Let Them Eat Rock
July 16, 2010 10:25 PM   Subscribe

Boston has two Upper Crusts. One plays rock & roll music (think AC/DC [NSFW] meets French nobility). The other makes pizza and doesn't like overtime.
posted by ifandonlyif (18 comments total)
 
You have the wrong Boston upper crusts.

And this is good old Boston,: The home of the bean and the cod,: Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots,: And the Cabots talk only to God.
posted by mreleganza at 11:16 PM on July 16, 2010 [1 favorite]


I like the pizza. I mean, it's just a basic place, but sometimes what you want is a very solid delivery pie. Maybe you put some hot sauce on it. I liked to get broccoli and garlic. Ate it at least once a day for about a month last summer. I had moved out of my school-year housing and crashed with a friend, and the friend was not getting anything done.

That seems like a long time ago.
posted by grobstein at 11:47 PM on July 16, 2010


Thanks for posting this. It's pretty regional, but I would like to see the word spread about this by any means necessary. I already posted it to my facebook account and I'm not the type to pass along news stories.

I can't believe what brazen fuckers Upper Crust's ownership are. I hope this kills the chain.
posted by Mayor Curley at 3:16 AM on July 17, 2010


I think the "down economy" is a pretty widespread excuse for all sorts of license being taken by employers everywhere. I like the place where I work, and people there are still afraid for their jobs, because that's the way things are right now, pretty much all over. We've had 4 layoffs this year, and temp workers from an agency brought in to replace them, part time. It sends a message, even if it's not overt, or even really intended as such.
posted by Devils Rancher at 3:53 AM on July 17, 2010


Their Harvard Sq. location is close to where I work, and I've gotten a slice there almost once a week -- I'm glad to know this. I won't be going back.

The pizza's not bad, but man, the people behind the counter are indolent and give off a hipper-than-thou vibe. The aging-fratboy manager seemed particularly annoyed to have to ring up a customer now and then.

The guys manning the ovens are the best people in the place.
posted by sriracha at 4:12 AM on July 17, 2010


1. That is fucking outrageous, and I'm never going into an Upper Crust again. I was a victim of a boss who didn't believe the overtime laws applied to him, so this is a personal issue for me. I'm glad you brought it to my attention.

2. That being said, this is kind of a weird post for Metafilter.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 4:30 AM on July 17, 2010


Is this the same upper crust pizza as in Santa fe? The article said it's a chain, but only mentioned Boston. Their sauce gives me the WORST heartburn.
posted by MNDZ at 5:26 AM on July 17, 2010


From the owners' perspective, they should've gotten a lawyer to make a bland statement or clammed up. From my perspective, I'm glad the owners ran their mouths because it's pretty obvious to figure out from the multiple contradictory statements who's lying. These guys are supposedly lazy yet you had them in there 70+ hours a week and then decided to make them "salaried"? and at the end the one owner admits that their expansion plans require that they cut pay, and I'm guessing that there are some unspoken immigration issues as well.

dammit, why couldn't it have been Domino's or Papa Johns?
posted by Challahtronix at 5:29 AM on July 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


I never understood the big deal about Upper Crust pizza. It's good, but it's not memorable pie. I like Oggi's pizza. Pizza (and sandwiches) are fantastic, fresh, and the employees are awesome and it's evident they love what they do. Laid back place, though kind of random location. Great food. Their flaky sesame crust was amazing! They new one is still tasty, but I really miss the sesame one. Still, some of the best damned basil and garlic I've ever had.
posted by raztaj at 5:49 AM on July 17, 2010


Thanks for this - add me to the 'Upper Crust, You Just Lost a Customer' rolls.
posted by waxbanks at 5:52 AM on July 17, 2010


It's as if the first link could serve as the theme song for the last.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:55 AM on July 17, 2010


Also, I've never been a fan of the pizza, but I adore that band.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:56 AM on July 17, 2010


I love that band but I don't like how you try to connect them with shitty working conditions at some local pizza joint just for the sake of making a witty FPP.
posted by monospace at 6:06 AM on July 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


The pizza isn't really that good. It's better than the Greek pizza that's seemingly everywhere in Boston, that's for sure, but give me a $13.25 works pizza from the Pleasant Cafe in Roslindale over a $20 pizza anyday.
posted by waitingtoderail at 6:08 AM on July 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


I agree that Upper Crust pizza is particularly memorable, but also that sometimes all you need is consistently solid pizza and that isn't easy to find. However, I also will not go back to Upper Crust now.

"Memorable" pizza is rare. I can think of only three—Regina, Frank Pepe's in New Haven CT, and a place called Pizzaiolle (now under different ownership, so I can't vouch) in Montreal.
posted by cribcage at 7:38 AM on July 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


Oh hey! This can;t be the first time the Upper Crust (the Band) has shown up, right? They're super-fun.

Related:

Sneaky rich people trying to go unnoticed!
posted by The Whelk at 7:58 AM on July 17, 2010


I love that band but I don't like how you try to connect them with shitty working conditions at some local pizza joint just for the sake of making a witty FPP.

counterpoint: in this context, the regionalism of the fpp was reinforced by the incongruity of the ideas of "your favorite band" and "our new least favorite pizza shop". i also thought ifandonlyif was clear within the fpp that the two are unrelated.
posted by the aloha at 10:54 AM on July 17, 2010


For those of you near Brighton-Allston who will no longer be frequenting the Upper Crust Brookline location, I offer up Charlie's Pizza.

It's not an upscale joint like Upper Crust purports to be, but it's darn good pizza with excellent non-pizza options, really quick turn around time, and awesome staff who get to know their customers. It may be I just have an affection for them because they offered Baby Zizzle a free vanilla-chocolate twist frozen yogurt, but it could also just be they have good food and good people. In going there more frequently than I care to admit in the past three years, I can't think of a single time I had either a problem with the food or the service

And the guy who owns the place is indeed a guy named Charlie.

University Pizza by BU East on Comm Ave is also a really awesome place with great service. Only possible downside is they don't take cards, so it requires some planning on the cash front. We'd go there when Dr.Enormous was still in school and always liked their food and their service as much as Charlie's.
posted by zizzle at 12:38 PM on July 17, 2010


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