I used to work in restaurants and I can't tell you how much respect I had for our food delivery people. They had to deal with so much crap on a regular basis: terrible customers, even worse wages.
We used to give them a portion of our own tips—they deserved it!
None of this means that the system isn't in dire need of reform—no one should have to work for so little—but we did our best to take care of each other.
What I really looked forward to though were the stories.
Food delivery workers see a lot of weird behavior while on the job.
Redditor vactanos asked the online community:
"To the food delivery workers, what's the strangest scenario you have had with an order?"
"I once had..."
I once had the person I was delivering to meet me in the restaurant's parking lot. This was the very early stages of Covid, so indoor dining was banned and it was also a very popular restaurant so the line was long as s***,
I made $13 off a really easy delivery, so I'm not complaining.
Honestly?
We wouldn't either. Enjoy that money!
"I used to dliver for Domino's..."
I used to deliver for Domino's and was delivering during a night with freezing rain so it was very slick. I get to this one house with a steep driveway way with no way I could drive up. I tried multiple ways to walk up the driveway and even on the grass but would only make it a few feet. So I call the customer and explain the issue and they come out with a rope and I tie the pizza bag to it. So they pull it up the driveway take the pizza and put the cash in the bag with a nice tip.
"I drove right to the store..."
The app told me to pick up the food by 7:05. I drove right to the store, got the food at around 7:03, checked the app for drop-off instructions, and it said: "deliver by 7:00." Okay. Whatever.
I got to the address at around 7:20. The building I needed to deliver to wasn't there. I walked around a bit and it was nowhere near where my map took me. I called the customer and said "Hi, I have your food but I've been walking around for a bit and can't find your building. Can you walk me through where it is?"
They just said "okay" and hung up. I texted them that I can't deliver the food if I can't find their building. No response.
I walked around for a bit more to find the building and I couldn't. I called the driver support line to explain what happened. As I was dialing, I got a text from the customer (around 15 minutes after I called them) telling me where their building was. Completely different place than where the app took me. I drove there, dropped off the food, and questioned why I bother doing this job.
"We looked at each other..."
I used to deliver pizzas, and one time I arrived at a house at the same time as a driver from another pizza place. We looked at each other confused for a sec before we went to the door. Turns out they had some people over and one of the people there really liked one restaurant over the other, so much so that they ordered a separate pizza.
Okay, that's hilarious.
And if they've got the money to spend, then why not? Everyone's happy.
"Yeah, it sounds like..."
I got one! That one time a followed a weird middle-aged guy into his basement for a life-affirming surprise...
Delivering pizzas my attitude is that nothing can really go that wrong so long as I drive carefully, avoid muggings, and never enter a customer's home. When I was younger and hadn't yet adopted that last rule I delivered a proper stack of pizzas to a really nice house in a very wealthy neighborhood where I was greeted by a classic mid 50's suburbanite guy. I had like 50lbs of pizzas and he' was just vibrating with excitement like a little kid asking me if I wanted to see something amazing in his basement where the pizzas were going anyway.
Yeah, it sounds like a lot of red flags but from his vibe and the amount of pizza he'd ordered I figured he was having some kind of game night with his buddies and was eager to show off his layout, entertainment system, bar, etc... Wealthy guys love showing the sweet toys they worked for to broke younger folks, and when you're working for tips sometimes an "oooh" or an "aaah" at a car or in-home luxury you don't care about is worth an extra $10. So I followed him into his huge house, preparing myself to express amazement at his whatever.
We get down to the basement and it was a puppy party. A true and actual puppy party, some sort of adoption event he'd set up for his kid's b-day. Exactly as I'd expected, there was a classic rich guy basement with a full bar and pool table and wall-sized entertainment center, and huge sectional couch and recliners. What I didn't expect was a gaggle of 8th-grade girls playing with DOZENS of puppies being supervised by handlers. Every kind of puppy I could imagine. I set the pizzas down on the bar and just sat on the floor and squealed and giggled while puppies tried to eat the smell of pizza off of me, succeeding only in devouring my heart through my face.
After a few minutes, I stood up all teary-eyed and flushed with happiness and the guy just grinned his understanding at me, gave me an envelope of cash, and sent me on my way. The hit of oxytocin and serotonin from those puppies still warms me years later... A puppy party, man. My life is fuller knowing that can even happen.
This is quite possibly the greatest story we've ever heard.
Who wouldn't want to run into a puppy party? Beats being murdered, for one. We're happy this story had such a heartwarming ending.
This next one is just crazy.
"He starts yelling about the noise..."
I delivered pizza in a college town about 15 years ago.
I took an order in the early afternoon to an apartment building I had never been to before. It had a locked entry and buzzer-style door, which was unusual for the area. It was usually cheap student housing or the hallways of the apartment buildings were the open-air style.
It takes a few minutes but someone finally buzzes the door and lets me in. I walk towards the apartment and see the door is open and can hear really loud music. I get to the door and I see the TV is on with full volume and across the room is a radio also full volume. I look to the left and a man is walking out of the kitchen and I see he is in a hospital gown. His hair is kind of dirty and messed up and he seems to be completely out of it. I tell him the total and he starts looking around for the money. Yes, the gown was tied in the back but it did not hold against the constant bending overlooking various areas.
At this point, this is already one of the weirdest things to happen to me, but then it kicks it up a notch.
The college town I was in is Lawrence, Kansas. And anyone who has lived there, especially near downtown, will probably know of the peace sign guy. This dude looked like your classic Vietnam War vet. Long hair, sunglasses, leather jacket with no shirt, jeans and big boots. He would walk around with a cigarette in his mouth throwing up the peace sign to anyone and everyone. He was mostly harmless but he could get upset and lash out verbally at people, although I did not know that at the time.
So who should appear at the door behind me, now boxing me into the apartment between him and hospital gown man? Peace sign guy. And he is pissed!
He starts yelling about the noise and he's having to scream pretty loudly just to be heard. Hospital gown man starts yelling right back at him. He still hasn't found the money. I contemplate trying the patio door and running for it.
Finally peace sign guy leaves, hospital gown man finds the money and proceeds to pull out a massive wad of crisp $20's... He tipped pretty well, too.
"I tolerated talking to him..."
I worked as a delivery driver for a sub-chain that was notoriously Weirdly Quick- my first week there I was told of a regular, David. David would frequently order a veggie sandwich, NO ONIONS (onions do not come on this sandwich). Any time I answered the phone to take his order he would compliment my voice and generally make things weird, which wasn't really surprising because the sandwiches he ordered were not for him- they were for Casey, his favorite stripper at the local strip club.
I tolerated talking to him on the phone because nothing brought me more joy than delivering this sandwich to Casey. Every time I went I stood patiently in the front area/sex shop listening to the extremely loud bass at 12:30 PM, waiting for Casey to finish whatever she was doing to accept this Gift. Casey always wore these amazing stripper heels that made her tower over me, and she was always happy to see me, mostly because she was absolutely loaded every time I saw her but also because I was basically the only female driver she ever saw and I know damn well the men I worked with also loved delivering to Casey.
There were multiple times where she would roll her eyes and say "I brought lunch today!" but she would always tip $5 on a $6 sub and that's what matters. I only worked there for six months but I saw Casey at least once a week, usually more. It was always the same- David calls and places an order, and Casey stumbles out to sign for it.
When my last day came around and David called I was thrilled. I didn't take the phone call but I was happily given the delivery to commemorate my last day. So I whip up her sandwich and head on my way. I walk through the doors head held high and I'm immediately met with a familiar "hello."
DAVID. Of all days, David is at the f****** strip club and David is here to not tip me on a $6 sub. David also is very happy to meet me and is so glad to see my face, as he loved hearing my voice. I smiled politely and ran out of there, thanking the Lord himself that it was my last day and feeling like I flew too close to the sun with my favorite stripper.
This story took us on a journey.
A total journey. Whoa.
Used to deliver pizza. I was 18. Brought a huge order to a house on a weekday evening where clearly a bunch of middle-aged friends were having a huge party. The door opened, a 40-something guy answered and yelled over his shoulder "THE PIZZA'S HERE!!"
Everyone was clearly trashed already. It's around 7 pm. He gives me a "one-second" sign and goes back in the house. I hear him telling everyone to give up cash to pitch in for the order.
Another 40-something wasted lady comes busting out past me, goes to the passenger side of a truck, then just...lies the top part of her body down inside the truck on the seat. And I think falls asleep for a few minutes?
I'm on the doorstep holding 10 pizzas. Door wide open. Rowdy 40-50-year-olds' party is HOPPING. And the lady who has my money is asleep with her front half in the truck.
I'm about to yell for someone else to help me when she gets up, then stumbles over to me. Conversation goes something like this.
Wasted Lady: How much is it?
Me: $108.25
WL: staring at a wad of bills in her hands, she then shoves them all at meYou count that.
I count it.
Me: You gave me $164
WL: Is that too much??
Me: Well...I don't think so but your bill is only $108.25
WL: Well YOU COUNT THAT!
Me: Ma'am it's $164.
She stares at me a second, looks at the pizza, looks at the money, reaches into her pocket, pulls out another $10 bill and slaps it on top of the pile of money.
WL: And there's your tip!!
I unloaded the pizzas and took off as fast as I could.
Best tip I've ever made in my life.
Being a food delivery worker can be fascinating!
If you didn't realize how crazy it can be, you should try working in a restaurant sometime. Or just ask them what their experiences have been like. I guarantee you they have enough material to supply television writers with a brand new primetime comedy.
Have some of your own stories? Feel free to share them in the comments below!
Please remember to tip your delivery drivers! And please keep the special requests to a minimum.
