We got a review in yesterday afternoon from user “…………..” for John’s Pizzeria in Bucktown that made a rather audacious claim:
So I just moved to chicago and my roommate told how John’s Pizzaria has great food. So I decided to try it out and called to order some food. The lady who answered the phone was rude and tells me they don’t take delivery orders from out of town numbers. I tell her I just moved here and this is the only phone I have to use, she goes well I don’t know what to tell you. SERIOUSLY !! You would rather lose a customer and money because you don’t want to take an out town number.WOW! I just though that was pretty lame…………………………….
So we called up John’s and asked them if they really don’t deliver to out of area numbers. They explained that their new computerized ordering system only accepts phone numbers with 312, 773 and 847 area codes. We pressed them on whether that means they wouldn’t deliver to someone with a different area code, and they confirmed that is, indeed, their policy.
Well then! All this is very strange and stupid. First of all, is the computer ordering system really not sufficiently customizable to allow other area codes to be entered? Second, a recent study showed that upwards of 30% of U.S. households rely on cell phones exclusively, and this figure rises rapidly with youth. Aside from college neighborhoods, we’re hard-pressed to think of an area of Chicago that would likely have a higher percentage of non-local cellphone users. We’re as shocked as “…………..” that John’s would willingly and willfully abandon the business of such a significant (and presumably pizza delivery-oriented) demographic.
This is not the first time we’ve registered complaints about John’s delivery service. Last April, “bri” wrote:
Pizza is fantastic, delivery service is decent– it comes pretty quick, but the answering service is rather rude. a simple “thank you for your order/business” goes a LONG way– there was NONE of this.
A few weeks later, “Rich D” added:
pizza is phenomenal. delivery is quick, but just had a rude obnoxious driver tonight with a minor mistake on order. Told me RC had no sugar and it was better for someone who has blood sugar problems than regular diet. Crazy or just a liar you decide
It’s hard to ignore the praise for the actual product, but still, sounds like you’re better off dining in.
John’s Pizzeria [MenuPages]
More people depend solely on cell phones [SFChron]
[Photo: apparently so! via hwayoungjung]
