Pizza Shop Workers Go Above & Beyond For Sad Customer Celebrating A Birthday All Alone
Sometimes the little things make the biggest impact.
XArtProduction / Shutterstock; Amazingmikael / CanvaPro Many of us find our birthdays to be special occasions often filled with family, friends, gifts, and love. We bask in the opportunity to have a day dedicated to us.
The hard truth is that while most people look forward to their birthdays, others resent it. Whether they spend it alone or find the day to be an agonizing reminder of something traumatic, marking another trip around the sun isn't always a celebration.
But one person on Reddit shared how a small gesture from a local takeout restaurant made all the difference during a sad birthday celebration.
A pizza shop employee went above and beyond to ensure a lonely customer had a special birthday.
Alone for their birthday, the Reddit poster decided to order their favorite pizza to celebrate, but before doing so, they left a note with a customization request. The note just so happened to pull at the heartstrings of the employee making their pizza.
In their pizza order note, the customer mentioned they were spending their birthday alone and for extra olives on their birthday dinner.
“It’s my birthday,” the note started, captured on the delivery receipt, “and not even my family called me. I’m sad and I really like olives.”
Photo: Reddit
They then asked for “as many black olives” as the pizza maker could possibly put on the pie without "getting fired." So many, they said, that “you start to question mine and our own sanity”.
The staff not only made the pizza but also fulfilled the birthday customer's wishes.
When the pizza showed up and this Reddit poster opened up the box, they were filled with joy. Their family might not have called, and their friends might’ve been out of town but this pizza shop fulfilled their “black olive” wish.
Photo: Reddit
As shared in a photo on their Reddit post, the pizza that was delivered was covered in black olives with "happy birthday" written in Spanish on the inside of the pizza box.
The pizza shop demonstrated the power of small acts of kindness.
This pizza shop's small act of kindness might’ve seemed silly at the time but it had a profound impact on this sad customer. It’s these small acts that oftentimes fly under the radar but ultimately fuel the human experience. They connect us as humans, giving us a sense of hope within our communities.
Kindness has real-life implications. It can alter the course of people’s lives far past the initial boost of happiness it brings. Studies show that “prosocial behavior” and acts of kindness can help lower stress levels, help ease anxiety, and promote a cycle of kindness far beyond the initial interaction.
TikTok creators like Samuel Weidenhofer recognize the kind of power small acts of kindness can have. Weidenhofer has created a series on his platform where he gives out flowers, encouraging notes, and a brief positive interaction with strangers he encounters in his daily life.
His page goes beyond simple kindness and occasionally his videos raise money and awareness for people he meets who need extra help. From people experiencing homelessness to pillars of light in different communities, he raises money to give generous gifts to those in need.
It’s people like Weidenhofer and the employees at this pizza shop that help to provide hope for our world moving forward. They remind us of the importance of human connection, love, and kindness in a sometimes dark world.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango focusing on pop culture and human interest stories.