Burger joint donates 60 meals to homeless after cruel 'no show' prank. Then a mystery customer made their day
Despite the cashier saying no, the individual cleared the bill while requesting anonymity.
Stackburger, a local restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., was left heartbroken when the customer who had placed a massive order didn't turn up to claim it. However, thanks to a good Samaritan, that very prank led to two beautiful acts of kindness. In August 2025, Stackburger prepared a huge takeout order that included 10 Double Stackburgers, 5 Stackburgers, 5 cheeseburgers, 5 chicken sandwiches, 5 poutines, 5-10 orders of fries, and 20 milkshakes, CTV News reported. With no one showing up to collect the order, the eatery called the listed number but found it out of service.
"We learned a hard lesson today," Stackburger wrote in a post. Disheartened by what had happened, the eatery had decided to make changes for large call-in orders. "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," they shared. Yes, that's right! Kevin Syrette, the owner of Stackburger, decided to donate the $439.20 order to Pauline’s Place, a local shelter for homeless women, youth, and families. That may seem like a happy ending, but wait, the story didn't end there. Hours after the food joint posted the incident online, a visitor arrived at the restaurant and insisted on clearing the unclaimed order's bill. Despite the cashier saying no, the individual cleared the bill while requesting anonymity. "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," Stackburger wrote.
Meanwhile, reacting to the wholesome story, Courtney Karin commented, "This makes me so happy; you serve the community a top-tier burger in my humble opinion, and I love seeing that come back to you guys. Honestly, whoever skipped out on this order is the unlucky one because they missed out on quite possibly the best burgers in the Sault. As someone who was in town when you first started out, this makes me so happy because it shows that 1. Not only are you still producing an amazing product, but 2. You haven't lost your moral compass, which I love. These are the qualities that keep a small business thriving in its community. Round of applause for all of those who have a hand in making Stackburger what it is."
Tammy Lynn Landry wrote, "Whoever paid for that order… that is wonderful. That is definitely a significant amount for a small business. Good on you. Also, love what Stackburger was willing to do." Similarly, someone else, Jeannette Orazietti, said, "I love all the positivity that came from a really unfortunate situation. It’s so nice to see when the community understands what goes into a small business. Kudos to all involved!" Echoing the sentiments, Sarah Skagen commented, "The way that you handled a tough situation with so much positivity is also an incredible testament to the kind of business you run! Kudos to you, Stackburger, and thanks for setting a great example to our community about how to handle a business setback. You guys are amazing!"
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