The number on the screen was familiar. Kayla had dialed it recently, as she had wanted to surprise her beloved. Her heart practically jumped out of her chest. Her mouth had gone dry. But was she delusional? She didn’t know this delivery man, but she knew he was a liar. He didn’t know her boyfriend the way she knew him. And yet, he had specific answers, which threatened to tear her world apart.
Kayla had enjoyed three amazing months with her boyfriend, and during that time, they’d grown even closer. So, when he announced that he was moving to another city to attend college, her heart broke, but she tried to be understanding. She showed her support by helping him pack. She even gave him a gift before sending him on his journey. Their relationship was still new, but she felt that this was the right decision. Well, that’s what she thought at the time.
Kayla, who was originally from Iowa, began to focus on her goals. She also had a thing for nutrition and fitness, which is why she went to Iowa State University and majored in Kinesiology and Health. Making her dreams come true required a lot of work, but it also cost money, so she worked as a personal trainer to pay her tuition. She wanted to become a physical therapy assistant someday. But for now, she had it all, including a guy and a job. But then, she hit a major bump in the road.
Kayla missed her boyfriend. They used to text each other every day, but over the last few weeks, something was odd about him. She assumed he was stressed. After all, studying for finals can turn the nicest person into a wreck. She figured that her man needed a pick me up. So, she took a break from fitness and meal plans, and decided to text him, but she wasn’t expecting the call back she received.
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, or so they say. As a health foodie, Kayla agreed with this philosophy. So, she came up with a plan. After all, he had dreams and goals just like she did, and they were both working hard towards a better future, so she assumed that they would be together forever and have everything they ever wanted. This guy was special, at least, that’s what she assumed.
Kayla made a call to Jimmy John’s in her boyfriend’s city, and explained the situation. “Hey, this is for the guy I’m dating.” She lived three hours away from him, so she wouldn’t be there to sign off on the delivery. So, it was really up to Jimmy John’s to ensure this romantic gesture actually happened. They could have told her that she needed to be there to charge the order to her card. But they decided to help her out. Unfortunately, for Kayla, no good deed goes unpunished.
Kayla was 24 years old. She was beautiful and athletic. Plus, she had dedicated her life to fitness and health. But she believed that in order to look great on the outside, you had to nourish yourself on the inside. But she knew her boyfriend was probably stressed out, especially since he was consuming energy drinks and coffee. He probably hadn’t had a nice, balanced meal in a long time, so she knew exactly what to do.
Kayla’s boyfriend told her that he wouldn’t be able to talk or text her for a while because he was going to take a nap. Of course, being the thoughtful human being that she was, Kayla ordered a tasty sandwich from Jimmy John’s. The surprise meal would give her man the energy he needed to pass his finals and return home, at least, that’s what she presumed.
When Kayla swiped the screen on her phone, she texted him the message: “Food is on the way for you. Please leave a tip.” She knew that her boyfriend was about to wake up groggy but hungry when he heard a knock on the door. He would sit up on the bed, check his phone, and once he realized what she had done, he’d reply back, “Thank you.” But then her phone buzzed.
Kayla’s phone buzzed. Had the delivery guy taken a wrong turn? “Look, we usually don’t do this, but I think you would like to know… when we walked up to the door to your boyfriend’s place, we were able to see into his apartment and he was in his boxers with a naked woman on top of him on the couch.” This made Kayla laugh, but was this a joke?
She bombarded the delivery guy with questions. Did he go to the right address? What type of car did he have? What name did the man use to sign? And as he replied to each question, her world started to crumble. Then she shared how the delivery guy explained his reaction. “He was like, ‘Honestly, it was so awkward I just wanted to get out of there, so I just gave him the sandwich and left.’” Why did he do this?
Kayla shared her story on Twitter, where the post received lots of attention and almost 3,000 likes. Following her heartbreak, strangers sent her advice and offered her emotional support. Kayla herself thanked the Jimmy John’s delivery guy for being honest with her. Most people would have kept what they saw to themselves, but this unnamed hero refused to allow Kayla’s boyfriend’s betrayal to go on. However, Kayla wasn’t done with Jimmy John’s just yet.
Kayla called her boyfriend, who denied everything, but she knew that the details that the delivery guy had given her were undeniable. “I was like, ‘Jimmy John’s just told me the situation,'” Kayla shared. “And he tried to make up a lie, saying, ‘It wasn’t me,’ but it was.” She then ended things with her boyfriend and thanked Jimmy John’s for letting her know the truth. But then Jimmy John’s contacted Kayla as soon as the story went viral.
Not only did Jimmy John’s tweet their support, they also catered Kayla’s break-up party. Some of the things they provided included treats, sweets, and plenty of sandwiches for her and her guests. They even gave her a few presents. Kayla held the poolside party with Jimmy John’s help. With their help and the help of her friends, Kayla was finally able to deal with the heartbreak. But she’s never going to forget.
John Shea, who’s the Chief Marketing Officer of Jimmy John’s, explained the company’s stand on this situation. “We’re freaks about everything we do, from our products to our process. And customer service is no exception.” Kayla never got the chance to learn the identity of the delivery guy, who was under no obligation to help her by telling her the truth about what her boyfriend. But she will forever be in his debt.