A deliveryman from Chicago has come up with a way to help a city cope with the effects of the Great Recession.
The delivery guy, who spoke to USA Today on condition of anonymity, said the city has had a hard time finding qualified people to work in the food service sector.
He has been working at a pizza restaurant for several years, and he said he has never had to ask people to take on more than two jobs during his career.
The man said he had no idea he would be making as much as $120,000 per year, but he says he’s been able to live the lifestyle he wanted in Chicago.
“We’re trying to get into a better life and hopefully, this will help a lot of other people,” he said.
The first-of-its-kind initiative is being spearheaded by the company Pizzeria Deli.
It is aiming to offer the best possible service, while also giving employees a job with a salary that matches the salary they earn in their hometown.
“We have a lot more people in the pizza industry that we want to be able to work with and to see the potential of what that can do for our city,” said Greg Parett, CEO of PizziaDeli.
Pizza Deli is a privately held company based in Chicago that employs about 100 people.
It operates out of a warehouse in the South Loop and has been operating in the city since 2006.
Parett said it was a challenge to find the right pizza delivery people for the job.
“In this business, you have to be an exceptional person and that’s what this is,” he told USA Today.
The pizza delivery company said it had to find drivers that were experienced and willing to take delivery.
Pike’s Pizza in New York City was also the first of its kind to offer this kind of pay structure.
Pike’s employees make as much or more than the average pizza delivery person in the country.
Parents, who works at a store in Northbrook, Illinois, said he hopes his experience will give other delivery workers a little bit of hope.
“I think the opportunity for others to come in and get a bit of work in a different market is a great thing,” he added.
“But that’s not the only thing.
The best thing is the opportunity to get out there and see what this industry is all about.”
Paretti said it is not unusual for businesses to offer these kind of perks to employees in order to lure them into their businesses.
He said the company was looking for drivers with no prior delivery experience.
Piers Morgan, owner of a delivery service in Chicago, said that as a delivery driver, he was fortunate to work closely with a few people that had been working for him for years.
He told USA TODAY that he wanted to share the experience of what he had to offer.
“It was very rewarding and really helped us as we were able to get the drivers that we needed,” Morgan said.
“And the best part is that it helped them earn a little extra money.”