Pizza Hut: Getting Mixed Signals

Sometimes you just want a pizza.  You don’t want to cook.  Chopping/Cutting/Dicing/Pouring seems a little too much effort.  Let someone else do the work.  You’ve got money so enjoy spending it.  And even in a brief exchange like ordering a large Hawaiian from Pizza Hut brings with it another customer service encounter…

The Order:
Last weekend, a friend and I decided to take advantage of living in downtown Victoria and being so close to a hundred places to eat.  (Is it true Victoria has more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in Canada?  Look it up for me. Yes, I’m giving you homework…eat your vegetables).  I live about a half a block from the Pizza Hut on Yates and have enjoyed their pie for a few months now.  This of course was all before I started this blog so, as I explained when I started, it doesn’t count.

So I put in an order for pick up.  I do live a half a block away…how lazy would I be for delivery?! (Ok, I’ve done it). So we went over there, put in the order, killed the 15 minutes before it was ready and came back to pick it up.

The Service:
The service really could be broke down into two sections, one for the order and one for the pick up:

1)      When we initially arrived, the guy who took our order was fantastic.  Within a few minutes of us approaching the counter, he acknowledged us and was never very far while we decided on our pizza pie.  As soon as we were ready, he returned, letting us know how long it would be and offering an upsell of dips.   Fast, to the point – what you want when ordering pizza.

INTERMISSION (PIZZA IS COOKING)

2)      Returning for pick up – the courteous nature, the acknowledgement at the door, the smile…all a non-issue because it didn’t happen.  We were told 15 minutes until the pizza would be done.  We left and returned 15 minutes later.  We waited 5 minutes.  Another 5 minutes.  And ANOTHER 5 minutes.   For those keeping score at home – an additional 15 minutes.  And during that time, we waited while the server continually answered phones and the one other guy there was mopping/brooming (it’s a word). The worst part?  I could see my pizza…sitting there…cooked.  The server finally removed his mouth from the phone long enough to get the other guy to cut up our pizza and get it to us.

We did get an apology.  Only he said, “Sorry for the wait” after he had already handed the pizza to us, and turned away.  So he pretty much apologized to the kitchen, not to the customers.  You really should face the person you’re talking to. I’m just funny that way.

Pizza Hut Conclusion: 2nd Date – I’ll give you a second chance. Bottom line, it’s delivery pizza.  If I had gotten it for delivery, I wouldn’t have had this problem at all…but then I did make the effort of coming in.  They could have made the effort to make eye contact and care about me.  Sniff, ok, a 2^nd date but you better make me feel specia.  This mixed signal thing is just a mind game.

Service Rating System:

Friend Zone – I just don’t like you in “that way.”
Booty Call – If I don’t have anything else better going on, I’ll stop by.
2^nd Date – I’ll give you a second chance.
Going steady – This could be the beginning of something major.

The Tip:
A friend of mine recommended another blog (Yeah, way to support MY writing) called: You’re the Boss by Bruce Buschel.  In one of his entries, he covers the 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do.  Is it a long list?  Yep.  Is it good?  Pretty much.  Is it correct?  Almost.  There are a few things I would nitpick on it about but I’ll let you be the judge.  What do you think?

Click to go to the blog:  100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do