Dude Calls U.K. Version Of 911 Because Pizza Delivery Was 45 Minutes Late [Listen]

A disgruntled customer called the U.K. equivalent of 911 to report that he was still waiting for the pizza delivery guy to show up after 45 minutes.

The audio of the call from the customer who claimed he was ripped off by the parlor was released by the Greater Manchester Police as part of a collection of what it called irresponsible 999 calls, i.e., what not to do, which also included a caller scared by a hedgehog in the garden, and another caller complaining that a vending machine swallowed his money without coughing up any snacks.

To the pizza customer’s credit, he acknowledged right away to the dispatcher that it wasn’t an emergency. The dispatcher told him firmly to take the non-delivery issue to the restaurant manager. See embed below.

The GMP explained on its YouTube channel that the holiday season is the busiest time for emergency calls and, therefore, citizens should avoid using the line, particularly during this high-volume period and especially on New Year’s Eve, unless there is a bona fide emergency. “At this time of year many people are celebrating with friends and family and enjoying the festivities; however, for those situations that need police attendance, we want to make sure that we can respond appropriately and — if there is an emergency — get there quickly,” a police representative remarked.

Britain has a national 101 number set aside for non-emergency police contact, but even that would likely not include the pizza dispute in question.

Separately, another U.K. resident once called 999 to complain that a prostitute that he allegedly hired wasn’t hot enough.

For some reason, as the Inquisitr has previously reported, it’s not unprecedented for persons on this side of the Atlantic as well to use 911 to complain about food or drink disputes. Some of these incidents result in arrests for misusing the emergency line, usually considered a misdemeanor in most jurisdictions.

In June, a Florida man called 911 to complain that his wife threw out his beer. In May, a North Carolina woman called 911 because Subway allegedly put marinara sauce on her flatbread pizza. On New Year’s Day 2014, a Memphis grandmother called 911 according to police because she apparently ran out of beer.

In another instance, an Arizona man called 911 when his McDonald’s drive-thru order was missing hash browns.

In August 2013, a Georgia man called the emergency number because he ordered seven McDouble burgers — but his bag only contained six. In May 2013, a Florida man allegedly called 911 approximately 80 times to request a home delivery of Kool-Aid, burgers, and weed. Back in 2009, a Florida woman once called 911 three times to report that a local McDonald’s had run out of Chicken McNuggets.

For what it’s worth, back in the 90s, Domino’s in the U.S. abandoned its guarantee to deliver a pizza within 30 minutes after an adverse million-dollar jury verdict in a case where a delivery driver ran a red light and crashed into another car in St. Louis.

Do you think that 45 minutes is too long to wait for a pizza? Would you ever call the cops in that circumstance?

[image credit: Ewan Munro]