Restaurant 'pizza-shames' workers who burn pies

Jan. 11 (UPI) -- An Idaho pizzeria is drawing attention for the unusual way it disciplines workers who burn pizzas -- with a public pizza-shaming.

Pesto's Pizza Shop in Boise posted on its Facebook page that employees who overcook pies are made to don a large orange bag reading, "I burned a pizza," and walk five laps in front of the eatery.

The store refers to the punishment as "walking the plank."

"Well it was one way to remind all of us not to burn pizzas," owner Lloyd Parrott told KBOI-TV.

Employee Sterling Hunt, who appeared in the photos posted to the restaurant's Facebook, said he wasn't paying attention to the time when the burned the pizza.

"And I waited just a little bit too long and it overcooked it, so I had to put on the suit and walk the plank," he said.

Hunt said replacement pizzas are made for customers whose pies come out a bit too crispy.

Parrott admitted his pizzeria's cooking method is a bit more complicated than what some other eateries do.

"Basically we do everything by hand here. It's very difficult, we have a 600 degree oven that fluctuates so they get burnt," he said.

He said the pizza-shaming punishment is meant in good fun.

"We're all good friends. We have a good time. It's very hard work, we all love it so if we can't be hard on each other then, you know we gotta have some fun around here its all in good fun," Parrott said.

The owner said even he is not exempt from the pizza burning rule.

"It'll happen again. Keep your eyes out. One of us will be out there again," Parrott said.