June 8, 2007
I was sitting around with a bunch of people last night, and somehow we got onto stories–or, rather, they got into stories–about how, when they were young and foolish, they (or people they knew) would scam free food from pizza delivery people, drive-thrus, etc.
So, time to 'fess up: Have you ever, when you had the munchies and/or were a starving college student and/or it was late at night, scammed for free food in any way…
such as….
…calling a pizza place and saying "Where are you guys? It's been three hours! Where's our pizza?"
when you hadn't ordered anything, or
….driven through a drive-thru, preferably Taco Bell, near closing time, and giving a really long, complicated, indecipherable order through the speaker so that the person on the other end has no idea what you're saying…repeat the same or similar indecipherable order (throwing in a few recognizable words like "cheese" or "hot sauce" every so often) in great annoyance because the drive-thru personnel doesn't understand….at least two or three times, until the person inside gives up, waves you through, and hands you a big bag of food because they have no idea what you ordered, or…
…waited in the college dorm parking lot for the pizza guy to take a pizza into the dorm, and while he's gone, snatch a pizza or two from his unlocked car, or….
…ordered a pizza, took two pieces out and put them under the toaster oven or in the broiler to "burn" them, call the pizza place and complain about your burned pizza so they deliver a new one to you (actually, this scam didn't work, or so the story-teller told us)….
So. 'Fess up: didja? Didja get caught? Didja feel guilty?
Or…were you ever on the receiving end of such a scheme?
(As for me…I can say with a clear conscience: No, to all of the above. Honest.)
…Oh, and by the way, next Friday, I'm going to start a new feature on the blog here called Readers Ask. For more info, check in the sidebar. (I was going to do it today, but I liked this post idea better.)
June 8th, 2007 at 12:34 am
Nope.
I’ve caused a few uncomfortable moments due to bad service that made our meal “on the house.” But I’ve never intentionally scammed for food.
June 8th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Oh, yeah, Heather…I’ve done that. I’m actually sort of famous among my family and friends for the complicated way I order my food.
I’m always polite, usually self-deprecating about the way I want my food to be prepared (lots of on-the-side stuff)…and usually there’s no problem. But once in awhile, things get messed up and usually the manager or server are already fixing it.
It’s when the service is terrible, the food is completely messed up, and things are just overall bad that I’ve either walked out or otherwise had a “conversation” with the manager.
June 8th, 2007 at 7:32 am
Gotta say…No. I have never scammed for food. I have complained about bad service too but never scammed.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:11 am
No, I haven’t scammed to get free food. I have complained if my order wasn’t right.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:34 am
I’ve never done anything like that either. It never really occured to me to even try!
June 8th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Damn I’ve lead a sheltered life! But now that you mention this…might be fun to try…
June 8th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Nope never did anything like that.
June 8th, 2007 at 11:18 am
amazingly I never did this. Of course, the last year of my college life I was on some sort of probabtion, so that makes sense, doesnt it
June 8th, 2007 at 11:43 am
No to all. Too much Catholic guilt, I guess!
June 8th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Can’t say that I’ve ever scammed any food before, not in that way, anyway.
My brother and I used to go into our local dime store as kids and eat any candy that had fallen out into the candy boxes, etc. We convinced ourselves that it wasn’t stealing because we didn’t break the boxes and they were going to throw it away anyway.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
well, i have never done those things but i have ordered a big meal on a date (where i knew he would pay) and taken half home for a starving room mate.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
No, and I’ve never actually heard of this!
June 8th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Wow, I stand alone
I am guilty of the calling of a local pizza place and complaining of a “lost” order. Needless to say when they delivered the pizza, it was free.
There have never been any feelings of guilt. Probably should have been, but hey everyone does something crazy when they’re younger
June 9th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
I would never have even thought of such a thing. And, yes, I do complain if my food is messed up. It’s surprising how varied the reactions can be when you complain.