them to only pay using a credit or gift card. The seemed to fix the issue nicely. We still get orders, but it is always prepay.


Edit: Unless its the mom ordering. We only hold her 20 something year old son to this. We arent hearltess, and mom ALWAYS answers the door when she orders.

[BowserKoopa1]

Today it seems we had more of the same, from 1 of our drivers who said that someone appeared to not be home. Well tough shit people, we get to eat your pizza now
I also went to a house and knocked 2 times, also called the number and walked around to the back in case this is where they were, and yelled out "Pizza delivery!" After knocking on the door a 3rd time, someone finally answers and says they were in the backyard and that they never heard anything What are these people, deaf, stupid, or both? The funny thing is, all this bullshit started a week or 2 ago, but I think the hot weather is melting peoples' brains. We hardly ever had this problem until just recently.