Help wanted, but not desperately.
A restaurant burned by unreliable workers has bluntly advertised what they’re looking for with an ad that reads: “Now hiring: non-stupid people.”
Santino’s Pizzeria hung the all-caps banner outside its Columbus, Ohio, storefront a few months ago in jest, according to local news outlet WSYX, but it’s just now raising eyebrows after a customer posted a photo of it on social media.
Jayden Dunigan, whose family owns the restaurant, told WSYX that the sign was meant to be a joke, explaining the headache of spending the time and money to train new employees only to have them not show up for work.
“A lot of the people we’ve hired just don’t want to work,” Dunigan said. “There is no work ethic behind them, so that’s the meaning behind the ‘non-stupid.’ ”
But some couldn’t find the humor in the message on social media.
“If that’s the first impression you choose to make as a business owner, don’t complain when your employees leave,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Another showed support for the small business: “Honest hiring practices are always best.”
Still, the restaurant has faced some costly backlash. Santino’s Pizzeria has been getting calls and pranks, cutting into its doughy bottom line. Dunigan told the news outlet that on Thursday someone called to place a fake order that was more than $100 in response to the sign.
“It was about 10 pizzas. We made the order, he called back, he talked down to one of our employees. He said our pizza sucks, and he’s canceling the order,” Dunigan said about the unruly customer.
Instead of letting the food go to waste, Dunigan said they donated it.
“Since we don’t enjoy wasting food here, we always think that someone else in need can enjoy the food,” Dunigan said.
Another manager at the restaurant, Heather Stockton, is putting a lighter spin on the backlash, telling WBNS: “Instead of judging our signs, why don’t you come judge our pizzas? Our pizzas are really good.”
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Jeanette Settembre
