Brighten Your Day

Massive No-Show Order At Restaurant Leads To 2 Amazing Acts Of Kindness

August 11, 2025

What started as a frustrating no-show for a massive takeout order turned into a story of kindness and community spirit in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Stackburger on Facebook

Stackburger, a local favorite, had prepared an enormous lunch order last Thursday — 10 Double Stackburgers, 5 regular Stackburgers, 5 cheeseburgers, 5 chicken sandwiches, 5 poutines, 10 orders of fries, and 20 milkshakes — all ready for a 1:30 p.m. pickup. But when the pickup time came and went, the customer was nowhere to be found. Attempts to call the number on the order revealed it was out of service.

In a Facebook post, the restaurant shared their disappointment, noting they hoped the person who placed the order was okay. They decided the best way forward was to turn the unexpected situation into a blessing — donating the food to Pauline’s Place, a local women’s shelter.

"Going forward, we will have to make changes for large call in orders," the restaurant wrote.

"We don’t want to jump to conclusions and we hope the person who made the order is okay. It did end on a positive note though, as we were able to donate the food to a local women’s shelter. Thank you so much for accepting our donation!"

The gesture quickly caught the attention of the community. Just a few hours later, a person walked into the restaurant after reading about the donation online.

They asked for the cost of the unclaimed order, which came to $439.20. Although the cashier assured them payment wasn’t needed, the customer insisted on covering the entire bill — and asked to remain anonymous.

Stackburger on Facebook

"They had read that we had donated the order to a women’s shelter (Pauline’s Place) and wanted to pay for it," the restaurant shared in an update on Facebook. "As a small business, this amount of money is significant so we are forever grateful. We feel this act of kindness speaks volumes to our community and how, with the help of our Stackburger family, we were able to turn a negative experience into a positive."

The update brought a wave of positive responses online.

Supporters praised the kindness on display, with one person writing, “Kindness always brings more kindness.” Another added, “This is so heartwarming!! There is good in the world.” Others celebrated the spirit of the community, including a comment that read, “Sault Ste. Marie is full of wonderful amazing people. Let's celebrate the good ones and not give the bad ones any space!”