Pie Pushers — Restaurant in Durham

UPDATE: I will no longer be giving Pie Pushers my business. A group of friends and I decided to head here for brunch a while back and spent over $80. My friends ordered full breakfasts that included biscuits and home fries. We discovered when we sat down and examined the check that Pie Pushers charges $2 for jam and $1 for butter to go with the biscuits. What?? I mean, the jam I can almost accept, but a dollar for a pat of butter? But it gets worse. I realized there was no ketchup on the table for all of our home fries, so I went to the counter to get some.

"We have to charge you 49 cents for ketchup". I couldn't believe it. I tried to argue, but they wouldn't budge and literally made me pull out my credit card, which I had just used to pay them over $80, to charge me another 49 cents for a single cup of ketchup for our table of four to share with our home fries. This, Durham, is what happens when you allow popularity contests to govern where you spend your money, rather than quality and service. I will never eat here again. Lilly's may be bit pricier, but their pizza is stellar and they'll give me a squirt of ketchup without a fight if I ask for it. ------------Original Review Below------------

Pie Pushers may be the quintessential definition of "Hit or Miss". Every aspect of the place - from the food itself to the service and attitudes of the service staff - can be awesome one day and downright terrible the next. Consistency is the only thing holding this place back. The pizza is normally pretty awesome, but on occasion the chefs seem to skimp on the more extravagant ingredients, and if you order by the slice you run the risk of getting an older, limper piece of pie. I will often order a half or whole pizza to avoid this (which is almost always great and also quite affordable). Venture away from pizza at your own risk - the wings aren't terribly flavorful and are often less crispy than they ought to be. They will do a $3 salad - but only if they put it on top of your pizza. For some inexplicable reason, they cannot and WILL NOT give you that same $3 salad on a plate or even thrown NEXT TO your pizza slice. It's poor customer service issues like this one that keep me from giving Pie Pushers more stars - I really do like the place and I visit often, but refusing to cater to a simple request like this, seemingly for the sole purpose of being stubborn, leaves a taste in my mouth about as bland...

Jan 14, 2021 @ 2:04 pm - Attempt to Order

As part of ranking pizza joints in the area with one of my coworkers, I decided to give Pie Pushers one last taste. There was no one at the bottom of the stairs so I called their number and a male voice answered the phone. I placed my order and then provided my credit card information as asked. Next, the guy asked if I wanted to leave a tip. Caught off guard, seeing as I haven't received any service or food yet, I paused. Further, I thought, what exactly am I tipping for at that point in my patronage? Seeing as how my wife and I are in the customer service business, we are keen to things like this. I politely told the guy that I hadn't received any service or food yet so I did not feel comfortable, followed by an awkward chuckle. He replied, "I didn't ask you that, it's a yes or no question." Wow! I was in such disbelief that I told him to cancel the order and hung up.

A few thoughts went through my mind. One, this guy had my credit card information. Two, I wondered if his rudeness was due to him peeking out the window (when I said I was downstairs) and him not liking my profession or my appearance. Then I found myself thinking, do they ask for gratuity at that stage in the encounter to shame their customers into paying up? I hope the manager/owner reads this (I hope it wasn't him on the line) and researches who was taking orders that day/time.

Needless to say, this experience left me feeling empty, upset, and angry. I waited a few days so I wouldn't respond in anger and decided to just post the facts. Damn Pie Pushers, I expected better and you've certainly lost another customer in these challenging...

It may be that "The Jerry" is the ideal and perfect pizza. Beginning with the crust, as one must, the crust has the correct ratio of crispiness to chewiness one expects in the better pie. The dough yields the best pie foundation I have ever encountered. The sauce must be made on site. The recipe is balanced such that the tomato expresses itself without any of the nasty overly sweetness of the industrial sauces. The application of the sauce is metered precisely such that the crust is not liquefied yet generous enough that the joyful consumer is aware of what is good and right in the world. The sausage is (I believe locally) made by someone who is obviously skilled, knowledgeable, and caring. The combination of the sausage and pepperoni balanced by the ample mozzarella evokes memories of the wonder of childhood and one's first encounter with the glory that is pizza. The clever folks at Pie Pushers are willing to work with the particular taste of their customers, I personally recommend the addition of mushrooms to complete pizza satisfaction. Please note, the Madrona Salad is by far the best salad available on the market anywhere. As a salad, it is peerless. The eggplant fries are also a delight...I could go on... The gentle folk at Pie Pushers will also bring this glory to you should you reside in their range. Courteous and prompt no less.

God Bless the Pie Pushers and their...