A pizza restaurant has been slammed for installing a giant sign encouraging "non-stupid people" to apply for its job vacancies. Santino's Pizzeria, Columbus, in Ohio, America, has been forced to defend its sign after residents took offence to it, claiming it's a dig at those who recently quit the pizza joint.
Jayden Dunigan, whose family owns the restaurant, claims it was made in jest and relates to their annoyance at spending time and money training new employees only for them not to show up for work. Jayden told WSYN: "A lot of the people we’ve hired just don’t want to work. There is no work ethic behind them, so that’s the meaning behind the 'non-stupid'."
But regardless of whether it was a joke or not, many social media users are now claiming it's more on a reflection of the pizza joint than its workers.
One user said on Twitter: "If that’s the first impression you choose to make as a business owner, don't complain when your employees leave."
Another user added: "If I was an employer wanting to hire new people, I would simply not be passive aggressive before someone new has even walked through the door."
A third user joked: "Honest hiring practices are always best."
Since installing their controversial sign, Santino’s Pizzeria has been inundated with prank calls from people who disagree with their message.
Jayden claims someone called to place a fake order of $100 (£83), apparently as a protest about 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 cancelling the order," Jayden added.
Instead of letting the food go to waste, Jayden said they donated it.
"Since we don't enjoy wasting food here, we always think that someone else in need can enjoy the food," hesaid.
Another manager at the restaurant, Heather Stockton, has tried to put out the small PR fire, saying: "Instead of judging our signs, why don’t you come judge our pizzas? Our pizzas are really good."
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