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Topless Delivery 
Many people visiting or living in the Grand Strand Area of South Carolina had seen my “topless delivery” vehicle, a grey 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible, on its appointed rounds to feed the hungry masses. I purchased the convertible in May 2007, shortly after relocating to the Grand Strand Area. I have recently returned to my home in the Chicago Area and have retired from full-time delivery duty. I currently work as an Assistant Manager for a Papa John's location in Hammond, Indiana while I build my own consulting business, the Optimal Success Corporation.
The 2007 tourist season was my third as a driver for Papa John’s in the Grand Strand Area (2002, 2004, and 2007), and my last as a full-time delivery driver. After completing my Master of Business Administration degree in April 2007, I decided that the time has come to make some changes in my life and career. My delivery career, which also includes a few stints as a manager, spans over 20 years. I had worked for five different franchisees of Papa John’s Pizza (20 locations in 3 states) over a total of 12 years. In addition to my delivery duties, I also answer a multi-line phone system, enter customer orders into a computer system, make pizzas, tend ovens, cut and box pizzas, perform food preparation tasks, and perform general cleaning tasks. As you have noticed, there is a lot more to a delivery driver’s job than the actual delivery to the customer.
There are a few common misconceptions about the delivery profession that I would like to take this opportunity to clear up. One such misconception is that many delivery drivers work part-time for extra spending money. There are many full-time professional drivers, including myself, who make a living on the road. The tips we earn every night pay for our housing, utilities, groceries, insurance, fuel and maintenance on our vehicles, and other bills. A typical full-time driver drives over 4,000 kilometers and spends over $400 on gasoline every month (at the current local average price of $1.20 per liter), not including maintenance, insurance, or loan payments (if the car is financed). Our maintenance schedules are also greatly accelerated. For example, a typical delivery vehicle needs an oil change every 4 to 6 weeks and new brake pads every 4 to 6 months.
Another common misconception is that pizza delivery is a low-stress job. Pizza delivery is actually a very stressful and dangerous job. We drive in all kinds of traffic and weather conditions to deliver your dinner to your door. We also face the risk of an accident, robbery or assault every time we take to the road. Please bear in mind that violent crime can occur in even the "nicest" of neighborhoods. Because we wear the company uniform, thereby serving as the public face of the company, we endure the wrath of the customers when a delivery arrives “late” after fighting the traffic to get to our destination and then fighting for a safe and legal parking space. Please keep in mind that any delivery time quoted by an order taker is merely an estimate, not a promise or guarantee. A delivery that arrives later than the estimated time is rarely the fault of the driver. We also ask that you not take offense when a driver calls you to ask for directions to your home or business. We rely on street maps that are not always up to date. I have a GPS navigation system in my cell phone, and I can tell you that even the maps on GPS systems are not always current. This is particularly true when delivering to newly-built subdivisions. Furthermore, we are typically under much closer scrutiny from law enforcement and the general public than is the average driver. One final misconception that I must clear up right now is that the delivery charge added to the price of a delivery order goes entirely to the driver. The delivery charge for any of the Big 3 chains actually goes to the store to cover the costs of food and labor. The driver typically gets none of the delivery charge. This misconception actually hurts the drivers by depriving them of hard-earned tips. Delivering a pizza is not nearly as easy or as stress-free as it looks. By the way, I am currently writing a novel based, at least in part, on my delivery experiences in Myrtle Beach. Please check out my work in progress and suggest any ideas or improvements by clicking on the link below: |
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