A Day In The Life Of A Pizza Delivery Driver In Canada: 'One Guy Pulled A Gun On Me'

What is an average day like?

"I'd start at 4:30 p.m. most days," explained Nick.

"There's usually a couple of deliveries ready for me to go, so I walk in the door and immediately take two or three deliveries."

After completing those, the dinner rush begins.

"For the next two hours, I'm in and out of the building with three or four deliveries at a time."

Once that rush starts to die down, Nick would then help out the kitchen staff, portioning out food, folding pizza boxes and "doing grunt work."

"It's pretty easy, it gets really boring though."

What's the weirdest thing to happen to you on the job?

"One guy pulled a gun on me," said Nick.

The delivery was to a rural and remote part of town.

Eventually, Nick arrived at the house that Google Maps told him to go to.

"I'm in dress clothes, I have a bright red bag, I have a hat that says the name of the pizza place I work for on it – like do I look like a hitman with my bag of tools?" Nick said.

He approaches the house and sees, through the window, a man sitting there in his kitchenette.

"I kind of waved. No response from him."

So, in an attempt to get the occupant's attention, Nick went around to a side door, but before he could get over to it to knock, he found himself at the end of a firearm.

"The door swings open and this guy has got, I'm assuming, a .22 calibre rifle or shotgun, pointed at me."

"This is private property," Nick was told, to which he replied "Hi! I'm just a pizza guy!"

Luckily, Nick didn't find himself full of salt, lead or any type of bullet.

He was able to explain he was looking for an address, which the man told him was his tenant's across the street – still with his gun trained on him.

When Nick finally got to the right address, he informed the customer that his landlord had pointed a gun at him.

"'Yeah, he's a little nuts.' That's all he says to me," Nick told Narcity.

"You can't just say 'Yeah he's a little nuts!' I thought I was f**king going to die!"

What's the best tip you've ever gotten?

Tipping is a perk of the job and, like in any job, the amount people leave ebbs and flows.

However, the biggest tip Nick has ever received was pretty monumental.

"It was this big order – over a hundred dollars. I hand him his food and he just slaps a pile of bills in my hand," said Nick.

"He just said 'keep the change!'"

At first, Nick thought he had been shorted, but, upon counting the bills back at his car, he realized it was exactly the opposite.

"I looked and the hundreds were stuck together. He tipped me like $150."

"I didn't even realize," laughed Nick.

What's something that makes a delivery driver's life harder?

One thing Nick says made his job harder is when customers didn't turn on their outdoor lights when expecting an order – especially in remote areas.

"If it's dark out and you don't have your porch light on, you're an a**hole," said Nick.

It's so much simpler for your driver if they can easily spot your place with a light on, especially when the clock is ticking and food is getting cold.

"It's a minor inconvenience, but those stack up."

Another one is when you call to order, let the person on the phone talk you through their ordering process.

"When I answer the phone and say '[name of the restaurant], this is Nick speaking' they go 'I want a large pizza!'"

"Just slow down!"

So, chill out and let the person taking your order lead the charge.

What should people do to make their delivery driver's life easier?

Nick's advice is simple, but important.

"Be nice to them," said Nick. "And always tip your drivers because they're never getting enough money to cover their gas."

Oh, and be patient!

"Do you want [your delivery driver] to get in a car accident over a pizza?"