Hoffman Estates works to resolve delivery dispute

Caryn Thomas says Hoffman Estates' diversity is part of what motivated her to move to town in December.

"I really wanted more diversity in my son's life," she said, referring to the eldest of her three children, DeAndre, a 17-year-old at Conant High School.

But Monday, she stood before the village board in tears, saying she felt her son was being taken advantage because of his age and skin color. The family is black.

"I don't want him to be walked on," she said.

It was the attitude of a pizza deliveryman from Papa John's on Roselle Road in Schaumburg that she said prompted her comments.

Thomas explained that her son had ordered two large pizzas earlier Monday while she wasn't at home. She said the deliveryman was rude, gave her son the wrong change -- taking 45 cents -- and walked away.

"It's like he didn't think my son knew how to count," Thomas said.

DeAndre told his mother the incident was upsetting.

What bothered Thomas even more, she said, was noticing a label on the pizza box itself that read, "Get the damn coupon!"

Thomas said she saw that as rude and discriminatory. She told village trustees what happened later the same day -- turning the pizza box over to officials -- and saying the incident made her feel less than welcome in the community.

Thomas said Tuesday that Hoffman Estates police contacted Papa John's owner, who in turn visited Thomas's home. He repaid her for the pizza and provided another to be delivered at no charge.

Thomas complimented Papa John's for how the situation resolved.

"My goal wasn't to get anyone fired, but to show people this exists," she said.

Store manager Anthony Alvarez, who said he wasn't in on Monday, was apologetic. He said those computer-printed pizza-box messages -- the one that included the expletive -- are intended for deliverers' eyes only because they sometimes forget to collect the coupons.

Hoffman Estates Trustees Anna Newell and Jackie Greene hugged Thomas at the end of the meeting and praised her for having the guts to address the board.

"We don't expect that in our community," Newell said. "Hoffman Estates is really a great place to live in."