By Chase Wilson ’17

Starting January 19, Papa John’s Pizza will offer a delivery service to the citizens of the greater Olney area via quadcopter drones. “We are very excited to offer this method of delivery to our many customers. It’s been a long, hard trip but this revolutionary technology will change the future of food as we know it,” stated founder and CEO John Schnatter in a company press release. Two Papa John locations in Montgomery County are among 27 stores nationwide that will offer delivery by drones.

Papa John’s hopes that the drones will offer superior delivery times over other competitors, chiefly Domino’s. Many students are looking forward to the idea of being able to eat a hot meal dropped right off at Sherwood via air delivery.

Beginning with the new year on January 1, Papa John’s began running a trial period of the service that made drone delivery available only to selected loyal customers. One of those selected to participate was junior Robert Hading. He is a resident of Shallow Hole, a housing community next to Sherwood, and frequently orders pizza for his friends at gatherings or just for dinner. “Ordering was easy using their new app. Just pick the pizza that you want just like it’s a normal order and take a picture of where you want the drone to drop it. Somehow, the drone figures out your coordinates. The little bit extra in the delivery fee is totally worth watching your food get dropped off on the hood of your parked car or on your front landing,” said Hading.

But not everyone is in favor of the innovation. A house neighboring the takeoff hanger of Papa John’s is inhabited by 53-year-old resident Arevalo Dilito, who is spearheading the movement to stop drones from being utilized as a commercial tool. He first got involved with the fight against the use of quadcopters after he was flying one of his many professional kites in his backyard when suddenly, “one of those drones flew right up into my flying area and cut my lines.” Dilito called the restaurant and stayed on the line for 20 minutes waiting to speak to manager, before he gave up. “I couldn’t believe it. I even tried filing a complaint with the restaurant, but I didn’t get anywhere.”

At a community meaning that he organized, he proclaimed that he is not against the idea of air delivery completely but that he doesn’t want people to use drones. “Why does it always have to be about the next big thing of the future when there have been other ways for thousands of years? I think Papa John’s could be just as effective with it delivery with the use of a big slingshot.”