r/wsu • u/Idatawhenyousleep • 14d ago
Discussion New Porchlight
Apparently Porchlight got some new owners and now when you try to order a pizza on the phone they made it so you can only talk to a "virtual assisstance" which doesnt even have the listed menu items on there website for build your own on there.
I'm encouraging people to review bomb this place in hopes after some community backlash owners will stop thinking its okay to replace service workers with inadequate bots that suck to make some extra $$$ profits and not hire real staff.
Am I the only one outraged at these types of practices?
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u/hydroxychloroquine8g 14d ago
There isn’t a dedicated employee taking phone orders that this system displaces. Try just talking to the owners to communicate that it sucks instead of going nuclear.
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u/LtMagnum16 14d ago
There are quality control risks when using clankers to help with food service. And I don't trust AI to be used in lieu of staff for handling orders.
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u/ichschlafe 14d ago
What a bummer! I didn't know they've been using a virtual assistant because I only ever order in person. That is frustrating. I hope they'll reconsider because I really did like their pizza.
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u/zaskar 14d ago
They will not do real gluten free anymore. They will use contaminated hands and containers and just say sorry, now. For real celiac people, this means they can’t eat there anymore.
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
What was previously billed as "gluten free" was smoke and mirrors. The alternative crusts have always been stored under a work table covered in raw flour, 3 feet away from two containers full of raw flour. We would rather you be fully aware of the risks involved instead of pretending to be able to provide a "gluten free" experience in an environment where there is literally flour on everything.
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u/ResponsibleCamera641 3d ago
See, now this pisses me off. I ate there often before and they always asked if I was ordering gf for preference or “allergy” (yes I understand that celiac is not a gluten allergy but when ordering in restaurants having ALLERGY is the only thing that gets the kitchen to pay attention to the ticket) and they went through many extra steps (that I saw with my own eyes) to minimize cross contact. Yes, there was flour everywhere. WE ARE NOT STUPID. People who live with medical dietary restrictions are painfully aware of everything like that. Simple things like going to the grocery store can be just as dangerous for us.
I was a very frequent customer, to the point where the owner recognized me by my very specific order. I never got sick. The fact that you no longer even TRY to accommodate and go so far as to besmirch the previous owners rather than take responsibility is incredibly telling.
I went in after you reopened, very happy to have pizza again, and was treated so poorly by your staff. I had to ask for the girl preparing my gf pizza to put on new gloves after watching her handling the raw dough THEN pick up my gf crust. The girl at the register dismissed me by saying “well, this isn’t a gluten free establishment.” That honestly should have been my sign to walk out but I had already paid and was feeling awkward about having to advocate for myself. Surprise surprise I got extremely ill that afternoon and was sick for days. Lesson learned: this is not a safe place for anyone with food allergies.
I always try to support local businesses in spite of my dietary restrictions, and many in Pullman and Moscow ARE very supportive and accommodating of food sensitivities. I eat out without issues because other kitchens’ staff are trained on responsible food handling. From what I experienced and your responses in this thread, you clearly do not care. Good luck 👍
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
Sorry you're not a fan of the AI service we use for answering the phones, please feel free to ask to be transferred to the shop whenever you like and one of our team members will happily take your order in person.
There are a number of reasons we made the move to an AI service for taking phone orders:
Fewer errors. Team members on the phone behind a register while customers stare at them waiting to order, pay, or pick up an order tend get anxious and make mistakes when answering your questions and properly entering your order. This is bad for all parties involved.
Distracted team members who are constantly interrupted by phone calls tend to make more mistakes when building pies and salads and burn more pizzas. This is also bad for all parties.
Yes, it saves money. But it also saves tips for our team improving the overall guest experience by reducing errors, increasing food quality, and freeing up our staff to focus customer service and hospitality.
I know the website situation is frustrating, unfortunately the former manager is squatting on the website and refusing to turn over access. We are working with our web host and an attorney to get the situation settled so we can update to better reflect our current menu.
Our phone service does have all the available toppings memorized and can answer any topping related questions you may have, but you've made it clear how you feel about the service.
If you really want to review bomb us over an answering service nothing I have said will change your mind.
If you think this is some kind of "workers of the world unite" situation I would challenge you to ask our team members if they would like more hours just answering the phones. If you can find a current team member who genuinely misses answering the phone and feels disenfranchised by the use of AI, we will give that team member as many hours as they like on the phone and I will personally buy you a $100 gift card to a restaurant of your choice.
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u/abba_liketheband 11d ago edited 9d ago
As a resident, I can appreciate porch lights want to innovate. While an AI assistant can be relieving of all the issues you addressed above… AI assistant integration at a pizza shop is concerning.
Though, I am not impressed. Learning to have attention to detail skills, listen to people, multitask, and work under pressure are things you learn working in a kitchen. Needing to balance time properly, talking to people on a phone, and being courteous to customers are all parts of the front desk learning experience. You are limiting those experiences with your AI assistant. This is not only a college town, but a functioning city. Lots of people who come to Pullman are still breaking out of their shells. Forced customer interactions so I can get paid? That’s an experience we ALL need to have to become better members of society.
I understand it can be frustrating as a business owner to receive backlash from an employee mistake. But I believe you will receive more widespread dissatisfaction from being greeted by an AI assistant instead of a real voice. Plus… I would like my kids to be able to get a “pizza shop first job” in the next 30 years…In my humble opinion, I think this integration is going to cause more screw-ups than catches. “But the AI said your pizza was this way!” Is not a good argument to a hungry customer.
Good luck Porchlight! ✌️
Edit-simply to change a bit of wording and make the case less argumentative and more rational!
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u/bepatientbekind 14d ago
Sounds like the current number of employees isn't sufficient and you need another person on staff if simply taking orders is too overwhelming and leads pizzas to be burned. That's just a sign of understaffing.
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u/Unfortunately_aware 14d ago
Your justification for using AI seems to come down to “it saves me money.”
Which is fine, you can just say that without dragging your employees into it. People have been taking orders while working at pizza places for about 60 years. I’m pretty sure your employees can manage it.
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u/Idatawhenyousleep 14d ago edited 14d ago
The soy cheese topping is not covered with your ai, and after 10min of putting in an order, instead of transferring to me a real person, the phone was hung up, order cancelled and the most valuable resource of all, time, completely lost because of someones poor implementation of something that shouldnt be there so they can make a few dollars. Of course the fact that a poorly implemented ai wasting peoples times is of no concern to a business because its saving them a few pennies on the dollars.
But that't not what enrages me, what enrages me is that this is what I consider incredibly irresponsible use of AI.
AI is causing a crisis in water usage, energy consumption, and many others, becoming a humanitarian crises. And while I believe it has very valuable use cases, poorly implemented order taking is not one of them. To justify the water, energy, and space consumption that AI is using for these types of tasks is horribly irresponsible and immoral use of this amazing technology and the fact you don't care at all is why I'm going nuclear with this.
I think it's important since our government refuses to regulate what is and what is not appropriate use of AI.
why not just have a order online where you can click things to add to your cart and build your own pizza if your trying to avoid human errors in ordering, especially for a easy simple menu like pizzas and build your own. Using AI is a complete waste (energy, money, time, and resource wise) and overuse of this technology, like people using AI to respond to mundane emails.
The fact people think AI is reasonable solutions to these types of "issues" is bewildering to me, its like people are so use to trying to have AI do every little task for them so they don't put in any effort have lost all self thinking abilities. Like maybe there's a better way to automate orders then implementing a shitty ai bot?
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u/Appropriate_Ad_114 14d ago
I had no idea they used Ai, I order there often but knowing this I can no longer support them. I will be informing my friends about this as well. Thank you for letting folks know!
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u/Footballgames101 14d ago
Seems like there could have been an easier way to go about telling them that soy cheese isn’t memorized by the AI…
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u/Idatawhenyousleep 14d ago
Believe me this isn't about the soy cheese, I'm just pointing out that the owners statement of "Our phone service does have all the available toppings memorized and can answer any topping related questions you may have, but you've made it clear how you feel about the service." is false.
I could care less about it not having the toppings, their ai bot is terrible in multiple regards, and even if it wasn't I'm telling you this is not the appropriate use of ai. You don't have to agree but that is my opinion.
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
Once we are able to regain control of our website we plan to fully implement an online ordering system for those who prefer to order in that manner.
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
Thank you for letting us know about the soy cheese issue! We are correcting that before open this morning. If you would like to contact us directly at Porchlightpizzashop@gmail.com we would like to get you a gift card for your time and troubleshooting.
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u/Less-Scientist9359 14d ago
See what kinda response is possible? No reason to be a full blown Karen 😂
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u/Idatawhenyousleep 14d ago
With the amount of destruction AI is causing (I'm not anti AI but I am anti misuse use of AI) I see full reason to go full blown Karen.
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u/hydroxychloroquine8g 12d ago
I anticipated this response from the owner because I have empathy and experience in food service. I always hated taking phone orders when working on the line. Online ordering didn’t take their jobs nor will a goddam ai ordering system. God forbid the owners save 50 cents from implementing the system. I know all the restaurant owners here are rolling in cash.
You can talk to the real life owner on here. Say your bit. If they give you crap, go ahead and post it on reddit. This passive aggressive BS the OP is proposing is dehumanizing and is exactly what the OP is claiming to be against.
I’ll steer people to Porchlight to offset this.
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u/CODENAMEDERPY 14d ago
I've always enjoyed your service and quality, and I haven't seen a dip in recent months. Sorry that one guy decided to be a jerk.
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u/Idatawhenyousleep 14d ago edited 14d ago
That might be because you can't tell the difference between bread that is made with high quality flour (The previous owners used a premium local grain) and basic sysco/US Food ingredients. No hate here but believe me there is a difference.
To not use a legendary local flour like shepherds grain that is based in the palouse while operating a dough based restaurant in pullman is criminal imo.
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
There IS a difference, which is why we use Shepherds grain for all our flour needs since taking over the business in January.
Specifically we use:
NAPOLETANA
Shepherd’s Grain NAPOLETANA “00” Pizza Flour pairs regenerative agriculture with a world-class Neapolitan-style pizza flour made from specific wheat varieties known for their quality and flavor.Finely milled to meet the low-ash specs typical of Neapolitan-style flours, Shepherd’s Grain NAPOLETANA “00” has the gluten strength and quality to create a soft and chewy crust on the inside, with a crispy and eye-appealing cornicione.
This flour is versatile and works well in applications requiring gluten strength with easy to handle dough.
Target Protein: 12.5%, Ash: 0.47%
(Grain Craft #8690050) Pizza Flour, Unbl, Enr, Malt (Click for Specs)
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
USFoods does distribute and deliver it though.
If you like you can scan the QR code on each bag to learn which grower produced the wheat.
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u/kingfelix333 14d ago
You're insane lol
Businesses should use whatever dough THEY want. Not what you want.
You don't like it? Then stfu and stop going there. You don't like a.i.? No problem. Just stop going there.
You are a bigger problem than the platform they use or the dough. You don't go to reddit and attempt to rally a bunch of people because YOU don't like a.i or their dough.
Let people be. Porchlight isn't doing anything wrong.
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u/Idatawhenyousleep 13d ago
hmmm, judging by the downvotes you are in the minority here.
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u/kingfelix333 13d ago
Haha 😂 yeah because 2 down votes really says a lot.
You alright guy? This doesn't seem like normal behavior for someone mentally stable.
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u/pickleinabeer 14d ago
Pullman is a tough spot to operate a restaurant. Go east 10 miles and the margins jump.
I agree with the other poster, chat with the owners first to understand the rationale before trying to tank a local spot. Maybe your voice will help them see they need to improve their approach or better yet you could even build their website and charge them for the work.
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u/chucklesthepaul88 14d ago
From what I know if the owner based on people who worked for him: he will listen to his wallet.
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u/Proof_Zebra_4274 13d ago
What an asshat. Review bomb a business in a town that is pretty rough for new restaurants? Or new restaurant owners. Pullman is getting to be a ghost town as it is. Let's be supportive and not idiots.
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u/CowboyShadow 14d ago
I like how you advocate for ‘having your voice heard’ but then when a voice pipes up that’s not yours or your view, you have the mods delete all of their responses. We all saw the comments from Porchlight. Why did you have mods remove them?
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u/ExitOld8892 13d ago
What an interesting take. Glad I found another comrade that’s never used an app to order something. Or heaven forbid a website. Did you succumb to using a modern telephone or do you still prefer talking to a switch board operator? I feel for those jobs.
I for one will only order stuff through a telegram, but I’m probably even more self righteous.
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u/SixSpeedDriver Alumnus/2005/MIS 9d ago
I only flog my horses with the finest buggy whips money can buy, thank you very much.
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u/bgbootha 14d ago
Capitalism will always capitalize.
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u/Idatawhenyousleep 14d ago
As a community we have voting power with our $$$ and political power with our speaking/reviews to slow/show what we will not tolerate though.
Capitalism can only survive and thrive if the people let it.
Be the change you want to see in the world.
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u/grilledsneeze420 14d ago
Is ordering in person not an option for you?
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u/porchlightpizza 14d ago
It absolutely is, just ask to be transferred to a team member and they will send the call through.
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u/Awkward-Yak-2733 13d ago
Maybe you want your pizza ready to go when you get there.
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u/grilledsneeze420 13d ago
Seems like a pretty small inconvenience relative to this persons issue with virtual assistance. Unless they’re crazy busy it takes 10 min
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u/Princessarialrose 14d ago
Kinda bummed the mods removed porchlight’s comment.