Domino's Pizza "carryout insurance"

[tvguy]

It does kind of reveal just how profitable pizza is. $8 and they can afford to replace it for free if it is damaged and still make money.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Timely thread. Yesterday I took my mother out shopping. It was the first time she'd been shopping since her surgery a couple of weeks ago. (She's 92.) First, a jar of jam fell off the belt at the check out aisle. Splat. Then, as we were loading things into the car, a bag broke, and a jar of sauce fell to the ground. Splat. As I was pulling out of the parking space, I heard a big pop. A can had apparently rolled under my tire and I ran over it. Splat. (Hopefully my tires aren't flat today, I haven't checked them yet!)

The young man working the store was fantastic about it - he not only cleaned it all up, he told us to go and grab new ones of all the things that broke! With all the chaos, I didn't think to tip him (my guess is that he wouldn't have taken it anyway), but next time I go I'm going to bring him a little thank you gift of some sort, because he didn't makes us feel like crap about it. (Oh, and almost forgot, when we got home, a bag of groceries fell out onto the driveway, but nothing broke!)

As to the pizza insurance, I have never really thought much about it, but not sure it would be needed. (Although in our family, who knows!) I've never had a take out order that I can recall where there's been a problem that wasn't resolved somehow, usually just something missed where they either reimburse next time (like a restaurant) or re-deliver what was missing, etc.

 

[Klayfish]

Timely thread. Yesterday I took my mother out shopping. It was the first time she'd been shopping since her surgery a couple of weeks ago. (She's 92.) First, a jar of jam fell off the belt at the check out aisle. Splat. Then, as we were loading things into the car, a bag broke, and a jar of sauce fell to the ground. Splat. As I was pulling out of the parking space, I heard a big pop. A can had apparently rolled under my tire and I ran over it. Splat. (Hopefully my tires aren't flat today, I haven't checked them yet!)

The young man working the store was fantastic about it - he not only cleaned it all up, he told us to go and grab new ones of all the things that broke! With all the chaos, I didn't think to tip him (my guess is that he wouldn't have taken it anyway), but next time I go I'm going to bring him a little thank you gift of some sort, because he didn't makes us feel like crap about it. (Oh, and almost forgot, when we got home, a bag of groceries fell out onto the driveway, but nothing broke!)

As to the pizza insurance, I have never really thought much about it, but not sure it would be needed. (Although in our family, who knows!) I've never had a take out order that I can recall where there's been a problem that wasn't resolved somehow, usually just something missed where they either reimburse next time (like a restaurant) or re-deliver what was missing, etc.

Yep, that's it exactly, IMO. I don't know that it has much to do with profitability, but it's more a customer service/marketing thing. People would rather not have to go through the process of getting a replacement pizza. They'd rather take their food, go home and eat it. The number of times this would actually be used is probably pretty small, but it's great marketing to advertise it. As I mentioned previously in this thread, I worked in the pizza business during high school/early college years...and that was decades ago. We did the same thing if a customer had an accident, which was rare.

 

[bcla]

It does kind of reveal just how profitable pizza is. $8 and they can afford to replace it for free if it is damaged and still make money.

While I'm a cheapskate and pretty much only get the 3-topping large carryout special, I think most people order full-priced items and have them delivered. The regular price (if you don't ask for the special) for that is maybe $20 where I live. Then they have all those add-ons that net them a lot, such as sauces, breadsticks, sodas, etc.

Well - last week they had an online special where they had 50% off (even on delivery) if ordered online, and I splurged and got one of the combos.

 

[tvguy]

While I'm a cheapskate and pretty much only get the 3-topping large carryout special, I think most people order full-priced items and have them delivered. The regular price (if you don't ask for the special) for that is maybe $20 where I live. Then they have all those add-ons that net them a lot, such as sauces, breadsticks, sodas, etc.

Well - last week they had an online special where they had 50% off (even on delivery) if ordered online, and I splurged and got one of the combos.

You know, I don't think I have ever had a pizza delivered. Most of the Mom & Pop places charge about $25 for a large pizza.

 

[Klayfish]

You know, I don't think I have ever had a pizza delivered. Most of the Mom & Pop places charge about $25 for a large pizza.

$25 for a pizza??

I'm cheap too. When we order, we use the Domino's special at $7.99, or the kids like the Little Cesears $5 special. If we want something from the local pizza joint, it's $12-$16 depending on where and what toppings.

 

[tvguy]

$25 for a pizza??

I'm cheap too. When we order, we use the Domino's special at $7.99, or the kids like the Little Cesears $5 special. If we want something from the local pizza joint, it's $12-$16 depending on where and what toppings.

Yeah. I'm cheap too. Which is why we don't eat pizza very often. Nobody in my family will eat Little Ceasars or Dominos. I'm not sure I have ever had either.

Here are 3 of the top pizza places here according to Yelp. $25 and up for a large.
http://www.markandmonicaspizza.com/menu.html
http://www.romaspizzacarmichael.com/dinner.html
http://pasqualessacramento.com/menu/

 

[Klayfish]

Well, sure. That's because California is a different country.

Give Dominos or LC a try. I'd never claim it's as good as the best mom and pop shops, because it's not. Not even debatable, IMO. But for what you pay, it's not bad at all. For a cheap, easy pizza meal it's great. EDIT: As much as I'm into healthy eating, pizza is one of my favorite cheat meals. When I worked for Domino's and Pizza Hut way back in the day, I ate it almost every meal 5 or 6 days a week and never got tired of it.

 

[luvsJack]

Dd has been working for Dominos for a few months. Her manager laughs about these commercials because she says its nothing new (she has been there over 10 years). They have always replaced pizzas that were damaged before they were eaten. If anyone ever walked back into the store with their full pizza that had been dropped, run over, smooshed. whatever--they gave them another one. Just like they do for delivery.

 

[nene0182]

You know, I don't think I have ever had a pizza delivered. Most of the Mom & Pop places charge about $25 for a large pizza.

This comment made me look up what our favorite pizza place costs. It’s $24 for my husband’s favorite and $22 for my favorite. No wonder why we don’t get Pizza very often. It’s so worth it though.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well, sure. That's because California is a different country.

Give Dominos or LC a try. I'd never claim it's as good as the best mom and pop shops, because it's not. Not even debatable, IMO. But for what you pay, it's not bad at all. For a cheap, easy pizza meal it's great. EDIT: As much as I'm into healthy eating, pizza is one of my favorite cheat meals. When I worked for Domino's and Pizza Hut way back in the day, I ate it almost every meal 5 or 6 days a week and never got tired of it.

What I like about Domino's is that it's fast, the pizza arrives piping hot, and with the App, you can follow when the pizza went into the oven, when it came out, and when the delivery driver left the store, etc., which is pretty handy since you can get the money ready and be at the door when he or she pulls up! The pizza itself is just eh, but my kids and their friends seem to like it.

 

[bcla]

What I like about Domino's is that it's fast, the pizza arrives piping hot, and with the App, you can follow when the pizza went into the oven, when it came out, and when the delivery driver left the store, etc., which is pretty handy since you can get the money ready and be at the door when he or she pulls up! The pizza itself is just eh, but my kids and their friends seem to like it.

It's actually not bad. When Domino's started their campaign several years ago claiming better quality ingredients I was skeptical. But then I tried it and I thought it wasn't bad - especially for any of the specials like the $5.99 buy 2 or more, or that $7.99 large takeout special. And I would know what I'm getting whether I'm in the Bay Area or some other part of the country for that very same price (usually).

And with the mention of $5 specials, it reminds me of this series of commercials for a regional pizza chain. They had a character called "The Pizza Whisperer" who in one commercial decided to try out a Little Caesars stand-in called Cheatz-A-Pizza.

Pizza Whisperer. What are you guys doing here?

We'd like to try your pizza.

What do you want?

Well, we'd like some old canned sauce (scene shifts to a spray gun used to apply sauce)
frozen cheese, and some unidentified stuff on a leathery crust from a factory.

Yeah, huh. (Speaks into the PA microphone) One five dollar special.​

I haven't tried Little Caesars in years. I remember once I thought maybe the $5 single pizza special, but it was kind of nasty although part of it may have been from sitting under a heat lamp in the box. I remember the brand from an earlier time. Even though it wasn't necessarily that good, it was never that bad. At the time they were using the "pizza, pizza" tagline where all orders included two pizzas.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It does kind of reveal just how profitable pizza is. $8 and they can afford to replace it for free if it is damaged and still make money.

I doubt a great percentage of their customers actually take them up on it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It's actually not bad. When Domino's started their campaign several years ago claiming better quality ingredients I was skeptical. But then I tried it and I thought it wasn't bad - especially for any of the specials like the $5.99 buy 2 or more, or that $7.99 large takeout special. And I would know what I'm getting whether I'm in the Bay Area or some other part of the country for that very same price (usually).

That's true! It's good to know you can go anywhere and get a product you're happy with.

We bought an outdoor pizza oven a few years back so we often make our own. (Not always, it can be a lot of work and there's a mess to clean up!) But they are so goood!

 

[bcla]

That's true! It's good to know you can go anywhere and get a product you're happy with.

We bought an outdoor pizza oven a few years back so we often make our own. (Not always, it can be a lot of work and there's a mess to clean up!) But they are so goood!

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I get that “chain” is sometimes a bad word. However, it’s still local employees and a local owner. A HS friend worked at a Domino’s and the owner let friends hang out, although he said no ride alongs because of insurance issues. Even then it wasn’t that bad.

There’s a home near my kids school with a carport. Never seen a car parked there, but usually there’s a wood fired pizza oven. It’s a built as a vehicle trailer, and sometimes the owner has a U-Haul pickup (I think they allow towing) with the trailer attached. Not sure what they do with it, but the owner will gladly tell every curious kid that it’s for pizzas.

 

[tvguy]

I doubt a great percentage of their customers actually take them up on it.

No argument there. I'm 61 and I have never had or even seen a "ruined" pizza.

 

[Klayfish]

No argument there. I'm 61 and I have never had or even seen a "ruined" pizza.

Back in the day (don't get off my lawn yet, let me finish my story first...) one of the Domino's I worked at was in downtown Philly and the territory included the very heart of center city. Our delivery "drivers" all used bicycles. Cars were only used for very large orders, such as 5 or more pizzas. It was just so much faster to deliver by bike than car. However, as you can imagine, that did lead to a few ruined pizzas here and there. Obviously, that's not quite the same as their current insurance, because in our case it was the drivers' fault and Domino's was obligated to replace it...but anyhow there were some fun stories of ruined pizzas. Interestingly enough, we did a decent amount of carryout on the weekends and had lots of intoxicated partiers. Even they rarely had an accident with their pizza...or at least we didn't hear about it.

 

[luvsJack]

DD says they have had a couple of people bring their pizza back in. One dropped it in the parking lot and somehow managed to step on it. And the other dropped it in his pool as he was taking it in the house.

Her manager said that in all her year's of being there, they have always replaced ruined pizza but have had very few people actually come back and the one's that did (before this "promotion" started) thought they were going to have to rebuy the pizza so the pizzas were truly a mess when they came back in. She said she has replaced a few over the years that didn't actually bring the messed up pizza back in. She just took their word for it. Customer service like that pays off. In that one small town there is Dominos, Pizza Hut and Papa John's that deliver and Dominos pretty much blows the other two out of the water in business.