Many pizza shop owners have probably dreamed of sharing their unfiltered thoughts with obnoxious customers. Anthony Laurino, owner of Phil’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Syosset, New York, brings those dreams to life in skits shared to the shop’s social media channels. The clips have often gone viral and brought regional, and even national, attention to Phil’s Pizzeria.
“This industry needs a reality show,” Laurino recently told the New York Post. “I tell everybody, ‘you’re not going to believe what happens at work.’”
While the skits are mostly lighthearted, they do contain foul language. Laurino isn’t afraid to drop an F-bomb—or several—in his skits, which satirize real-life interactions he or another team member have had with a customer. But Laurino is not naming customers nor publicly shaming them—he is, rather, critiquing the behaviors that so often drive shop owners crazy.
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“This one woman orders a house salad without lettuce… a guy comes in and asks for grilled chicken with no grill marks,” Laurino told the Post, citing examples of the actual interactions his staff has dealt with over the years. “A man grabbed a plate too soon from a server, got a stain on his clothes, and called the next day asking for six-to-seven dollars to have his pants cleaned—I have no idea where he got that number from.”
Laurino explained to the Post that it all began in May 2024. The first clip was recorded from the perspective of a “customer” watching Laurino bag up an order. The customer says “that slice was supposed to stay,” to which Laurino responds “did you say that when you ordered it?” When the customer confirms they did, Laurino responds, “well then it ain’t your (freaking) slice, go sit down.” The clip has earned over 550,000 likes on Instagram.
While the clips have helped raise the profile of the pizza shop—which now has over 150,000 followers on Instagram—they have also, occasionally, attracted trolls. Laurino has received threatening comments, some of which prompted him to file police reports.
“I don’t leave here alone at night anymore,” Laurino said. “If I see a car following me, I won’t go directly home. People get (really) mad, I don’t know why.”
Laurino told the Post that he plays a caricature, of sorts, in the clips. In real life, he said, he’s far warmer, bubbly and kind to customers. The shop’s “about me” section on its website details a warm, hospitable place. “Phil’s Pizza offers…a welcoming atmosphere so that you can feel comfortable when you dine in with us,” the site says. “We also have friendly staff that truly care about your experience with us and treat you like family.”
But buyer, be warned: Laurino and his team members keep a running notepad of funny interactions they’ve had with customers. Whether that involves customers moving tables together without asking, or “wannabe food influencers” attempting to score free food or a customer asking for a pizza “well done”—Laurino and his staff are taking notes for inspiration.
“We get new material each day,” Laurino said. “I love what this did for the business, and I just feel like it’s only going to get better.”
