A Halifax-area pizzeria says with a prank order can cost them hundreds of dollars.
Rajat Verma, the owner of Rocky Lake Pizza in Bedford, N.S., says a recent incident involving a fake order of eight extra-large pizzas cost him $250.
“It feels bad,” said Verma. “We received a call for a large order, we start making it [and] then we received another call asking, ‘How long it will take?’ and [said], ‘Will you please knock on the door as hard as you can because we have a party going inside.’”
Verma then attempted to reach the caller, but instead of clearing the situation, Verma said the person on the other end mocked him.
“They asked, ‘How’s your delivery now? How do you feel wasting your money?’” He recalls.
This isn’t the first time Verma’s business has been targeted by pranksters. According to him, it has had a significant impact on the business, especially considering the narrow profit margins.
“It’s hard for us to make a profit. When we lost $200 or $300 on an order like this, it hurts because those are the margins we’re working,” Verma explains.
Instead of letting the food go to waste, Verma and his team decided to give away the fake order to customers and those in need, but he admits this is not a sustainable solution.
“Even if an honest customer calls to place an order new, we’re left wondering, are we being scammed or is this a prank?” Verma says. “It’s not fun for us or anyone else involved. We have to protect our business, and these pranks are not a joke.”
To prevent future incidents, Verma is looking into requiring a pre-payment or asking customers for a card number to ensure the orders are legitimate. He hopes the new policy will reduce the number of prank calls and ensure honest customers continue to enjoy the food.
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