Little Caesars Pizza — Restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie

To the Management and Franchise Owner Little Caesars Pizza Second Line West Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Subject: Disappointment in Franchise Practices Regarding Food Donation and Community Responsibility

Dear Management Team,

I am writing this letter as a First Nations homeless survivor from a lineage that has faced three generations of systemic poverty and neglect. Having lived in cities like Ottawa, Toronto, London, Guelph, Oshawa, and now Sault Ste. Marie, I have always relied on the humanity of certain industries, particularly those in the food sector, to alleviate the immediate and painful reality of hunger.

Little Caesars, as a globally recognized brand, has long been associated with the practice of donating leftover food to those in need—a policy echoed by many of your peers in the industry. Companies like Panera Bread, Domino’s (in certain locations), and Krispy Kreme actively donate their unsold food at the end of the day to reduce waste and address food insecurity. Your own CEO has previously expressed a commitment to community welfare and support, which makes my recent experience with your Sault Ste. Marie location deeply disheartening.

On a recent evening, I approached your store at closing time, requesting food that would otherwise be discarded. To my astonishment, I was told that all remaining food was being saved to be donated to the Salvation Army the following day. While donating food to charities is admirable, the idea of withholding perfectly good food from someone actively starving that very moment—only to give it away cold and possibly less edible the next day—seems to contradict the spirit of such a policy.

This practice creates a harmful contradiction: Franchise Responsibility: As a franchise operating under the Little Caesars name, your store benefits from the reputation and goodwill established by the brand. By refusing immediate aid to a starving individual, your actions undermine the company’s image as one that supports local communities. Corporate Mission vs. Practice: If the brand’s intention is to address food waste and assist the hungry, then denying immediate relief to a person in need cannot align with that purpose. Feeding the Salvation Army the next day should not come at the expense of ignoring urgent, immediate needs. Missed Opportunity for Humanity: Businesses like yours are often the first line of defense against hunger in communities where shelters and food banks are overwhelmed. Your refusal not only deprives an individual of sustenance but also reinforces the systemic barriers that perpetuate homelessness and malnutrition.

As someone who has fought through unimaginable challenges to survive, it is devastating to encounter a lack of compassion from a business that could have made a small yet meaningful difference. I urge you to reconsider your policies and practices, ensuring that your staff are empowered to provide assistance when someone in need approaches.

Moreover, I suggest that Little Caesars corporate leadership reaffirms and clarifies its policy on food donations for all franchises to prevent further harm. Should your corporate team mandate food sharing practices, I would expect all franchises, including your own, to align with that mission rather than create barriers through rigid or bureaucratic rules.

I will also be leaving a review on your website and social platforms, not out of malice, but in the hope that public accountability will inspire a more empathetic approach in the future. Food insecurity is a pressing issue in Canada, and businesses like yours have the power to lead with generosity and integrity.

Please reconsider how you handle food donations, particularly in moments where lives are immediately at risk. I look forward to hearing how you will address this...

I'd like to start by saying I love Little Ceasar's but this location can be a little frusterating.

The last time I went in a friend and I were picking up a quick lunch for our families. We got 3 pepperoni pizzas and were not asked about the crazy bread. I brought up the free crazy bread rule to cashier and he insisted that he asked us if we wanted the bread or not. My friend and I had other errands to run and it seems really silly tosit and argue about something that happened literally seconds ago in the conversation. We ended up just taking the pizzas and leaving.

I have been to the location more times than I would like to admit and I usually get a freshly cooked pizza and even have had one of the managers offer me free dipping sauce. However, I think it is silly that this guy, who doesn't get any commision for the bread sales to try and up-sell two customers that were entitled to free crazy bread.

It's hot, it's ready... Just don't try to get your free bread because it...

As I made my way to little Caesars and was standing in front of a locked door while peering through the window and reading the sign that said open until 12pm. The notice on the door said to call a number for entery as it was 10:30 pm and I figured because of the time this was stated. I called and said I was outside and would like to order something and could I come in. The operator stated that I had to first order something online then come and pick it up before I went to the location. I was then struck with the realization that if I had only known this before standing where I was I'd be eating a pizza in this moment but because of this now acknowledged aspect I was on my way down the road to subway which was open until 11 pm. From 10 pm to 12 pm you have to order Little Caesars online for pick up. Now we know. Only open until 12 pm on Fridays...