Big Tomato Pizza: User Reviews
Big Tomato Pizza
2613 Ingersoll Ave. - Des Moines515-288-7227
I have never been so disappointed in food service ever!!! I am a night shift nurse at a local hospital that ordered delivery pizza at 1:30am. At 2:30am we called and were told that they would call their driver and see where he was. At 3:00 we were told the were not able to get a hold of the driver yet, and the at 3:15 we were told the driver didn’t know were that address was so they were not going to bring our pizza. When asked to speak with a manager they said there wasn’t one until Monday. When asked for the name of the person I was speaking with they said no, I’m not giving it to you…. I will be speaking with their manager Monday!! This is not the first time they have delivered here,(hard to believe they couldn’t find it) but it will be the last!!
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Let me first say I have never eaten Big Tomato Pizza but was actually excited from the reviews I have heard from people I know that have eaten there. However after my experience last night I will never spend a dime in this restaurant. Last night an order was called in and a girl answered the phone and was so incredibly rude. She apparently was having a bad night and decided to take it out on customers. This girl was talking so fast you could not understand anything she said then when asked to repeat herself called me a retard, a b**ch, and told me I needed to practice calling in pizza orders. When asked to cancel the order she told me f*** you then hung up. I called back to make sure it was cancelled she then told me I already did b**ch. So to Big Tomato Pizza I will continue to tell this story to everyone and your management should ashamed!!!!!!!! Anyone looking for a substitute for Big Tomato Sarpinos pizza is the place to go they have amazing pizza!!
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Okay, so their service sucks. The server at the window had an "i dont care" attitude, but she did her job so who cares? She did mess up my order but the accidental slice I got was delicious. Honey and garlic is amazing! If anything, go for the FOOD because it is the best!
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I don't know what you are all talking about!! I have never had bad service from Big Tomato! The guys are so nice and helpful. If you don't like it, don't eat there. There are plenty of that will!!
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If You Don't Want To Deliver Pizzas, Then Don't Advertise That You Do
By Skrappy44, July 15, 2010
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A couple years back I stopped by BTP for a slice. While not overwhelmed, I figured I'd order a delivery pie and eat it in the luxury of my home. I called on a Friday night and after 2 1/2 hour wait and a few phone calls, they said they couldn't find my house (I live near the corner of Douglas and Beaver) and it was too late to re-deliver the pizza. I tried the same thing a couple weeks later. After calling a few times and waiting 3 hours, I was told that someone came to my door an there was no answer. He asked if I had been drinking and maybe fell asleep. I told the guy I don't drink and my wife and I were at home the whole time waiting for the pizza. I asked him why he didn't call my cell phone. I never got a straight answer. Now I swear this is what he told me. He said don't bother calling in for deliveries anymore because they were going to put my name on a list with other people who aren't allowed to order deliveries because "I didn't answer the door when the delivery driver showed up". Wow! Good riddance and I urge all of you to NEVER ask them to deliver a pizza to your place. You might just end up on "That List". Rude, sloppy and foul mouth does not make you a cool pizza joint.
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Big Tomato = mediocrity. The "big" in the title is an overcompensation.
By 50sprof, May 29, 2010
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I moved to Des Moines six years ago and wanted to find good pizza and Chinese food for delivery (I teach late sometimes and want an easy, respectable fix). Having stopped at Big Tomato a few times after a late-night pub crawl, I liked their slices. Yes, the service is lousy, but 1 minute of interaction with a surly server is not a problem for me. Yet, and here is the kicker, I have figured out that Big Tomato could care less about its delivery service or any service before 11:00 p.m or actually making a decent pizza pie. They make their money on drunken hockey players, bikers and sorority girls who venture into the place for late night food -- those who, like tipsy me, have their taste buds in their ears and want 1 slice. Like most on this list, when I ordered a pizza one night, I encountered a dude who treated me horribly (bordering on sexist treatment), and, salt to the wound, he delivered the wrong pizza (and overcharged me!). I tipped him well (as usual), and afterwards I found myself scratching my head wondering why I tipped to be abused by "lousy" service and bad food. After living in 5 states, traveling extensively, I can tell you that Big Tomato has an ego for very little product (think of bad Camaro drivers).
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Does anyone else ever notice how Meg F gives every restaurant she reviews five stars and loves every place she has been too? Anyway... Excellent pizza and that's where anything good about this place stops. The pizza delivery is a joke. They have about a 20% success rate of actually delivering the pizza. I haven't received the last 4 pizzas I've ordered. It's got to the point where the last time I actually stood outside on the driveway the second I hung up the phone to look down the road at the entrance of the cul-de-sac to watch for any car to drive down the road. As usual I waited about an hour and not a single car (besides my neighbors) turned into the cul-de-sac. So I called to ask about my delivery. Just like every other time when they don't deliver the girl on the phone says, "The driver said he couldn't find the place and drove around for a while and came back." Then I will ask, "Well if he couldn't it and he had my phone number, why didn't he call me?" Then she always says, "He said he did call you and no one answered". So then I always say, "Well I've had my phone in my hand the entire time and I'm sitting in a chair in the driveway. No one called and no one drove anywhere near the area I live at. Also if he called, why didn't he leave a message? You would think he would in order to prove that he attempted to deliver the pizza. Also that seems like a lot of information that the delivery guy would relay to you." Then I always ask for them to redeliver the pizza and I'm always told by the girl, "We don't redeliver". Then I state, "Well you really didn't deliver it in the first place. Just because he walked out the back door with my pizza and maybe drove somewhere in Des Moines, apparently nowhere near my house, suppose ably called my phone and made it not ring and then didn't leave a message... that's not a complete attempt to make the delivery. For all I know he just ate the pizza and got high in his car. If he actually got here, rang the doorbell and I didn't come to the door then that would be an attempted delivery. Just making up that you tried to deliver it because the guy got lost or was too dumb to figure it out and actually call me for directions, that's not an attempt." Then the girl usually just hangs up and I don't drive to get my pizza. Just like the sign says out front, "Lousy Service."
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If you ever go out to the bars on Ingersoll, you have most likely been to Big Tomato-or at least seen the massive line that can form outside. Its one of those places that you could see on the show Diners Drive-ins and Dives. The employees have quite a bit of attitude, and really dont care if your hungry or cant see the list of pizza by the slice being served that night. The most unique part about Big Tomato is the plethora of toppings they offer. Do you feel like hot dogs and sweet corn on your pizza? Well I dont either, but if you do-Big Tomato is your spot .
My all time favorite is the garlic and honey pizza. While its amazing at about 2am, its still great without the buzz. They use alfredo sauce and it has a sweet yet spicy taste. My second favorite is the bbq beef pizza. I love the taste of the sweet bbq sauce on the pizza crust.
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Big Tomato Rocks-and thats the best way to put it. You do not have to be intoxicated to enjoy their pizza, although it definitely adds to the experience. Dont walk in expecting great service-they are known for being a bit rude and you will likely have to withstand the drunken tales of local imbibers-unless you are one of them, which I always prefer at this place. When you get to the ordering window, you will see the nightly pizza by the slice offerings taped to the counter.
My ABSOLUTE favorite is the garlic and honey pizza with alfredo sauce-its one of my favorite pizzas I have ever had! They always have some great spicy concoction that I love as well. Another favorite is the BBQ beef pizza-this is one that generally tastes better to me after about 4 hours of drinking. The garlic and honey I could eat any day!
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They had a real delivery area and employees that cared about customer service. They have to have the worst customer service of any food service establishment in Des Moines. If your looking for pizza cross these folks off your list.
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Review Summary
The following scores represent the average rating submitted by 29 users:
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