40+ Pizza Delivery Drivers Share the Wildest Reasons for Delivery Bans

Abused Discount

“We provide a significant discount to hotel front desks in exchange for them promoting and distributing our menus,” one restaurant owner explained. However, one hotel took it a bit too far. They started offering discounts to all their guests and even instructed them to bring their pizza purchases to the front desk.

Naturally, we weren’t thrilled about this. When we complained, the hotel tried to cover it up by having the front desk staff act like they owned the problem. But we could always see guests hanging around the corner, waiting for their food.

Eventually, we decided it wasn’t worth delivering directly to the front desk anymore. Instead, we just accepted the discount they offered. Despite that, the hotel kept calling to voice their complaints about the situation. It felt like a never-ending cycle of frustration!

It’s wild how a good idea can spiral into something complicated when people don’t communicate well. But sometimes, you just have to roll with it and find a way to make it work—even if it means adjusting your approach!

Coin Can Payment

About 25 years ago, I had a regular customer who clearly struggled with mental health issues. He never tipped, and every time I delivered to his place, I’d see over 30 old pizza boxes stacked up in his kitchen. It was a pretty overwhelming sight.

But the moment that really pushed me over the edge happened one day when he handed me a container filled with coins. The coins were all stuck together, almost like they’d been encrusted or corroded! I knew I had to clean them up and then spend another 20 minutes figuring out if the total was enough to cover his bill.

When I first received that container, I tried to argue that this wasn’t a legitimate form of payment. I didn’t want to accept it! But after a frustrating debate that lasted a minute or two, it became clear that my only choices were to take the coins or walk away without being paid at all.

In the end, I decided it was better to just take the loss on that delivery rather than stay there any longer. Sometimes, you have to weigh your options and know when it’s best to cut your losses, even if it feels unfair. It’s a reminder of how challenging and unpredictable working in delivery can be!

False Promise

I once made a delivery for a customer who had placed a huge last-minute order for a party. It was quite the spread—lots of regular pizzas, dessert pizzas, and some extra items. They promised a generous tip if the driver could get it there quickly, which definitely motivated everyone to hustle!

The cooks and my manager were confident they could handle the order, and they jumped right into preparing the food while I organized everything in my car. The delivery went smoothly, and I managed to get it there in record time. But when I got back to the store, I noticed that everyone looked really down.

Curious about what happened, I learned that the customer had only given me a $2 tip after all that effort! It was such a letdown, especially after all the hard work everyone put into making that order happen. It’s funny how one person’s lack of appreciation can cast a shadow over the whole team’s effort. It reminded me that, in this business, sometimes you give it your all, but not every customer sees that value.

Exact Change

This takes me back many years. We had a policy of free delivery for orders over $5, and there was one customer who always ordered the same pizza, which came to $5.34 with tax. He would hand over exactly $5.34 every time—no tips, no extras.

Because of that, we would always prioritize other deliveries if we had them. If he was the only order, we’d still hesitate. There just wasn’t much incentive to go out of our way for him.

Things got a bit tense when he rudely started asking about the status of his pizza. Our manager had to inform him that we were reluctant to deliver to him because of his reputation for being so frugal. Since it was a small, family-owned business, he didn’t have a corporate office to complain to—his only option was to deal with us directly.

It was a reminder of how tough it can be for small businesses when customers don’t recognize the value of good service. Everyone deserves a fair wage for their work, and that includes tips! In the end, we all just wanted to feel appreciated for the effort we put in.

Creepy Delivery

We had this customer who was rarely at home—only about 10% of the time we delivered to him. When he wasn’t there, we were instructed to just leave the pizza inside his house on a specific surface in the basement.

He even encouraged the drivers to help themselves to whatever was in his bar! I remember expressing to my boss that I really didn’t want to be in a situation where I could get physically restrained or, worse, mistaken for a burglar by the police. It felt like a risky arrangement, and the whole thing just gave me the creeps.

Honestly, it was a bizarre experience that made me question his intentions. It was one of those moments that reminded me how important safety is in this line of work!

Coupon Confusion

I had a pretty funny experience with my local pizza chain. They actually stopped me from ordering because they suspected I was illegally copying their free pizza coupons! Can you believe it?

At the same time, I was working for the sports marketing department at my school, and instead of getting paid in cash, I was compensated with more pizza vouchers through a sponsorship deal with the same chain. So, I came up with a clever plan: I started having my friends in the dorms place the orders for me.

That way, we all got to enjoy the pizza together, and I didn’t have to deal with the chain’s suspicions anymore. It turned into a little group effort, and we made the most of those vouchers! It was a great way to bond with friends, even if the whole situation was a bit ridiculous.

Photo by Ömer Haktan Bulut on Unsplash

Raging Customer

I had a run-in with a customer who always seemed to be unhappy with his order, no matter how sure we were that it was correct. The guy absolutely refused to check his food! One day, he ordered a shrimp parm sub and was particularly insistent that we get it right.

I double-checked everything myself before sending it out, so I felt pretty confident. But then he called me, furious, unleashing a stream of profanities. I tried to calm him down, saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, sir, just look at the sandwich; I promise it’s correct.”

In the middle of my outburst, he suddenly said, “Oh…” Turns out, he had been mistaken! He quickly backtracked, apologizing for his outburst. After that, I told him to please refrain from calling again, especially since his earlier reaction was totally uncalled for.

While it might not be the wildest story, the intensity of his anger made it feel pretty extreme at the time. Honestly, it seemed like he might have needed some help to cool down! It’s moments like these that remind you how crucial good communication is in customer service.

Arsonist Customer

Recently, our town experienced a string of mysterious arson incidents that caused major damage to several businesses, with one establishment potentially facing complete destruction. Amid all this chaos, one of our regular customers became particularly memorable—not for the usual reasons, but because of his odd requests.

This customer always insisted that we not use the roller that prevents pizza bubbles. He treated it like it was a matter of great importance. Even without the roller, though, there were times when bubbles still wouldn’t form, and he would complain about it.

It turned out that this customer was likely incarcerated during the time of the incidents, and our owner made it clear that, regardless of his situation, we would no longer be delivering to him. It was a strange turn of events, especially with everything happening in town. The combination of the arson cases and his quirky request added an unusual twist to our daily operations. Sometimes, life throws you unexpected challenges!

Throw a Fit

One day, an assertive and confrontational customer named Karen walked into my store, demanding delivery service—even though we didn’t offer it. She was quite aggressive, threatening to have me fired because she claimed to know the owner. I stood my ground, remaining calm despite her outbursts.

At one point, she asked if I was trying to get myself fired, and she insisted that her connection with the owner meant I should comply. She even called me an “insolent brat.” To that, I simply replied, “Alright, I’m indifferent. Go ahead and call him.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle a little as I pointed to the clearly visible sign that stated our delivery policy. I told her to read it carefully next time, explaining that my management wouldn’t change the rules just because she was upset. She stood there for a moment, clearly fuming with anger.

Then, out of nowhere, she removed her shoe and hurled it at me! That was the last straw. We ended up banning her from our store for life. And as it turned out, she didn’t even know the owner at all. It was a wild encounter that reminded me just how unpredictable customer interactions can be!