High gas prices affect local deliveries

WILMINGTON–Ryan Crowe runs Pizza Joes in Wilmington. He says high gas prices are affecting his business. “If they keep going up I’m not sure what we’re going to do. It’s getting harder and harder to find delivery drivers that are willing to drive without paying them more and giving them more for each delivery.”

To offset the extra cost at the pump, Crowe pays his drivers an extra dollar $1.50 per delivery.

“It definitetly has me concerned about the pizza delivery business and
where it might be going.”

Crowe is not the only one concerned. Shelia McNamee owns Azalea Coast Florist. She now requires a $45.00 dollar minimum purchase for flower delivery and all deliveries must be within a 20 mile radius.

“Its not the way you want to run your businesses, our business is purely
service orieneted, it makes it more difficult, we have to be more creative with our deliveries.”

Both businesses are reluctant to increase prices, but say there’s no
other option.

McNamee says, “I just ask our customers to be patient with us, we’re in the same situation they are except my whole industry revolves around gas and delivery.”

“I guess where going to take it one slice at a time.”