YES I know you live in an apartment complex

[Racket_Man]

yes I know that most apt. complexes in my area have "formal" names (not that I really care either way and I really do not care what their name is in the first place) BUT.........

IF, when placing an order for the first time, just blurt/slur/mumble out the name of said apt. complex and NOT offer ANY other information, (even when prompted) you should not be allowed to order pizza and possibly use the phone.

Me: <standard phone greeting>
them: delivery
Me: Phone number please?
Them: 123 456-7890
Me: Address please?
Them: Birchwood Apartments
Me: I'm sorry the address?
Them Birchwood Apartments
Me: What is the street address?
Them: Birchwood Apartments.
Me: I am not familiar with that complex. What-is-the-street-address-please?
Them: <finally> 2706 Condom Dr.
Me: I am sorry but that address is not in our area that would be <sister store>. Here is the number
Them: thanks

HOW FREAKIN hard is it to give the street address. I do know that complex as I delivered for <sister store years ago). It has like 20 buildings some with 2 addresses for each building.

[Mr Hero]

Here in my complex, each building has its own street address. But I'm also competent to provide both the complex name and the address when I order pizza.

[Food Lady]

Every building in my complex has a different street number and letter (L,M,N, etc.). Delivery people aren't clairvoyant.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Ah, a case of the ol' "If I Know What I Mean, So Should You."

[Slave to the Phone]

When I order food to be delivered, I actually WANT it to be delivered. Because of this, I probably give the dispatcher too much information. Complex name, building number, street address, landmarks, where the elevator is, which way to turn when getting off the elevator, etc.

One of my co-workers said that doing that indicates that I think that the driver is too stupid to figure it out for himself. Its not that at all, its just that I assume that just because I know that the door is actually around the corner from where it should be doesn't mean that "outsiders" would easily figure out that the door isn't where it logically should be.

[wolfie]

I find that it's relatively common for the driveway to a building's loading docks to be on a different street from the postal address (i.e. it's at the corner of Sesame Street and Washington Ave., address is 123 Sesame Street, truck entrance is off Washington Ave.). If the guys on the shipping dock are working late and order a pizza, but the office staff have gone home, that would be information the pizza driver would find useful - "Our address is 123 Sesame Street, but from the intersection of Sesame and Washington, go north on Washington to the 2nd driveway on your left, we're at the 'people door' to the right of the loading docks".

[notalwaysright]

I lived in a certain complex which didn't really have a name. It was on say, Main Street, and was called 150 Main Street Apartments. Every once in a while someone would ask the name of the complex and I'd be like, "it's really just 150 Main Street Apartments, there's a sign, it's between Cross Street A and Cross Street B." The buildings weren't numbered or lettered, so I'd be like "it's the building closest to Cross Street B, upstairs from the dumpster." (super classy) These directions always worked.

I have not ordered food to the building I live in now, but if I did I would put in the notes that the delivery person can just come in the front door of the building. It's an old converted house, and I've heard delivery people knock on the front door before, instead of just coming in. There are multiple apartments inside, and the front door is not locked, but does look like a door to a single residence house. There aren't any signs or anything like "Units 1-8." on the outside.

[Slave to the Phone]

And here we are again. All of us acting like rational, thinking adults and expecting that SC's have ever considered doing such things. Heck, my 12 year old nephew can order pizza and get it delivered to the right place, its not rocket science.

Before people pile on me for letting him order food, he is very organized. He has a list of what is needed and how much. He is polite and starts the conversation by telling the dispatcher that an adult would be paying and how. He gives good directions but sometimes mentions landmarks that most adults wouldn't notice, but the adult fixes that when giving the payment information. "BTW, the house with the cat in the window is also white and has a full sized red pick-up in front of it." We aren't letting a potential SC loose in the world, we are training him to be a good customer!

[Seanette]

I see no reason a 12yo shouldn't be doing the ordering with an adult handy if needed. He's not going to learn how without practice, and with a handy non-SC adult to make sure he behaves himself, you're getting him into good habits early. Good deal for all parties, IMO.

[Deserted]

So much hate for this kind of thing. This used to happen to me at least once a day, back when I was driving a regular cab:

Me: Where to?
Pax: [Bar I've never heard of.]
Me: Where's that?
Pax: College Town.

...okay, College Town is 40 square miles, would you like me to drive every single street until we find your bar, or do you want to be a bit more specific than an entire freakin' city?!

Or I'd get a call to pick someone up at a hospital, and my info wouldn't include which entrance, but would include a phone number, so I would call the passenger, only to have this conversation for the 10,000th time:

Me: Which entrance are you at?
Pax: I'm outside.
Me: Outside covers a lot of territory; outside what exactly?
Pax: The door.
Me:

[Racket_Man]

Deserted----

I have the same problem. but with food delivery it is a little more complex. My delivery area includes MANY multi-unit houses (actually older larger houses that have been chunked/split up into at least 2 or 3 units sometimes up to 6 or 7 units with a really large older house.). in a LOT of cases people who order (both over the phone AND the internet) will for some reason leave off the fact they live in one of these chunked up buildings (they just seem to answer the question "Are you in an apartment or private home?" with the answer "Private Home EVEN IF they are in a multi-unit chunked up house). ALL the vet drivers know these addresses well and KNOW we are going to have to call to find out if this is an upper/lower left/right front/back entrance and then upper/lower left/right front/back apartment.

[Sparklyturtle]

The complex I used to live in had a name, but when I'd call for a pizza I always gave the street address, and invariably I'd be asked, "Is that the DropDead Apartments?" I'd then explain how to find my apartment: "After entering the complex (only one way to do it) make an immediate right. We're on the bottom floor in the building just past the mailboxes, and our apartment is the one directly to the right of the mail box kiosk." In the eight years we lived there only once was someone not able to find us, and apparently they had problems with left and right. Considering how many times we called out for pizzas in the eight years we lived there that's a pretty good average.

[Ghel]

I haven't ordered delivery to my apartment in the time I've lived here (almost a year). I would have to explain that I'm in the upstairs apartment of the duplex, and the entrance is at the back. Plus I don't have a doorbell, and I wouldn't be able to hear knocking from upstairs. So I always go pick up food instead.

[Catwoman2965]

When I order food to be delivered, I actually WANT it to be delivered. Because of this, I probably give the dispatcher too much information. Complex name, building number, street address, landmarks, where the elevator is, which way to turn when getting off the elevator, etc.

One of my co-workers said that doing that indicates that I think that the driver is too stupid to figure it out for himself. Its not that at all, its just that I assume that just because I know that the door is actually around the corner from where it should be doesn't mean that "outsiders" would easily figure out that the door isn't where it logically should be.

I do the same thing; my complex address is "5 main street" and then the apt number. But...there are 900+ apts in my complex. Add to that the two others just next to mine; so if you're not familiar with it at all, its very easy to get lost, esp since NONE of the roads in any of the three have street names. and you can get from one to another to another by just staying on the road you turn off the main road ONTO.

I have found once I give my address as 5 main street, they know which complex it is, since the others i think are like 3 Main and 6 Main, but I'm not sure.

And once IN my complex, its very easy to get lost and turned around. So I try and be as specific as I can, or at least ask if they are familiar with the complex. Many are, which is great, but many have no clue so you have to walk them through step by step.

[Aria]

I work for the phone company and I've had similar before... where do you live? Brentwood Estates. Um, okay, that's nice but where is that? :P Bonus points if I have to ask the unit.