Relief Not Delivered To Shelton Domino's -- City Officials Reject Call To Ban 30-Minute Delivery Guarantees

SHELTON - The City Commission has rejected a request that it ban the 30-minute delivery guarantee that has helped make Domino's Pizza a national pizza power.

Jeff Farmer, who owns the local Domino's franchise and another in nearby Hoquiam, cited safety concerns in his bid for a city statute to nullify the delivery obligations in his contract with Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Domino's.

"Give an 18-year-old driver a time limit and nine times out of 10 he'll go an extra five miles an hour," Farmer had said.

At yesterday's meeting, the commissioners praised Farmer for his concern, but said it would be inappropriate for the city to get involved in the dispute.

Mayor Joyce Jaros, one of the three commissioners, said a check with local law enforcement found no significant complaints about the delivery program, though she suggested the Legislature might want to take up the discussion.

Concerns about the delivery guarantee have been raised previously, but Domino's spokesman Tim McIntyre in Michigan said Farmer's bid for city intervention was "unique in my experience."

Commissioner David Kneeland had been unenthused about the request, saying, "It isn't our job to legislate free enterprise."

Farmer said Domino's had advised him to adhere to the provisions of his contract, including the 30-minute delivery guarantee, or shut down.