The Waitress poured coffee on Big Shaq’s face, but she didn’t know he owned the Restaurant
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The Coffee Spill That Changed the Diner: A Shaquille O’Neal Story
The Sunny Side Up Diner was known for its mouthwatering food and the little bell above the door that never stopped jingling on busy weekends. Customers loved coming here, and Saturdays were especially hectic, with every table full and waitresses rushing around like bees in a hive. Among them was Evelyn, a sharp-tongued waitress with short brown hair and piercing green eyes. She was good at her job but often struggled to keep her temper in check, especially on days like this when the diner was packed, and every customer seemed to need something right away.
As Evelyn hurried past a corner table, she noticed an extraordinarily tall man sitting by himself. His legs barely fit under the table, and he was dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans. He had a calm smile on his face, seemingly unfazed by the chaos around him. Evelyn didn’t recognize him, and she certainly didn’t know he was basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal. Even more surprising, she had no idea that Shaq had recently purchased the Sunny Side Up Diner.
Shaq had decided to keep his ownership a secret for now. He wanted to observe how the diner operated without anyone knowing who he was. To Evelyn, however, he seemed like a customer who wasn’t going to order much, and that annoyed her. The place was busy, and she didn’t want to waste time on someone who didn’t seem serious about eating.
With her tray tucked under her arm, Evelyn approached Shaq’s table. Her usual customer-service smile was nowhere to be seen. “What can I get you?” she asked, her tone sharp and impatient.
Shaq smiled politely. “Just a coffee, please.”
Evelyn frowned. “Just a coffee? You’ll have to pay for it first,” she snapped, clearly annoyed. Without saying a word, Shaq pulled out some cash and handed it to her. She snatched it, gave him a quick nod, and stomped off to pour his coffee, muttering under her breath about “wasting time.”
When she returned with the coffee, she set the steaming cup in front of Shaq without a word and walked away before he could even say thank you. As the day went on, Evelyn continued serving other customers with cheerful smiles and friendly banter. But every time she glanced at Shaq, sitting quietly at his table, her expression soured.
Shaq noticed everything. He saw how kind Evelyn was to other customers and how differently she treated him. But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he quietly raised his hand when he finished his coffee, signaling for a refill. Evelyn sighed heavily, muttered something under her breath, and stomped over to his table. Without even bringing the coffee pot, she asked coldly, “What is it?”
Shaq smiled calmly. “Could I get a refill, please? I have a long day ahead.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes. “A long day, huh?” she muttered sarcastically. “Well, I didn’t ask for your life story.” She stomped off to grab the coffee pot, her frustration evident. But as she poured his refill, her hand wobbled, and hot coffee splashed all over Shaq—his legs, his shirt, and even a bit on his face.
Shaq gasped loudly, dabbing at his clothes with a napkin as the diner fell silent. Every customer turned to look, some gasping in shock. Evelyn, however, showed no remorse. “You really should’ve gotten out of the way,” she said sarcastically before walking off, leaving Shaq to clean himself up.
Still calm but visibly annoyed, Shaq stood and walked over to the counter where the manager, Mr. Jenkins, was shuffling papers. The short, bald man had witnessed the entire incident but pretended not to notice as Shaq approached.
“Excuse me,” Shaq said, his deep voice calm but firm.
Mr. Jenkins sighed and turned around. “Yes?” he asked impatiently.
“I’d like to talk to you about what just happened,” Shaq said.
Shaq frowned but remained composed. Without another word, he returned to his table, grabbed his bag, and pulled out a thick file. He walked back to the counter and placed the file in front of Mr. Jenkins.
“You might want to take a look at this,” Shaq said, tapping the papers inside.
Curious, Mr. Jenkins leaned forward and began reading. His face turned pale as he realized the documents were proof that Shaq was the new owner of the diner.
“This place belongs to me now,” Shaq said firmly.
The room was silent as the realization sank in. Evelyn, noticing the commotion, approached the counter. “What’s going on?” she asked, looking from Shaq to Mr. Jenkins.
Before either could answer, a customer nearby spoke up. “How do you not know who Shaq is? He’s one of the most famous basketball players in the world!”
Evelyn’s face turned pale as the weight of the situation hit her. Shaq turned to both her and Mr. Jenkins, his voice steady but serious. “The problem here isn’t that you didn’t recognize me. It’s how you treat people. You’ve shown me today that you don’t belong in this business.”
Both Evelyn and Mr. Jenkins tried to apologize, but Shaq cut them off. “You’re both fired,” he said firmly.
The next day, Shaq returned to the diner in a sharp suit and gathered the remaining staff for a meeting. “Hospitality is about respect,” he said. “Every customer deserves kindness and care, no matter who they are.”
Over the following weeks, Shaq implemented training programs, hired a compassionate new manager, and rebuilt the team with employees who valued great service. Customers quickly noticed the positive changes, and the diner became a place where everyone felt welcome.
One afternoon, as Shaq sipped his coffee at his favorite table, he watched a waitress hand a balloon to a little boy with his pancake breakfast. The boy’s face lit up with joy, and Shaq smiled, proud of the transformation he had brought to the Sunny Side Up Diner. It wasn’t just a restaurant anymore—it was a home away from home for everyone who walked through its doors.
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Story of Shaq Being Confronted By Racist 90-Year-Old Woman Is Fiction
This rumor about the former NBA star is one of the latest fictional stories drawn up using artificial intelligence.
Image courtesy of Max Story/YouTube
A rumor circulating online in January 2025 claimed that a racist 90-year-old white woman named Margaret confronted former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal in a supermarket and told him to “go back to Africa.”
For example, several Facebook posts told the story, which originated from various YouTube videos. One such video posted by the Max Story YouTube channel on Dec. 30, 2024, displayed the title “A 90-Year-Old Racist Woman Tells Big Shaq, ‘Go Back to Africa’ — His Response Stuns the Crowd.”
In the video, a narrator claimed the elderly white woman accused a person referenced as “Big Shaq” of blocking a supermarket aisle. She allegedly said to him: “These days, they let anyone into supermarkets. The staff must not care.” She added: “Throw him out. People like him don’t belong here. Send him back to Africa.” Then, “Big Shaq” supposedly explained how her words hurt him. The woman responded: “I’m sorry. Thank you for teaching me such a valuable lesson today. You are truly a remarkable person,” ending the video with an inspirational tone.
However, the entire story was fiction. According to a Google search, no news media outlet reported on the alleged incident. Additionally, the video’s narrator never mentioned when or where the purported confrontation occurred, the name of the alleged supermarket nor O’Neal’s full name (the video just referenced “Big Shaq.”) The video’s thumbnail image depicted O’Neal, but the first two minutes of the clip showed a completely different person.
A man who appears in the first two minutes of the video does not resemble O’Neal.
The video displayed the YouTube-provided label for “altered or synthetic content,” a disclaimer to tell viewers that the clip features narration, scripting, editing and visuals generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
Further, on Dec. 15, 2024, the Black Struggles YouTube channel published a very similar video titled “Racist Woman Tells Black Man ‘Go Back to Africa’ — His Response Leaves the Crowd Speechless!” The clip also features AI-generated elements, including a narrator telling virtually the same story about a racist woman supposedly confronting a Black man in a supermarket. In that video, the narrator calls the man “Darrell,” not “Big Shaq.” The clip has received nearly 600,000 views as of this writing.
Comments under both videos indicate that some users believe the incidents truly occurred and that the videos’ message inspired people. For example, under the video from the Black Struggles YouTube channel, one user wrote: “Wonderful story to remind people to question the hate they have been taught.”
We have previously reported on similar YouTube videos about O’Neal; clips that also share made-up stories and use elements generated by AI. For example, one such false story claimed that a 5-year-old boy approached O’Neal at a Los Angeles diner to tell him about his father abusing his mother.
