Shaquille O’Neal buys customers’ meals at Houston deli on Christmas Eve

Customers of a Houston deli and restaurant got an early Christmas present this year – getting their Christmas Eve meals paid for by basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal.

Kenny and Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, co-owned by a third-generation Hungarian deli owner, posted about the encounter on Facebook, saying, “You never know who will walk into Kenny & Ziggy’s.”

“Our friend Shaq paid us a visit today. This was his first time at the new store, and loved it!” the post says along with a selfie Shaq took with one of their employees. “He is such a Men[s]ch – he bought everybody’s meal in The Schmooze Room! What a great guy.” 

The Schmooze Room, according to the deli’s website, is the restaurant’s “large private room” used for functions and meetings. It’s not clear how many people were in the room at the time, but it has space to hold up to 75 people. 

O’Neal’s gesture at the Houston deli was commended by many in comments on the post, including people who shared their own past positive experiences with the NBA legend. 

Houston has become a familiar destination for O’Neal, as his son Shaqir attends and plays basketball for Texas Southern University. Shaq, who went to high school in the state when his father was stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, moved to the Dallas area earlier this year.

Soon after moving into his home in June, he was seen buying a family a new washing machine and a 75-inch television at a local Best Buy, the San Antonio Express-News reported.