News

Leaving pizza fliers at Florida hotels may be outlawed

April 15, 2003

TALLAHASSE, Fla. -- Companion bills that would control the distribution on private property of advertising fliers, such as pizzeria advertisements, are moving through both houses of the Florida Legislature.

According to a report in the Orlando Business Journal, the bill has been loosely dubbed "the pizza bill," because business owners, such as hoteliers, say rogue pizzerias, sometimes making pies in home garages, put fliers under the doors of guest rooms.

"Sometimes the maid will find dozens of these things stacked up in a room that's been vacant for several days," said Rich Maladecki, president of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, and a supporter of the legislation.

What's worse, Maladecki said, the fliers sometimes are from scam artists rather than legitimate pizzerias or other businesses. Guests calling for a pizza, for example, have been tricked into giving credit card information to sham operators.

Maladecki said many of the food-related businesses spreading fliers are unapproved and unsanitary, and have left hotel guests with food poisoning.

According to the report, the bill would make passing out fliers on properties where distribution is forbidden, a first-degree misdemeanor.