Shaquille O’Neal has been properly regarded for his ability on the basketball courtroom and his antics as a media character. Nonetheless, the celebrated athlete has additionally been lauded for being fairly beneficiant at occasions. There have been quite a few events the place O’Neal has been recognized to shock individuals in the perfect methods. Simply this previous weekend, the Los Angeles Lakers icon did simply that when he gave his server a big tip at a restaurant. As candy as that was, although, I’d be mendacity if I stated I wasn’t additionally centered on the humorous means he trolled that very same worker.
The person also called “The Diesel” visited The Unique Ninfa’s Uptown, which is positioned in Houston and is a long-standing institution that’s extremely regarded for its Mexican meals. In line with CultureMap Houston, Shaq stopped by the eatery for lunch, and it appears he made fairly the impression on the workers and fellow patrons. Not solely did the businessman decide to eat alongside different clients as a substitute of sitting in a non-public room, however he additionally posed for footage. On prime of that, the 15-time All-Star tipped his server a whopping $1,000.
A gesture like that’s extremely beneficiant, and that’s not all Shaq did whereas at The Unique Ninfa’s. The four-time NBA champion additionally paid for the meal of one other desk of consumers that was sitting close by. All of this actually tracks for Shaq, who beforehand paid the invoice for a whole restaurant whereas out on a date. He additionally adopted that up by donating to cash that might profit these impacted by the grocery store taking pictures in Buffalo, New York in 2022. Shaq even notably paid for a pair of sneakers for a kid he crossed paths with at a mall.
The truth that Shaquille O’Neal offered his server with such a large tip is simply so superior. In fact, I’m additionally not stunned in any respect that the longtime broadcaster additionally did one thing cheeky whereas on the restaurant. Govt chef Patti Delgado was the one who delivered O’Neal’s three crispy tacos to him and, in an announcement shared with CultureMap, she revealed how O’Neal had a little bit of enjoyable together with her:
I took him his plate and once I set it down he stated, ‘Wait a second, what is that this?’ and I stated, ‘The crispy tacos you ordered.’ and Shaq checked out me and stated, ‘I did not order that.’ Then he stated, ‘No, I am simply kidding! Have a look at your face!’ He is very humorous and so all the way down to earth.
Contemplating how nice that second is, I’d prefer to suppose that Chef Delgado gained’t be forgetting that anytime quickly. A photograph from Shaq’s go to was additionally shared to the restaurant’s official Instagram account. Test it out for your self down under:
Shaquille O’Neal’s character is, after all, actually on show every time he’s on Contained in the NBA, the speak present he’s been a co-host of for practically 15 years now. His and Charles Barkley’s antics are top-tier and function a significant draw for the present. Fortunately, these shenanigans will proceed when the present returns this fall for its first season on ESPN. O’Neal’s return is certainly assured, provided that he inked a large TV deal to stay with this system for the rest of the 2025 TV schedule and past.
There’s nonetheless loads of time left earlier than Shaq returns to the air alongside his cohorts, and I’m curious as to what else he has deliberate for the summer time. Personally, I’d love to listen to extra tales that illustrate his generosity and humor just like his journey to The Unique Ninfa’s Uptown.