The selfish griping

about where Pizza Hut makes its deliveries (“Carving a Slice Out of the Pie,” 1/31) is disturbing and indicates how lazy and pampered our society has become. If Pizza Hut feels that its employees are not safe when delivering in a certain area, it has the right—if not the obligation—to refuse to deliver.

Pizza Hut delivery is a service, not a customer’s birthright. If a customer happens to live in a restricted neighborhood, perhaps he or she should consider the cause and look for ways to contribute to a solution. A delivery person should not be put at risk just to save the customer an inconvenient trip to indulge a craving. When injury is a possibility, the producer, not the consumer, should call the shots as to where it offers its services.

Perhaps home-delivery is a prerogative of an affluent society, but this selfish complaint has taken it too far. It used to be that going out to eat was a way to bring the family together for a good time. Then came fast food, which provided a quick meal and served as a brief escape from the kitchen. Still, your article’s author has found a way to complain.

We need to stop taking so much for granted, especially the common services that make our everyday lives easier. If you really want a pizza, make it yourself. Better yet, get it yourself. But don’t complain about Pizza Hut not delivering when you won’t even venture out into your own neighborhood.

American University Park