Pizza Shop Goes Viral After Putting Up ‘Now Hiring Non-Stupid People’ Sign

The sign made its first appearance outside the Ohio pizza shop several months ago. The attention on it, however, has now grown to a national level.

February 22, 2023

A pizza shop in Ohio has successfully sliced its way to virality thanks to the specificity with which it announced it was seeking new employees.

The shop in question is Santino’s Pizzeria in the Columbus area, while the sign in question reads, simply, “Now hiring non-stupid people.” Per a report from WSYX, the local in-person response to the viral sign has been largely positive. One person, however, responded to the sign’s presence by calling in a fake order totaling more than $100.

Over on the shop’s Facebook page, owners confirmed they ultimately donated the pizzas made for the prank order to a nearby homeless shelter. In the comments section of several posts, some spoke kindly about the “non-stupid people” signage while others criticized the establishment.

Speaking with WBNS over the weekend, Heather Stockton—a manager at the shop—explained that the sign was “supposed to be a joke” in response to what she described as employment struggles. According to that report, the sign was initially posted several months ago, although its nationwide virality didn’t kick in until more recently.

“Instead of judging our signs, why don’t you come judge our pizzas?” Stockton said, adding that the shop’s pizza offerings are of the “really good” variety.

Complex has reached out to the shop for additional comment. This story may be updated.

This isn’t the first time this exact sign, albeit for a different business, has slide its way into headlines. A “now hiring non-stupid people” sign previously spurred a similar reaction after being posted outside the Pets Gone Wild Resort in Texas last October.