Monday, December 7, 2015

Domino’s Delivering Lunch

The address is.... 

So what would you like on your pizza?

"Domino’s high-tech pizza delivery fleet equipped with ovens, room for 80 pies" by Jessica Geller, 4 days ago

A car with an oven, one seat, and capabilities to illuminate a logo on the ground?  Definitely not the usual pizza delivery driver’s 15-year-old car. Or even the normal Chevrolet Spark, the make of Domino’s Pizza Inc.’s newest fleet of high tech delivery cars.

These cars are called “Delivery Experts,” specially designed vehicles that only include the driver’s seat to make room for up to 80 pizzas, 2-liter bottles of soda, wings, and salads. Pizza delivery drivers rejoice – your personal car doesn’t have to smell like pepperoni and wings forever. But not every driver will be this lucky. Domino’s is rolling out only eight of these cars in the Massachusetts area starting Thursday, 100 cars total across the country, Domino’s said.

Domino’s said “normal cars” might fit 40 or 50 pizzas, so these “Delivery Experts” will feed hungry school children or church groups with fewer runs from a Domino’s location.

The oven doesn’t actually cook the pizza. But it uses the same technology as heating leather seats to keep up to 10 pizzas in the insulated bags at 140 degrees for 10 minutes, Domino’s said. The oven then automatically shuts off, which should be OK because Domino’s aims to complete deliveries in less than nine minutes, Domino’s franchisee Seth Hockert-Lotz said.

The oven is mounted above the floor, with air all around it. Nothing should combust, Hockert-Lotz said. 

He doesn't sound so sure.

The oven door pops open with the click of the key fob, or by pushing a button located just above the driver’s seatbelt on the left side of the car.

To help drivers get the pizzas to their hungry customers faster, these cars have built-in GPS systems. A store manager, however, cannot watch each driver like one watches an Uber approach. But the manager knows what time the driver leaves the store, the location of the destination, and an estimated return time.

When it’s dark, drivers are aided with a Domino’s logo illuminated on the ground, next to the side of the car. No, other drivers won’t see the pizza chain logo flashed while the car is moving – only when the ignition is turned off.

“This is the cream of the crop with all the bells and whistles,” said Andrea Lee, field marketing manager for Domino’s. “We’ve really thought of the drivers and the business and what details will really help them.”

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And just then came the knock on the door. See ya'!