‘Such a mensch’: Shaquille O’Neal buys customers’ meals on Christmas Eve

HOUSTON — Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal played the part of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, buying food for customers at a Texas deli.

>> Read more trending news

Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen in Houston, Texas, posted a photo on Facebook on Christmas Eve showing O’Neal at its restaurant. In the caption, the restaurant said, “Our friend Shaq paid us a visit today. This was his first time at the new store, and loved it! He is such a Mensch — he bought everybody’s meal in The Schmooze Room! What a great guy!”

The Schmooze Room is a large private room at the restaurant 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, CBS News reported.

O’Neal is known for his acts of charity. In April 2021, O’Neal was in a Zales jewelry store when he paid off an engagement ring for a stranger, USA Today reported at the time.

“I was in Zales, looking for some loop earrings and I seen the guy come in and he was just so shy and he was saying, ‘Hey, how much do I owe to pay off my ring?’ So I said, ‘My man, how much is the ring?’ I’m not going to say the amount, but it’s not much for me,” Shaq said.

In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death in 2020, Shaq bought a laptop for a fan who offered his sympathies over Bryant’s death as well as the death of O’Neal’s sister, Sports Illustrated reported. Shaq was so moved by the fan’s concern, he directed the fan to pick out the nicest laptop in Best Buy and he’d pay for it.

“A lot of people describe it as giving back,” O’Neal told People in 2021. “I describe it as doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to help those in need. If I’m somewhere and see somebody’s needing something, I’ll take care of it. My favorite places to go are Best Buy and furniture stores.”

There has been speculation that O’Neal moved to Texas with plans to expand his Las Vegas-based Big Chicken restaurant chain, KHOU reported.

©2022 Cox Media Group