They Failed To Deliver Their Deal

(My town has just gotten a [Pizza Chain]. When they first open, they send drivers around to all the hotels with menus and tell us that they have a promotion for the hotels. Every time they do a delivery, the driver will give us a sticker, and if we get ten stickers, the staff gets a free pizza. Fast forward a few weeks; we have enough stickers for a free pizza. I call in and ask about the promotion.)

Employee #1: “Yeah, so it’s a large four-topping pizza delivered to you.”

Me: “Really?! That’s awesome!”

(I order the pizza and it’s delivered free of charge, no problem. We’re all excited, thinking this is a great deal for us. Another month or two goes by, and we have enough stickers for a pizza again. I call in and ask about the free pizza.)

Employee #2: “I’m not sure; let me check and see if we are still running that promotion.”

Me: “Okay, no problem.”

Employee #2: *puts me on hold, then comes back* ‘Yeah, we are still doing that.”

Me: “Great, so last time we got a large four-topping pizza. So, we’ll get a large again with bacon, ground beef, peppers, and onions.”

Employee #2: “Okay, that will come to [total].”

Me: “Um, no, we have the stickers; it’s supposed to be free.”

Employee #2: “Oh, okay. It will be there in thirty-five minutes.”

Me: “Great!”

(Five minutes later my phone rings.)

Me: “Hello, this is [My Name].”

Employee #2: “Hi, I’m calling because my manager said the deal for hotels is actually a one-topping medium pizza.”

Me: “Oh, okay. Umm… let me check what the housekeepers want on it, then.” *turns to ask housekeeping what they want* “Okay, we will do just bacon, then.”

Employee #2: “Okay, it will be there in thirty-five minutes.”

Me: “Okay.”

(Twenty minutes later the delivery guy comes in.)

Employee #3: “I have an order for [My Name].”

Me: “That’s me.”

Employee #3: “Okay, so that will be $3.94.”

Me: “No, we have the stickers. It’s supposed to be free.”

Employee #3: “This is the delivery fee.”

Me: “We didn’t pay a delivery fee last time, and no one said anything about a delivery fee this time.”

Employee #3: “Let me call my manager.”

Me: “Okay.”

Employee #3: *calls manager* “Okay, so yeah, it’s $3.94.”

Me: “No, I was never told about a fee. If I’d known there was a fee we would’ve gone and picked it up, because one of our housekeepers is out getting our regular Sunday food order the boss buys us.”

Employee #3: “Well, I have to get the delivery fee.”

Me: “Call your manager back, please; I want to talk to him.”

Employee #3: *calls manager*

Me: “Hi, so, we’re supposed to be getting a free pizza for sending customers to you. Last time we did this, we got a large four-topping and there was no charge for the pizza or for the delivery, and now I’m being told it’s only a medium one-topping and I have to pay a delivery fee. I was never told about this fee, and I’m not going to pay a fee I was never told about.”

Manager: “I’m sorry about that. I wasn’t here the last time you ordered, so that was a mistake. It’s always been a medium one-topping pizza. And the delivery fee is on every order to cover our costs.”

Me: “I understand that, but I was never informed of this delivery fee. Like I told your driver, if I’d been informed, we would have picked the pizza up ourselves as we have staff out getting other things right now. I’m sorry, but I’m not paying a fee I was never told about.”

Manager: “The pizza is $8.99 and is free. But the fee is for the gas and wear on the driver’s car.”

Me: “Look, I understand that, and I’m telling you I was never told about this fee and I’m not going to pay a fee I wasn’t informed of and could have avoided by picking it up myself. So, you have two options. 1) Waive the delivery fee this time as I wasn’t informed and now we know for next time or 2) take your pizza back, because I’m not paying today. I’m handing you back to your driver and you can tell him what you want him to do.”

(I handed the phone back to the driver and walked away from the desk to help the housekeepers with something. I turned around and, sure enough, the pizza was gone. Seriously, I get that this is “costing” them money — although they probably made more in profit from the multiple customers we’ve sent their way than the pizza and delivery fee — but expecting a customer to pay a fee they were never informed of and didn’t have to pay in the past is ludicrous. We won’t be talking this particular chain up to guests anymore, that’s for sure.)