Last week, something happened that I can’t believe. I’m 45, recovering from surgery, and battling a cold. My wife, Karen, was out of town, and the kids were with friends. I was home alone, feeling miserable.
The living room was dim, and I’d been lying on the couch wrapped in a blanket. My throat was scratchy, and I could barely keep my eyes open. I hadn’t eaten much all day and didn’t have the energy to cook. The fridge only had leftovers that looked worse than they sounded. I decided to order food, something light to settle my stomach—chicken noodle soup and a turkey sandwich.
The total came to about $30 with delivery, and I added a $9 tip. It wasn’t a huge tip, but I thought it was fair, especially since I asked the driver to leave the food at the door to avoid spreading my cold.
Twenty minutes later, I got a notification: “Your order has arrived.” I groaned and pushed myself off the couch, checking the doorbell camera. I saw the delivery driver, a young guy in his twenties, standing there with the bag. He was looking at his phone and muttering.
“Nine bucks? Are you kidding me?” he said. “People are so cheap.” He shook his head. “If you can’t afford to tip properly, don’t order food.”
I stared at the screen in disbelief. He stood there for a moment, then said, “Guess this broke idiot can stay hungry,” before picking up the bag and walking away.
I couldn’t believe it. He just took my food because he didn’t like the tip. I sat back down on the couch, stunned. This couldn’t be real.
I quickly contacted the delivery app’s support team, explaining the situation and attaching the video from my doorbell camera. They apologized, issued a full refund, and said they would escalate the issue to the driver’s manager. But that wasn’t enough. I had to do more.
I called the deli and explained what happened. The manager, Sam, was shocked and promised to look into it.
I then posted in my local Facebook group: “Watch out for this delivery driver. Apparently, a $9 tip isn’t enough for him, so he takes your food.” I uploaded the video, and the post went viral. Comments flooded in, offering sarcastic tips for the driver, from “If you’re upset over a $9 tip, maybe find a job that pays hourly!” to “Karma’s a menu; you get served what you deserve.”
The post spread quickly, and even the delivery company responded, apologizing for the experience and saying they were reviewing the driver’s conduct. A few hours later, I received a message from them, stating the driver wouldn’t be fired but would face disciplinary action.
Finally, my food arrived again—this time with a handwritten note: “Get well soon, John. We’re with you.” It was the same order, but this time it tasted better, maybe because of the support I had from my community.
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