There’s a new pizza restaurant in Danville. Primo Pizza is located at 1131 South Boston Rd. (former location of the Quizno’s Subs franchise that lasted less than 6 months). I’ve had two meals there so far but I’m not recommending the restaurant due to one horrible customer service moment.
UPDATE: We’re taking off the “Not Recommended” tag because of a very good repeat visit to this restaurant. We suggest you give them a try.
It’s a basic Italian-theme pizza place with pizzas, strombolis, calzones, subs, wings and Italian meals on their menu.
Service: I was greeted nicely on my first visit. On the second trip, there was only one person working and I had to wait a few minutes before even being acknowledged. The food was prepared at the time of order and the speed of service was excellent. There is a moderate language barrier with the staff having difficult accents, but it’s not impossible to overcome. Grade: 82 (for now… to be changed later) (B)
Food: The pizza was pretty good with a thin crispy crust. The Italian subs that I’ve gotten twice have been totally different. The one I got for take-out was semi-bland, but the one that I had tonight in the restaurant was very flavorful. The sub roll was toasted well on it’s run though the oven. The onions & tomatoes were cut weirdly and I got a lot of tough end-pieces. Their dessert menu looked good and I was about to try it, but we’ll get to that later as well. Grade: 85 (B)
Atmosphere: It is what it is. Mouth-watering food photos are all over the place. It doesn’t look like a pizza place but I’m guessing that it never will. The kitchen is completely visible to the customers, which I like. The menu board looks great and they’ve got menus to take home. Grade: 85 (B)
Intangibles: The prices are great. A sub combo (sub, fries & drink) costs $5.99 and their burger combos are even cheaper. Their calzones are huge for less than $9.00. Grade: 84 (B)
Overall: Oh boy, here we go. I decided to head over there tonight to try out their dine-in sub combo. It took me a few minutes to place my order because the one person working was making the other person’s pizza. I can live with that. As soon as he got their pizza in the oven, he came over to take my order and ring me up. Somehow in the language barrier, he thought I said my order was “to go”, but again, no big problem. The portion of fries that I got was huge and the sub was markedly better than the last time. I sat back and enjoyed my meal at a relaxed pace. The fries were a bit salty with their seasoning so I got a few drink refills (16 oz. styrofoam cup). Meal’s over and I take a look at their dessert menu. They’ve got a few things that catch my eye so I throw all of my trash away and get another drink refill before placing my dessert order. Unbelievably, a restaurant employee (owner? manager?) comes to the counter and says “Hello, my friend. There is only one free drink refill. You are getting too many and it’s fifty cents for more refills.”
What the everlovin’ hell? I politely said “Really? Thank you” and headed out the door. I’m not going to make a scene in a place like that even though it would have been richly deserved. First of all, I’m not “your friend”. I’m your customer. I’m the person that was about to spend another $3.00 on dessert. The additional 16 ounces of Pepsi that I was about to get cost you at most 25 cents. You just lost my dessert order income tonight and probably any other income that I’d ever think about spending in your restaurant ever again.
Before that incident, Primo Pizza was going to get a quite acceptable score of 84 (B). After that incident, I feel I’m perfectly justified in dropping that score down to a 40 (F) and not recommending the restaurant to anybody. To be fair, I’m going to give them one more chance sometime in the next month and will feature that experience here. That being said, at this time Primo Pizza gets an “F” rating on the SouthsideCentral scale and is not recommended due to poor customer service.
Overall Grade: 40 (F) – Not recommended.
In the spirit of fairness, it was time for a return visit to Primo’s Pizza. Let’s go to the criteria…
Service: There were no customers in the restaurant and it took about 30 seconds for an employee (the only one working) to come out from the back. No worries on that because I was looking at the menu. I made a special request on my Italian sub combo and the employee made sure he got it right by repeating it back. The food was delivered to my table. Grade: 86 (B)
Food: Wow. A very delicious Italian sub. The bread was toasted perfectly and the meats and cheese were grilled to a distinct crispiness. The seasoned fries were crispy and served very fresh. Grade: 91 (A)
Atmosphere: Nothing really changed from before except a TV in the corner and the tables moved around. One thing I just don’t understand about any business that has multiple doors… why do they only have one side of a set of doors open? The inside wasn’t spotless, shining clean but it was acceptable. The parking isn’t that great because it shares space with a gas station/convenience store. Grade: 82 (B)
Intangibles: The menu prices continue to be very reasonable. Grade: 86 (B)
Overall: I had no problem getting the drink refills I wanted. It looks sanity has been restored to this restaurant’s ownership and that means the “Not Recommended” tag will be pulled off of this place.
Overall Grade: 86 (B) – SouthsideCentral recommends that you give Primo Pizza a try.
I’ve heard several bad reports from friends that won’t ever go back.
You DO know, that in NYC, there are no free drink refills.(or in most other countries. Americans are a thirsty lot, we are.)
But , then , we are not in NYC! I have had that “my friend” thing thrown at me before. I htink it may be a translational/cultural thing.
Perhaps we all got overdosed on that by John Mc Cain. 🙂
I think they sound pretty nervy and will not be there long.
Free drink refills are a Southern staple/tradition – probably something to do with the heat – and probably cost the restaurant no more than about 10-cents per glass… if not less. Usually, if the soda machine is accessible to the public (self-serve), that means that free refills are acceptable.
I can live with a restaurant asking that you not refill your cup, but, because free refills are so common in this broad geographical area, the No-Free-Refills rule should be clearly marked and posted in big letters at the soda machine to avoid confusion.
Dinis Brothers went for years charging for refills. I went for years without eating there. No way can you eat a supreme pizza with only one cup of drink. I think they have since caved. I believe that Italian Delight has a sign on their machine asking that you only refill once. Since I’m a drink loving fool, it’s been a while since I’ve been in there. They might have changed their policy also.
Oh man. Charging for refills? That is sucky. I drink a LOT of soda when I go to restaurants. A 16oz isn’t all that big either. They’ll have to change that if I try them.
If you want a good place to try and review, go to Bentto on South Main. They have good food and they are very moderately priced. Oh, the drink refills are free! :p
PRIMO PIZZA is my favorite spot i take my wife once a week there .extremly clean open kitchen very pleasant people ,i don’t know what happend to that customer but somebody go to a restaurant and spend $5.99 and expect to consume $10 of drinks, i think that’s a bad customer ,and there’s no need for him because if a busniess don’t make money it will eventually shut down ,that’s why i think we need to change mentality about business ,and actually help them to grow so we get more jobs ,not going there and use them . i think tha’s a big problem and that’s why we are in recession ,it’s that kind of mentality we really don’t need .and one way he don’t like it and another way he’s going back ,that’s really not right ….
$10 worth of drinks, my ASS! If anything, the extra drinks that I had cost about 50 cents, and I sure would have spent more than 50 cents on dessert.
I’m a bad customer according to you? I can live with that.
The “F” stands and so does the “Not Recommended”. I haven’t been back since and don’t plan on it.
BAD MOUTH .THANKS FOR THE ATTITUDE .I CAN MEET YOU THERE AND PAY ALL UR LUNCH WITH 7 GALLONS OF SODA SO YOU CAN BE HAPPY AND RESPECT EVERY WEB VISITOR.
Reply: You’ll trade me out my lunch for 7 gallons of soda? DEAL! (I think that’s what you’re saying…)
I would really love to know what credentials you have that give you the right to bad mouth a perfectly respectable business. I’ve eaten at Primo Pizza and have found the staff to be very friendly and the food of great quality and price. It is really a shame that anybody can try to run a business,run by honest people, into the ground because you feel like it is your right to pay for a cup of soda and proceed to drain the machine dry. We have taken portion sizes to a whole new level if we need 64 oz of soda during one meal. I fully intend to continue to support one of my favorite restaurants and hope that anyone who reads this realizes that one person’s opinion does not a restaurant make…
Reply: My credentials? Sure. I’m a citizen who enjoys and uses his First Amendment rights of free speech. That’s all the credentials that I need to put forward my opinion. If you want to continue to support that restaurant, more power to you! That’s the beauty of the process, eh? Now, I do have to object to your characterization of “proceed to drain the machine dry”? Perhaps you haven’t read the entire article. But anyway, thanks for visiting SC!
The bigger issue is the ridiculous price businesses charge for drinks. No matter how many refills a customer drinks they make money off of them. Everyone should just ask for water and boycott these ripoff prices.
I find it hilarious that some of you people come on Bruce’s blog and rake his ass over the coals for giving his opinion. In case you’re not familiar with the concept; he started this blog, he writes the articles on this blog and he maintains this blog. In case that’s just not clear enough for some of you dipsticks — HE CAN WRITE WHAT HE WANTS. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Who is forcing you? Theres plenty of other great local reading full of fluff and feel good stories. Try godanriver.com for your daily dose of feel-good fodder. You may need insulin later.
I agree with Bruce. I will not go into a place that charges for refills. That was rude for the owner or manager to tell someone they had too many drink refills. They will never get my business.
Did anyone see the letter to the editor in the Danville paper that Donny Jones wrote about Short Sugars?? His business is hurting. He needs to put some money in the place. I said something to one of the managers that work there and they agreed.
Checkered Pig has really put a hurting on them.
I think Donnie just said what alot of small businesses have been thinking. His remarks were right on the point. We need to invest in businesses that are locally owned. Hey the food is great, miles above the Checkered Pig!
Umm, where to start? First- It’s Bruce’s blog, his opinions are THE ONLY credentials he needs to express an OPINION.
Second- If you wish to be taken seriously while you rant, learn English, and proper punctuation. Seriously dude, you look and sound like an idiot, you rant for five minutes and make it all one sentence. I’ve read it five times and only thing I understood was that you(somehow) have a wife.
Now, as for the sodas Bruce is drinking: Less than a dime for the cup that he is reusing, water is negligible, and about 18 cents for the 16 or less oz. So, at a minimum of $2.00 for the initial purchase, don’t feel too sorry for the vendor, he’s still making out like a bandit.
Oh, I’ve eaten there, the place wasn’t very clean, the service was poor, and the pizza was not very good.
My credentials? I’ve been eating every day for 44 years, I know good food when I see it.
you been eating good pizza from dominos and pizza hut that’s your taste for 44 years . i bet you never have a better pizza than primo .i tried most of the places in danville no body touch or even come close to primo pizza .cleaning wise you can check the health department website ,you will see what kind of comments they have ,i don’t like people when they throw words and they don’t know what they saying .
Reply: Um, dude. I gave your place a second chance. It passed the second chance test and I had no problem updating this article to let people know what happened.
I really want to know what happend in the second chance test and what did u get this time make u happy so i can go there and try it . I looked to the health department web side they have good grades .
Reply: You don’t have to “go there and try it”. You work there! Sheesh, you’re using the same IP address and email as “TODD” up above. As for what happened, I wrote it up. Go read.
I worked in restaurants for 17 plus years and the health department always gave you a week or so notice that they were coming. I don’t know if they do that now. I haven’t been on the health department web site in awhile but look around the dining room of Short Sugars and see the work that needs to be done and they always get a good grade too.
I’m a clean freak myself and will no longer eat at the Heart Line. The cook runs the register and then takes your money and I never saw him wash his hands.
I no longer eat at Pino’s, the waitress brought me lemon for my tea in her hands. It only takes one bad time and that is it for me.
Bruce try Dennis Brothers in South Boston they have a house special pizza that is great.
I wouldn’t go back there Bruce. Looks like a “lugie from Luigi in your Lasagna” might in your future if you do!
you sound very smart …
Aww, I think “md” got his little feelings hurt because someone disagreed with him. I’m real sorry you didn’t understand the words I threw around, in all fairness some of theme did have more than one syllable. Tell you what, I’ll use small words and type slower next time so you can keep up. By the way, Isabels, or Franks, or Petes, and even Dominos and the Hut, have way better food than Primo. Sorry.
And I’ve eaten all over the world, not just in the big city of Danville.
sure u did columbs
We got delivery from Pizza Hut Riverside a few days ago and it tasted like it was left over. No more Pizza Hut.
try primo they deliver and experience the real food
Jo, If you look at the prices of any products in a restaurant, then the same applies. They make money off of the items. Some items have a larger margin than others. One of the reasons is that they have to pay for and stock the inventory. The cost of of the actual goods involved with making you a soda is not all that is involved with making you a soda. The money collected has to help pay for rent, utilities, employee wages, paying for the next delivery truck, etc. Hopefully there is enough left over that the owner makes some money on his investment. While the food is low cost (apparently $5.99) the soda may be more expensive because almost everyone gets one. I (for one) could not imagine NOT getting a soda to drink when I get food. However, I agree that the owner needs to calculate into the price how much refills will cost them on average. That just makes good business sense.
I love Primos Pizza. Their fried cheese sticks and pepperoni stromboli with sauce is out of this world. In fact, I just ordered for delivery those things less than 5 minutes ago. I live right down the road from it. 😛
My family and i are in town to see the race. we saw the advertisement for their food in the hotel we are staying at and decided to give them a call. for four of us it was a forty dollar order, which was no problem, however when the food finally arrived it was horrible! my mother and i both got lasagna and it tasted as though it had come out of a can! my fathers fries tasted like they were heated up in a microwave. everything basically tasted like rubber! it was ridiculous! we ended up throwing everything away and went to mcdonalds! forty dollars in the trash, the only good thing out of it was the canned soda! ridiculous i definately do NOT recommend!