Let me add that I actually grew up in the Dallas neighborhood where the first Pizza Patron opened. That neighborhood was primarily made up of Hispanics and Blacks. Their pizza has always been popular in those communities because of the price point. The restaurant’s popularity grew because the pizza was decent and the prices were cheap (plain and simple). There were always both Hispanic and Black customers at the local Pizza Patron. The company’s idea to accept Mexican currency was not to ‘alienate the other demographic groups’ — it was simply a clever way to make a few extra sales and attract new customers.

- Regarding the I’m not quite sure how many Mexican customers will actually take Pizza Patron up on this opportunity because I’ve only seen this story reported in the English language, and therefore won’t reach their Spanish speaking audience”, I will remind you that some Mexicans do have a command of the English language (and for example, Mexicans working legally in the US with frequent travels to Mexico might have spare pesos to spend).

- I’m inclined to the “no-brainer” position… after all, isn’t that what a bizMaverick is? “doing what it takes”?

- Spanish people earn in euros, not in pesos. Spanish people are people born in Spain. Hispanics earn salaries in a wide variety of currencies (almost as many as countries in Latin America). Mexicans working in Mexico earn in pesos. Also, the pizza place accepts payment in pesos from all patrons (even, e.g. Americans that went to Mexico and kept some unspent pesos), not only from “Spanish patrons”. This two facts make the title a very bad one by the way.

- Regarding Mr. Williamson’s “smart” reply to Emily

“I can’t imagine WHYYYYY I didn’t think to surf on over to http://www.jornada.unam.mx for the Spanish scoop!?!? I must have momentarily lost my mind”

I can say that you can simple go to Google advanced search and type “pizza patron dallas” and in language, select “Spanish” and you will get the scoop. That reply was, in my opinion, totally inappropriate.

“Pizza Patron makes it all too clear that they have no interest in serving American clientele of all backgrounds”

Matthew, would you please explain your reasoning behind this statement? What proof do you have that confirms this alleged Pizza Patron philosophy?

——————

However, one statement of yours has a great amount of truth to it…

“I know nothing of marketing, but I do recognize a PR “backfire” when I see it.”

Yes this has definitely turned into a “PR backfire.” I’m sure Pizza Patron, along with many other Americans, had no clue that there were so many culturally intolerant people in this country, and would have never dreamed of such a reaction.

It’s sad really.

I believe that they’ve forgotten how their parents and grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from other countries.
However, at least the ten of us did talk, and perhaps one or two minds were changed…or at least some alternate opinions were being considered.

And sorry to sound like a marketing dork, but all this intolerance, that many Americans are showing towards this story, is really hurting our country’s brand. Couple this, with a another certain somebody, and you’ve got yourself one super low approval rating towards this country.

However, I stay faithful… yet disappointed.

Brad

Pesos for Pizza is capitalism at its best!
And YES they will be paying taxes on their Pizzas. Having worked in Buffalo in a company which accepted Canadian Dollars, the conversion was done ONLY after the NYS taxes where in the total.

Martin

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070111/D8MJ9A100.html

I am against Illegal Immigration, I wish our citizens would be the ones to take the jobs, but since we have rights, we know when we are getting screwed on pay and benefits and have the right to do something. Illegals dont… so why are we attacking them, its the freakin’ employers who are the problem. Lets enforce labor laws, and SUPER STRICT penalties on the employers. See, the rich owners dont have to live with them in their neighborhoods, so they dont care. Unfortunatlely, us in the middle and lower middle class do. And it is so much easier to scapegoat them since they are around in our cities. But who is the real culprit here? Why are we so friggin stupid??! It’s obvious where the problem lies…

While US Currency is “legal tender for all debts public and private,” that does not mean that a person or business cannot accept other forms of payment for goods or services.

In my city, there’s used to be a “barter network” in which businesses would exchange goods and services for other goods and services rather than money. If I, as a hypothetical business owner, were willing to accept eggs as payment for something, I could do that.

Businesses in Mexico accept American dollars, why shouldnt our businesses do the same. It’s good business sense, since it will be attractive to their target market. Besides individuals and businesses exchange foreign and american currency every day. Why is this instance somehow different.

It sounds more like a matter of paranoid xenophobia, than some conspiracy to take over America.