Pizza menu offering 'comforting words' from delivery drivers for $1 sparks conversation about emotional labour

What’s your favourite pizza topping?

Pepperoni? Ham and pineapple? Validation?

Well, order from New York pizzeria Vinnie’s Pizza and the latter can be yours, for $1.

The Brooklyn-based pizza joint posted a new menu item on social media on Tuesday – but the reaction was pretty divided.

Under the heading “Positive Reinforcement”, Vinnie’s promises customers that for $1 delivery drivers will “look you straight in the eye and tell you ‘EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE OK AND YOU’RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN’”.

Seems a pretty good deal.

But people quickly pushed back, pointing out that making delivery drivers give customers motivating words was asking a lot of them, presumably without an increase in pay.

Mashable reporter Tim Marcin, who lives near Vinnie’s, also was sceptical of the plan, stating that in practice it would be “awkward as hell” and that customers who ordered the comforting words should “tip BIG”.

However, others seemed onboard with the idea.

There seemed to be a high demand for positive words.

And others simply had a different concern altogether.

Oh well.