The Roanoke Times: The Storefront

Comments

# 1

[July 24, 2008 9:18 AM]

LP

I'll be curious to hear what you find out from them, Jenny. I feel like I've always seen a sign-on bonus on their help wanted signs though ... maybe I'm crazy today though!

# 2

[July 24, 2008 9:56 AM]

Greg

Jenny, the new Dominos downtown has the same sign up. I'm not sure 100.00 will help much with gas. You probably have to work there a month or so to get the money.

# 3

[July 24, 2008 1:13 PM]

Other John

Not sure what the Domino's implies, but I saw a similar bonus offer at the Wendy's on North Franklin in Christiansburg...offering a $300 bonus to new employees. I think gas costs could be related, since many entry-level fast food or delivery jobs don't pay a lot and this might be a way to entice folks to those jobs. I know I tip extra for pizza delivery now just to be nice to the drivers...and I also tip extra if we order a pizza in bad weather.

# 4

[July 24, 2008 2:12 PM]

Rich

I think that's exactly what it means. I wonder what sort of retainer there is on it?

# 5

[July 25, 2008 12:09 PM]

Anonymous

Just to clear this up... sort-of... I've worked for this Domino's franchise for a little over eight years now, and it's always been a head-scratcher as to what the qualifications are to receive this bonus. I have never received it, and neither has anybody that I have worked with in my store. Even the area supervisor is unclear as to the terms, and I have only heard rumor of two people that received theirs, but I couldn't tell you who they are, so I don't know if this is even true. In my humble opinion, this is a bait-and-switch tactic by the owner. Also, if you didn't know this already, minimum wage just went up to $6.80, and there are still drivers that make $5.50 and have worked at that wage for over two years. Their wages have not gone up. Also, our pay-per-delivery has not gone up from $1.30 since gas hit $3/gallon. Three years ago, the pay per delivery was $.90 when the price was around $2/gallon, so the rate increase has not been equal in ratio to the price of gas, and neither has the payrate. I was doing better financially three years ago. At this point, it's almost not worth working for this company. $100 bonus, even if I were to receive it, would NOT be worth it.

# 6

[July 25, 2008 12:12 PM]

Anonymous

I forgot to mention that this sign on bonus is nothing new. It has been offered ever since I have worked for them, so no, it isn't to help offset the price of gas. Like I mentioned, it appears to be a bait-and-switch tactic just to get people to apply.

# 7

[July 30, 2008 8:59 PM]

Debi

We order from Pizza Hut and there was a $2 delivery fee added. I still tipped as usual but I have to wonder if the delivery fee actually went to the driver.

# 8

[August 3, 2008 2:52 AM]

Another Greg

I started driving at the Brambleton Dominos in Jan of 99 and I actually got that bonus. The sign was up when I started. The deal was that you had to work 30 shifts to collect it and it was before taxes, of course.

The drivers get a portion of the delivery charge. Some places give out more than others but all of the owners pocket at least some of it. It is really just another price increase to the customer except the customers think we get it all!

The paper did an article about two weeks ago concerning tipping and gave the impression that a 10% or 2 dollar tip was fine for pizza delivery.

Unlike servers, it costs us money to deliver to you. The portion of the delivery charge that we do get doesn't cover our gas cost now and really hasn't since gas topped about $3 a gallon. Not to mention everything from repairs to higher insurance costs.

It costs me just as much to deliver your 9.75 small pizza as it does to deliver a 50.00 order. If I am given a 10% tip on the small order I have partially paid for your dinner.

If everyone tipped $2 there would be no delivery. My gas cost alone is approx. 1.50 to 1.75 per delivery. When you factor in all the other expenses for the drivers our true cost per mile is easily over $1.00. To actually make any money at this job I have to average $3 to $3.50 per tip.

I still deliver in Southwest County, for a different chain, and the people here are pretty generous and appreciative and for the most part, tip pretty well but there are some who just don't appreciate what we do or what it costs us to do it.

It must have been the guy who tipped me 83 cents on a $28.17 order at 11:30 PM on a Sunday night 2 weeks ago. After I drove 4 1/2 miles to his house, couldn't take his $100.00 bill and politely asked him to write a check. Which he did, with no apparent anger or anything, on the hood of his Hummer! No surprise though; I'd been to his house before.

Don't even get me started on what our owner has done to us since they started raising the minimum wage.

This has been my second job for almost 10 years but I'm down to 1 night a week now and soon to leave completely. Most of our customers are really nice people. I've actually watched some of their kids grow up but it's just not what it used to be. I'll miss it, sort of.