Even With The Ovens Off, You Can Offer Hot Slices Of Justice

Our pizza chain is franchised, and this particular franchise owns roughly a dozen stores, including all of the stores in the city. As a result of this, we have strictly defined delivery areas and cannot deliver outside them unless specified; i.e. taking over an area when one store closes.

The particular store I work in can serve takeaway over the counter until 1:00 am, but delivers until 4:00 am.

We have a reasonably steady shift and manage to close at 4:00 am without any issues. We always close at this time, but occasionally, we have orders waiting and will stay in the shop until everything is done.

At approximately 4:30, as we are finishing off the cleaning, a man knocks on the front window. This happens regularly as the lights for the customer area are on the same circuit as the rest of the lights, so we have to leave them on while we are working. A few members of staff gesture to him through the window that we are closed and then go back to work.

After a few minutes of knocking on the window and trying to grab the attention of everyone individually, the man pulls out his phone and our phone starts ringing. I’m the only person on shift who can answer the phone, so I answer it.

Me: “Hello, [Chain], [Location]. How can I help?”

Customer: “Hello, I’d like to order a pizza for collection. I’m standing outside right now but everyone is ignoring me.”

Me: “Unfortunately, sir, our collection area closed at 1:00 am, and we stopped taking deliveries thirty minutes ago.”

Customer: “This is unacceptable. I came down here at this time last week on [Day] and I was served without a problem.”

Me: “Unfortunately, sir, we cannot serve you past our closing time due to our premises license. I was the manager on [Day] last week and I definitely wouldn’t have served you after 4:00 am.”

Customer: “I am absolutely certain that you served me last week, and I think it’s incredibly unprofessional that you won’t serve me now.”

Me: “Sir, we closed over thirty minutes ago. Our oven is off and cold, and we are all preparing to go home. There is nothing I can do.”

Customer: “I paid £5 for a taxi from [Neighbouring District] down here because my store was closed. And now you’re telling me you won’t serve me.”

Me: “Unfortunately, that is the case.”

Customer: “I demand that you give me compensation for the trouble since I’m out of pocket and you won’t serve me.”

Me: “Let me get this straight. You want me to compensate you because you took a taxi to a [Chain] several miles away to get a pizza over three hours after their collection area closed.”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “Unfortunately, sir, I am not going to do that. Have a good night!”

I hung up. The man immediately called back, and when we didn’t answer, he started banging and kicking our front door. We pay for a security team for that store due to some previous issues, so I called them. A few minutes later, a very large security man turned up and moved the man along.

I thought that would be the last I’d hear of him, but he launched an official complaint against me with our franchise office and tried to get me fired.

I still have a job there.