I’ve got a pair of regular customers who are just absolutely adorable: a father and his little girl. Their usual order is a small cheese pizza for the little one.

One day, the father called in and ordered his daughter’s usual pizza. He then asked if we had mushrooms, intending to order a second pizza for himself that day. However, the little girl overheard the dreaded M-word uttered from her father’s mouth. From my end of the phone, I heard this typically angelic child absolutely melt down crying at the thought of having mushrooms on her pizza, not understanding at all that it was never for her. Her father interrupted himself upon hearing this, as he is absolutely wrapped around this girl’s sweet little finger, and told me never mind the second pizza.

That is when I knew what I had to do. I prepared two pizzas: one mushroom and one cheese. I paid for the mushroom one myself.

They came in, I handed them both pizzas, and this man started absolutely sobbing in my lobby. Apparently, they were tight on money this month, and this was the act of kindness that turned his whole outlook around.

He thanked me profusely, and a few weeks later came back with a teddy bear and flowers for me, all smiles. This time, it was my turn to cry, as customers had been berating me all week and I was beginning to feel really underappreciated. 

They come back regularly still, and his girl is just as sweet as ever — no tears. They’re still some of my favorite customers in my fifteen years of pizza.

I work for [Pizza Place #1] as a delivery driver. I pull up to a house and notice another car pulling up right in front of me from [Pizza Place #2]. We get out at the same time and look at each other.

Other Driver: “100 Fifth Street?”

Me: “Yeah, same here!”

At that, the homeowners — a couple — step out of the house. One of them is carrying a stopwatch.

Customer #1: “Ah, man! It was too close to call!”

Customer #2: “You both arrived at the same time!”

Me: “Did you bet to see who would arrive first?”

Customer #1: “Yeah! My wife insists that [Pizza Place #2] is faster, and I said it was [Pizza Place #1], so we thought we’d test it.”

Other Driver: “Well… if it helps, I had two other stops on my route before you, so I could have been here quicker.”

Me: *Laughing* “I had two others, too.”

Customer #1: “Darn it! We’ll have to try another time!”

We all laugh, and they accept both pizzas and tip us both generously. I tell the store about the funny interaction, and we all laugh about it.

A few weeks later, we get an online order through, and one of us notices that the address looks familiar.

Me: “Oh, my God! It’s them again! Quick! Get that pizza prioritized! I have to beat the other guy!”

Laughing as we go, their pizza is pushed to the front and I am out the door within minutes, making sure they’re my first call this time, not my last.

I pull up to their driveway, and about twenty seconds later, I see my rival pulling up, too.

Other Driver: *Laughing* “D*** it! You beat me! I figured I would try to get out here faster, but—”

Me: “Yeah, I tried the same thing!”

The customers laughed with us again, and I was proclaimed the winner! They promised not to make us race again (it’s not safe), and we each got tipped $100!

Now, every time they put an order in, I don’t rush over, but I do make sure they’re first on my route… just in case.

I work at an Italian restaurant in a very expensive part of the city. Our pizzas aim to be as traditional and authentic as possible, including the ingredients and their names. I am serving a table of six.

Customer: “I’ll get the diavola pizza.” 

Me: “Very good. We actually offer two spice options for the salami for that pizza; would you like mild, or—”

Customer: “Salami?! I can’t have salami! I’m vegetarian!” 

Me: “Ah, then maybe the diavola is not the best option for you. It’s essentially our pepperoni pizza.”

Customer: “If there’s pepperoni on it, then you should say so!” 

Me: “The list of ingredients under the name does explain—”

Customer: “Nobody reads those! It’s a good thing I checked, isn’t it? Now then, since you’ve ruined the diavola for me, I will have the soppressata, instead.” 

Me: “Um… that’s also another type of salami.”

Customer: “What?! Again?! Do you only have salami back there?!”

Me: “All the pizzas that are suitable for vegetarians have a little green V next to them on the menu.” 

Customer: “Fine.” *Browses furiously* “I’ll get the quattro formaggi. Is that… acceptable?!“

Me: “Great choice! One of my favorites!”

The rest of the table orders, and I bring out their pizzas. My vegetarian customer doesn’t look happy.

Customer: “This is all just cheese!” 

Me: “Yes, ‘quattro formaggi’ means ‘four cheeses’.”

Customer: “What kind of outfit are you running back there?! I didn’t want just cheese!” 

Me: *Trying not to sigh* “Maybe if you tell me what you’d like on your pizza, I can see what the kitchen can do.”

Customer: “I want olives, and tomatoes, and some peppers!” 

Me: “We have a garden pizza that has those. Would you like me to replace your quattro formaggi with that?”

Customer: “Well, obviously!” 

I take the pizza away, and the kitchen fires up a replacement ASAP. I bring it out.

Me: “How does this look?”

Customer: “Fine, but I’m still upset with you because now all my friends are almost finished eating!”

Customer’s Friend: “That’s because we all know how to read! Eat your f****** pizza, and leave the poor girl alone!”

The customer scowled, I got winks from the rest of the diners, and I still managed to get a nice tip from the rest of them!

I’m a pizza delivery guy in college. I take a delivery to the apartment of three fellows who have been smoking the Mary Jane just a little too much.

First Guy: “How much is the order?”

Me: “$16.”

He hands me a $10 bill.

First Guy: “I’ll be back.”

Another guy comes over and hands me $10.

Second Guy: “I’ll be back.”

A third roommate then handed me $9.

Third Guy: “I’ll be back.”

At this point, I have $29 dollars on a $16 dollar order. The first guy came back with a $10 bill and hands it to me.

First Guy: “Keep the change.”

Me: “Thanks!”

Before I can get to the car the other roommate catches up to me and says:

Second Guy: “Here’s the $16 we owe and a tip for being cool.” 

I made $50 in tips on one delivery. It made up for the times that I got stiffed!

I work at a pizza place. When I get back from a delivery run, my manager is on the phone with one of the customers I have just delivered to. He puts the phone on mute and calls me over.

Manager: “You’ll never believe what your last drop-off is complaining about.”

Me: “Oh, no, what did I do?”

Manager: “Listen.”

He takes the call off mute and instead puts it on speakerphone for me to listen to.

Customer: “—I am very upset!”

Manager: “Sir, just to get this right, you’re calling us to complain that your pizza, upon delivery, was too hot to eat? Am I right?”

Customer: “Yes!”

Manager: *Staring at me, almost laughing* “I see.”

Customer: “What are you gonna do about it!?” 

Manager: “Use your complaint for our advertising!”