Pizza delivery driver's act of kindness gets national attention

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KTVU) -- Local pizza chain Pizza My Heart has made a practice of granting unusual customer requests for deliveries, but one they got last week that called for some kind words for a delivery driver has gotten national attention.

"There's a little box that says Special Instructions, and people write crazy things in there," said owner Chuck Hammers.

There was the pizza that became a prom invite, one done especially for Pi day, and another that requested a drawing on the box of a "dinosaur feasting upon a baby seal."

"It's fun. It's just whether or not it's something we can do. But I do think it's fun giving them something that they want," said manager Francisco Ayala.

But it was a request the Palo Alto restaurant got last week that got people talking.

"That one said, 'Send your cutest delivery driver and tell me I'm pretty.' I mean it's a really touching thing. It's like you want to do something there," explained Hammers.

That cute driver, who was too shy to go on camera, says he was willing to go the extra mile that day. He had expected to find a group of college girls at the house, instead he found just one woman.

She had apparently planned a birthday party but no one showed up.

"He shows up and it's just a gal that's ordered a pizza. And he was really nice to her and said she was really pretty and I think she appreciated it," said Hammers.

He stayed a little longer than normal, giving her a hug along with her two pizzas.

"I think it was really nice of him to do that, going out of his way to make that connection with a customer," said Ayala.

The driver posted the receipt on social media, and got an overwhelming response.

"It had like a million and a half hits because he made someone feel special," said Hammers.

He had been afraid he might get in trouble for lingering during that delivery. Instead, his bosses say they were glad he did.

"I think it's really neat. And I think we should all try to do that. All of my drivers should try to do that more often," said Ayala.

The owner says they get special requests at least every other day. And as long as they're not too busy and the requests are reasonable, they try to grant them.