We took the kids for dinner at Pizza Express. There was a very friendly lady dining alone at the next table who clearly had special needs. When the time came for her to pay the bill, her bank card was declined. The waitress told to her, in a very kind way, that there was a problem but that she would call her manager for help. Jeremy, my husband, immediately leapt up and told the waiting staff that we would pay for the lady's meal. However, when the manager arrived, he explained to the lady that she couldn't use her bank card to pay, but that there was no need to worry.Pizza Express authorizes the restaurant to give away two free meals per month. On this occasion, they would like to provide her with a free meal. She was extremely grateful and apologetic that she had been unable to pay. We were relieved that the lady had been treated in such a dignified way and that she was not placed in a difficult position.
Then, the manager approached our table. He said that, as we had shown such generosity, he would like to donate the second free meal that the restaurant was able to offer to us! We were absolutely dumbfounded! I have never heard of any chain restaurant behaving in such a generous way. We were quite overcome with gratitude. I made sure that the lady was able to get home OK then we thanked the staff and left ourselves. I think Pizza Express, and in particular the manager of the Surbiton branch, deserve a massive pat on the back. I told the manager that my younger son has special needs and that I was really impressed by how the restaurant had treated this special case.
2606 Reads
- Posted by lstorme2
- Mar 1, 2016
- Comments (13)
Readers Comments
sheba wrote: This made me tear up. Watching/hearing of a kind act is experiencing it ourselves. Thank you so much!
Not a real pizza fan, but will look for a pizza express!
Not a real pizza fan, but will look for a pizza express!
Virginia wrote: Random acts of kindness strikes again - in your family and the manager. Goes to show you never know how a good thought or deed will turn out. This one is having a ripple effect now.
Gabrielle wrote: What a wonderful circle of kindness! If we had pizza express in my area we would stop there because of your story. I'll add them to my list of good corporate citizens for travel purposes at least. Thank you!
lstorme2 wrote: Thanks to gabrielle! Your comments gave me an idea! As i'm about to travel to kosovo again, i'll use my blog to post and implement a list of the places where i used to and will go again, where people had nothing but shared everything, even free coffees in places where selling a coffee can make the difference for the whole family.
Lesley Cook wrote: Lovely! Nice to see such good customer service from such a large chain.
melnotes wrote: The world is a beautiful place :)
burns wrote: Thank you for relaying the story on to us. Knowing of such special kind happenings is so inspiring!!!
mindyjourney wrote: it is a kinder world, my friend...especially where pizza is concerned! thank you for sharing with us :)
Mish wrote: How beautiful !!
brad2 wrote: A Pizza and kindness story...(the best kind).
