Pizza promotion met with death threats!

texas*princess · #1 01-11-2007, 11:04 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/11/piz....ap/index.html

Quote:

DALLAS, Texas (AP) -- A pizza chain has been hit with death threats and hate mail after offering to accept Mexican pesos, becoming another flashpoint in the nation's debate over immigrants.

"This is the United States of America, not the United States of Mexico," one e-mail read. "Quit catering to the damn illegal Mexicans," demanded another.

Dallas-based Pizza Patron said it was not trying to inject itself into a larger political debate about illegal immigration when it posted signs this week saying "Aceptamos pesos" -- or "We accept pesos" -- at its 59 stores across Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and California. (Watch reasons behind the decision)

Pizza Patron spokesman Andy Gamm said the company was just trying to sell more pizza to its customers, 60 percent of whom are Hispanic.

OK, what I DON'T understand is why Hispanic people = carrying pesos.

I'm hispanic.. heck, my entire family is hispanic, and not one of us has ever even seen a peso! We live in America where the currency is American cash/coin & debit cards!!

That just seems extremely lame.

And all this comes soon after another Dallas suburb gets sued for passing anti-illegal immigration laws:
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchas...uburb-over.php

Kevlar281 · #2 01-12-2007, 02:57 AM

Have you really never seen a peso or is that just in an exaggeration? Anyways I can’t believe this is that big of a deal. Personally I could care less it seems like it would just be a big hassle for the stores to deal with the exchange rate.

AGDee · #3 01-12-2007, 06:46 AM

Living near the border of Canada, we see Canadian money all the time. You will frequently get Canadian coins as change and then they don't work in the vending machines and you can't CoinStar them. It would be great if a local store/restaurant, etc took the Canadian money. Addtionally, I found $25 Canadian shoved in a pocket in my purse a few weeks ago and had to call around to find a bank that would exchange it. I'm sure if somewhere around here took it as currency, they'd get business from people who want to get rid of their Canadian dollars. I can't see anybody being insulted by a business who elected to take both forms of currency. I'd also hazard a guess that 5% of the people working in my building are Canadian and have to carry both forms of currency constantly. That's got to be a hassle. I just don't see anybody here interpreting it as catering to illegal immigrants from Canada, but simply as a convenience for those who cross the border frequently. It certainly doesn't seem to be worth death threats.

AlphaFrog · #4 01-12-2007, 08:33 AM

In the business world - you cater to your customers. If 60% of your customers are Hispanic, why not advertise to them? I don't think they're trying to say Hispanic = peso. I think they're trying to say that they recognize that the Hispanic population is their main clientele and they're making a direct effort to market to them, and show them that they are welcome and appreciated at that restaurant.

Plus, a business owner can accept what they want for payment. If a restaurant wants to start accepting Monopoly money as payment, it's their prerogative to do so. I think what they're doing is completely American - exercising their right to free enterprise.

texas*princess · #5 01-12-2007, 09:09 AM

It makes sense for cities along the border of Canada & Mexico, like the story said, but Dallas is over 400 miles inland.

And no, wasn't exaggerating.

LaneSig · #6 01-12-2007, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas*princess

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/11/piz....ap/index.html

OK, what I DON'T understand is why Hispanic people = carrying pesos.

I'm hispanic.. heck, my entire family is hispanic, and not one of us has ever even seen a peso! We live in America where the currency is American cash/coin & debit cards!!

That just seems extremely lame.

And all this comes soon after another Dallas suburb gets sued for passing anti-illegal immigration laws:
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchas...uburb-over.php

The reason that Pizza Patron originally gave for accepting pesos is because many families in the area went to Mexico over the holidays. When they came back, they still have left-over pesos from their trip. Pizza Patron figured that by accepting the pesos (which is only supposed to happen until February), they could increase some of their business because the people would be willing to spend the extra pesos that they have left. Pizza Patron is doing an exchange rate of 12 pesos to each dollar. The regular exchange rate is 11 pesos to a dollar. I think that a lot of the people who are upset just listened/heard the first part of the story "OMG! They are taking pesos!" and not the reason or short term period.

Also, the company, Pizza Patron, was began and marketed for the Hispanic community.

Drolefille · #7 01-12-2007, 10:28 AM

My boyfriend got a Panama quarter in change the other day. This might make sense if we weren't in the middle of Illinois! Lucky for him he likes collecting interesting coins.

LPIDelta · #8 01-12-2007, 10:38 AM

The thing that is interesting to me is that since Sunday, I have seen AT LEAST 6 news stories about Pizza Patron taking pesos...they couldn't buy that kind of advertising, and apparently, they didn't need too. All the commentary is just getting them more airtime.

Its a good marketing plan, but I am a little discouraged just because the US dollar is already losing value. Still....interesting concept.

squirrely girl · #9 01-12-2007, 11:00 AM

i like the whole money exchange set up with canada. i went to montreal over christmas and nobody complained when i used american and nobody complained when i used canadian after crossing over into maine. i can appreciate the concept of a euro.

people who are REALLY upset 'bout this need to worry 'bout something WAY more significant with all of their free time

RU OX Alum · #10 01-12-2007, 11:39 AM

death threats? that's insane.

I think there should be a standardized global currency. We have a global economy, people travel a lot more now, especially for business, it would make things a lot smoother, I think, and also cut down on counterfitting (everyone would know what the money should look like)

anyway, that's just my two universally accepted cents

Tom Earp · #11 01-12-2007, 04:25 PM

Maybe the European Market has the right Idea?

EURO?

tunatartare · #12 01-12-2007, 04:28 PM

Tom, on paper the Euro seems like a good idea, but it has had many shortcomings of its own which have caused both members of the EU as well as outsiders to not be pleased with it.

Tom Earp · #13 01-13-2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunatartare

Tom, on paper the Euro seems like a good idea, but it has had many shortcomings of its own which have caused both members of the EU as well as outsiders to not be pleased with it.

Really, then why is the Euro beating the heck out of the Dollar? Are there any problems with change, DA?

Some foreign coins won't work in vending machines and would the Susan B. coin work for quarters be better?

Money is only what our Govt. says it is worth. So, do away with money and lets barter as the olden days.

bcdphie · #14 01-13-2007, 05:46 PM

Living in a "border" town, it's common for people to use US currency up here. If you use US currency, you have to pay the exchange on it, but other than that, it's still accepted everywhere.

Every now and then I will receive US change (coins) from a cashier, which is no big deal, but I have had the odd euro show up in my coin purse...

tunatartare · #15 01-13-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Really, then why is the Euro beating the heck out of the Dollar? Are there any problems with change, DA?

Some foreign coins won't work in vending machines and would the Susan B. coin work for quarters be better?

Money is only what our Govt. says it is worth. So, do away with money and lets barter as the olden days.

Tom, when the Euro was increasing in value at a very high rate and beating the dollar, it naturally dragged the cost of living in the EU up with it. European salaries were unable to keep up with it and there were many Europeans who were unhappy with the Euro and where it was going.