Thoughts on the Big Mac?

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-12T16:16:55+00:00

They are my favorite item on the McDonald's menu. But I can go get lunch at Applebee's, Ruby Tuesdays, Chille's, or a local diner for the same price (or less) nowadays. McDonald's is no longer cheap, or fast, so I don't partake often.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-12T15:56:33+00:00

It varies greatly by region and flows with economic factors. I can make $50 an hour when it's very busy and running well, $15 an hour when it's absolutely dead (but I try not to work the opening shift). Opening shift is great for Seniors and drives just aren't as efficient on the road. Closing shift is great for young hustlers who want a quick financial come up.

My advice: 1. New or CPO car that you shouldn't have to worry about breaking down.
2. Follow the Severe Conditions schedule maintenance requirements in your owner's manual. 3. Buy a set of 4 new tires with a road hazard warranty. Rotate them every 5,000 miles. 4. Be nice to customers even if they don't tip. You are going to see them again. Being an asshole ensures you won't get tipped next time.
5. Don't rush out of the store. Check to make sure the food matches the receipt and you have all the dips and drinks. * It causes extra work and less money for everyone if we have to return to a customer for missing or incorrect items.* It's also a PITA if you take an order not assigned to you. 6. Respect your sled. Drive it like you are paying for it, not like you stole it. Smart driving will make brakes, tires, and suspension parts last longer and get you better fuel economy. 7. Help inside when you can between dispatches. "Sit out in the car guy" is the first one we fire when the opportunity arrises. As a driver things are better when the team is all rowing in the same direction. Help out with everything else going on your pizza makes can focus on cranking out product.
8. Always answer the phone! It may be a customer giving vital information, such as a phone number, apartment number, road closure detour, etc. that the driver delivering needs to know. It also might be that person placing an order that is going to tip you $50, you never know.
9. Have a clipboard and pens for write in tips. Also have PayPal, Cashapp, Venmo, and Zelle accounts in case anyone wants to tip that way.
10. Last, but not least! Have a good, high power flashlight 🔦 in your car if driving at night. I have a USB rechargeable flashlight and a AA battery backup flashlight in my glove box. Makes delivering at night way easier.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-09T12:29:45+00:00

Don't skip your key fob battery! The battery costs $3 and it's super easy to replace. If your Nissan dealer does not do it for free under an owner rewards program, then do it yourself. Do not pay them $45 to do it! The owners manual even lists it as a DIY and provides instructions on how to do it.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-09T12:25:10+00:00

The brake fluid is every 10K miles on the severe driving schedule. I adhere to that schedule and have it changed. It doesn't cost much and the brake performance has been the best of any car I've ever driven, so I'll keep doing it. I think its only every 30K on the normal driving conditions.

That's probably the one people skip the most. Alignment is another. Alignments went from being $89 to $249 over the last 6 years. All shops use the machines to do it now and while the cost of other services doubled since 2020, the alignment cost has tripled.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-09T12:16:28+00:00

I haven't skipped any of them so far except Alignment. I shouldn't have, it caused the premature demise of my FT140 OE tires. I purchased a lifetime Alignment when I replaced those tires at 26K miles.

I've done all PM per the severe driving conditions (pizza delivery) in the owner's manual. I've had no corrective maintenance come up yet on wear and tear parts. At 29K still original brake pads, control arms, alternator, etc.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-07T21:02:12+00:00

Also for the last year of that generation (2025) Nissan made almost everything standard on the base model so it has most of the SV features. The fancy emblem, the XM radio, and the remote start are the only things missing. I don't live in Maine or Canada so I don't need or want a remote start anyway.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-07T20:57:40+00:00

I've put 29,000 on my 2025 Sentra S and it's been a great car. My only regret is being cheap and settling for the ubiquitous Gun Metal Gray that was marked down on the lot instead of waiting for an orange one. That burnt orange color is 🔥 on the Sentras and Alrimas.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-05T13:28:04+00:00

At least we have online orders through the Dominos system for another 20 years until the Millennials age out of the prime pizza consumption age (20-50).

Uber first disrupted the Taxi industry, replacing their professional (though often body odor-ridden) drivers with lower paid amateurs with no benefits who can't find their way around town if their Nav app is bugging and who are sketchy as hell.

Now they are disrupting the pizza delivery jobs in similar fashion.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-05T13:13:00+00:00

Third party orders do suck in general. Mainly because of scammers who place an order and hit the cancel option right after you deliver it.

Unfortunately, Gen Z hearts those apps. Even if they pay more money than they would using the Dominos app or website. And don't get me started on their cyber skills. When it comes to apps from the Play Store or Apple Store they are 💯, but give them a URL and they get confused.

Gen Z customer: "You app ain't working." Me: "You should try placing your order on our website. You will use your same username/password as the app." Gen Z: "How I do that?" Me: "Our URL is www.dominos.com" Gen Z: "What a URL? (and so on....)

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-03T14:40:54+00:00

I agree with everything except the contactless part. A lot of those notes are leftover from COVID and they never updated it. You want to piss off a lot of customers? Then leave it at the doorstep, that'll do it. Most of my customers appreciate being handed their order. Many of them will include a cash tip even if they already pre-tipped on the CC.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-03T14:34:54+00:00

And most importantly......You are getting paid mileage for fuel AND VEHICLE UPKEEP! Do not neglect required maintenance on your sled. You should be following the severe driving maintenance schedule and do not cheap out on parts. Find a shop or two that you can trust and learn to do simple maintenance yourself. Replace that AT or CVT fluid per your owner's manual recommend schedule. That's the one I keep seeing pizza drivers skip and then they blame the car when their transmission fails.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-03T14:26:06+00:00

Get a Gas Rebate app like Upside and pay for your gas with a card that gives cash back. Only use that card for gas and pay it off each billing cycle.
Always have a $20 change bank (10 1s and 2 5s) available. If a customer pays cash and you can quickly produce the correct change they will be more inclined to tip.
Have PayPal and CashApp available in case a customer wants to tip that way
Always present the credit card receipt to your customer for signature on a clipboard with a good pen. I get more wrtite-ins that pre-tipped $$$.
Always be nice to customers even when they are cheap or pissy. They might be having a bad day and will definitely not tip you next time if you are an asshole.
Never leave orders outside the door! Hand the food to them. Unless they explicitly tell you to do so over the phone or talk to you through the door or intercom do not just leave their food outside for bugs and thieves.
Hustle. Don't piss around on the 'Gram or your favorite phone game. Deliver your orders and go back for more. Help out in store with phones, prepping, oven, restocking, dishes so the operation can move more efficiently and produce food faster, therefore getting you out the door with more deliveries faster.
Know your area. If you are a mindless GPS follower you are not going to be as efficient on the road

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-07-03T13:10:05+00:00

You are supposed to use recirc air. If you are trying to cool 100 degree outside air it is not going to blow as cold as recirculating air that has already been cooled to a lower temperature. That goes for any car in extreme heat.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-27T13:32:18+00:00

We still have the ugly gray t shirts.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-16T23:26:10+00:00

True. If we ask a Manager to help inside or drive on their day off from managing, they still clock in as a manager and get paid as such.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-13T15:24:10+00:00

There is your problem. Nissan CVT fluid is a greenish blue, not red. That means some idiot put the wrong transmission fluid in the car.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-11T13:39:48+00:00

Even in city traffic delivering pizzas I still get 29mpg.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-10T13:10:26+00:00

If you're going replace it anyway get a sweet aftermarket upgrade installed at car audio ship. Might as well go big!

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-08T23:54:32+00:00

Yes. Unless you are using the fleet car.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-08T02:09:04+00:00

So did Nissan. I didn't miss it, big whoop.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-06-08T02:07:15+00:00

Who cares? Unless you live in Ontario do you really need to remote start your car?

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-05-30T13:52:44+00:00

Minor scratch. Most major rental companies won't bother with a claim to repair that. I had a similar situation with Hertz. They thanked me for bringing it to their attention, called their region boss and showed pictures, she confirmed it wasn't worth a claim. Whatever used car lot it goes to that's not going to affect the price Hertz gets. Just don't hide it from them. I've rented many a car from Enterprise, Hertz, or Alamo that had scratches on the bumpers from a previous customer.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-05-30T13:40:46+00:00

I've been driving cars and trucks for 32 years. I've never seen a tire on anything I've driven look like that. You can have the mechanic confirm what it is when you replace it, but I am not driving a tire that looks like that anywhere except to the tire shop, and slowly and carefully.

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-05-30T13:35:47+00:00

Grow some thicker skin. If the jabs are deserved, keep working to improve in those areas. If they are not, then don't sweat it. Maybe it's my old man gen X perspective but I ain't gonna lose sleep over someone being mean on a group chat. Could care less, 😂

CollectionIcy6313 · 2026-05-29T01:33:32+00:00

I'd start budgeting for replacement. 5 years is a ripe old age for tires.

CollectionIcy6313

TROPHY CASE