The Darkside of Dollar Pizza

[JasmineL]

I've always been suspicious of 99 cent Pizza. Sure, I've eaten my fair share...but I was drunk or doing penance for a bout of shopping hysteria. When I moved to Toronto in 2003 (another form of penance ), I observed that 99 cent slices were a non-entity. It seems to be an epidemic unique to Vancouver. Why?

Well, the other day I had a EUREKA moment. I'm easily excited. I was reminiscing back to the olden days when my friends would go to the Ivanhoe to partake in underage libation consumption. In those days, it was possible to purchase large quantities of cheese from other Ivanhoe patrons at a very competative price. I never bought any of these dubious dairy products, but I'm sure there were a few takers.

So, this brings me back to my current question. Is there a developed network of cheese thieves re-selling bricks of mozzarella to Vancouver's pizza parlours? A quick google search returned a brief story about similar activity in Newfoundland.

Click Here!

I hope this thread doesn't result in me waking up next to Sea Biscuit's severed head.

Edited November 23, 2005 by JasmineL (log)

[barolo]

Apparently it does occur here. I'm told that the cheese section in the Super Value on Davie is locked up at night for this very reason - lots of cheese thieves around.

[JasmineL]

Apparently it does occur here.  I'm told that the cheese section in the Super Value on Davie is locked up at night for this very reason - lots of cheese thieves around.

←

Aha! The plot thickens!

[fud]

Cheese theft. It's got to be a big business, we're talking 10 bux a block for cheddar!

As for .99 pizza, I dunno I think that's just pure market. I mean you can buy a whole pizza and sell it off by the slice for a buck a slice and still make money - assuming the pizza you buy is pretty cheap.

There's a spot on commercial north of first which sells whole pizza's for $3.99. Why buy 4 slices when I can get an entire pizza?

[barrett]

for the after work - early morning hours snack binge, shell out the extra 51 cents and hit numero uno at davie and granville. on a friday or saturday night, all the other late night places will have a few people in them - numero uno will have a lineup... line up at the door, proceed to the back of the store, then again forward to the till.

As for cheesy larceny, I've heard a tale or two that it went on, but never looked into it. Perhaps this calls for some sort of hidden camera newsreporter piece.

cheesy idea?

[tarteausucre]

My students have informed me that they have been offered black market cheese on Translink buses. I have this great image of someone opening his/her trench coat to reveal row upon row of brie, gouda, and gorgonzola (might explain the smells on the bus). In fact, I believe my students said that the "cheese dealer" was trying to move huge blocks of cheddar.

[makanmakan]

years ago, a couple of friends and i were going to a rave in chinatown. we had to walk down a lovely dark alley somewhere just off main and pender. as we were leaving, a suspicious looking man was walking towards us, and as we clutched each other tighter, he opened up his coat and reached inside to reveal a huge block of cheese. as he got close, he muttered "wanna buy some cheese?". we ran out of there like bats outta hell!

true story! oh yea, the black market cheese is amongst us.

[JasmineL]

Oh boy! Look what I found!

The link is to an article in BC Business Magazine that discusses blackmarket cheese!

Edited December 8, 2005 by JasmineL (log)

[BBQ Brian]

What will the culinary world be like without 99 cent pizza? Oh my.

I hazard to state, probably not a bad thing.

Brian

www.houseofq.com

[peppyre]

Another little anecdote; A pick up line from a guy I met at a party. He sat down beside me, smiles and said "So this guy walked up to me on Main street today with a duffle bag and asked "Do you wanna buy some cheese'" ....

We were together for 2 years.....

[annanstee]

I remember a pizza store getting closed down not long ago for using black market cheese on its pizza.

I think it was in gas town.