‘Why Not Do Something Good?’: Good Samaritan Pays it Forward at Ohio Pizza Shop

An Ohio pizza shop got a helping hand from the owner of another small business — a total stranger — after someone failed to pay for a large order.

PizzAroma in Maumee was “left holding the bag” after a woman placed an order for 16 pizzas last week but never picked them up, WTVG reported.

“A lady called and placed an order for 16 pizzas to be picked up the next day. The next day came, and she called right before the order was to be ready. We told her it’s in the oven, and then she never showed up,” store manager Rocky Keefer said.

All 16 pizzas had to be trashed, and the restaurant ate the cost of the unpaid $112 bill. 

“I can’t see why someone would do that to anybody, let alone a small business,” Keefer told the outlet.

PizzAroma, a family-owned and operated business, also has locations in the small towns of Swanton and Holland, Ohio.

After the story showed up on social media, it caught the attention of another small business owner who wanted to make the mishap right, and the Maumee shop got another call for an even bigger order this week — not only did the caller want to pay for the original 16 pizzas, but two additional pies.

“I didn’t believe it at first. I was thinking, ‘Is someone trying to do it again?’ He said he wanted to pay on the phone, so then I knew it was not a scam,” Keefer recalled, the local station reported. 

“People like that, there aren’t many out there anymore. It was like an angel calling and saying, ‘I am going to help you out.'”

Travis Truesdell, a U.S. Army veteran and owner of local business True Aerial Designs, was the man who made the “angelic” rescue order.

“I have a lot of gratitude for people who have helped me out in similar situations where I was in need and they helped me with no strings attached. I was happy to be in a place to pay it back,” Truesdell said.

The good Samaritan even worked at a pizza shop himself back in the day. 

“Any time you can right a wrong, when you have the ability or luxury, why not do it?” he posed. “Life is too short, and as much bad as there is going on in this world, why not do something good?” 

In addition to paying for the large order, Keefer said Truesdell also left a generous tip for the staff.

Now, PizzAroma isn’t out $112 and is changing their policies so that won’t happen again — orders of 10 or more pizzas must be paid for upfront.