By Stewart McClintic

As Covid-19 continues to spread and social distancing is still required, one pizza joint in Lakewood, Ohio, has turned to walkie-talkies to help its customers and employees stay safe.

Angelo’s Pizza, which has all but closed its doors to customers except for delivery and carryout, uses two-way radios to help keep the business open and still get food to loyal customers. Shawn Neitzel, manager of Angelo’s Pizza, said he originally purchased two-way radios to improve his pizzeria’s efficiency.

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The idea behind using the seemingly old-fashioned technology was that it would improve communication among employees, Neitzel said. On top of that, it reduces having to search around the restaurant and find the specific person you need to speak with among the staff.

Neitzel’s employees didn’t take to the idea too well at first. He said many weren’t too keen on wearing a radio on their waistline and an earpiece on their heads. However, with many restaurants closing their doors to regular service, Neitzel said Angelo’s has now shifted much of its services to curbside food pickups. “This is helping us keep the flow of traffic cruising,” Neitzel said. “It’s flowing like butter, it’s gorgeous.”

Without two-way radios, he believes the curbside service wouldn’t work as efficiently. “This has been the best fit for the way business has shifted in the current situation,” Neitzel said.

Neitzel said he is thankful they didn’t scrap the idea of using two-way radios at his restaurant and believes they will be used more and more after everything settles down with the coronavirus pandemic. “This has been the most clear-cut showing of how it works,” he said.

Stewart McClintic is the VP of Sales at HQ98.com. He is a former journalist who specialized in business and education writing. McClintic still continues to write about customers who have interesting stories to tell about communication through his sales work at HQ98.