News of the alleged closing down of Pizza Sam’s, a popular family restaurant in downtown Midland, originated from Yik Yak, a social network where users can anonymously make short posts that are then available for local users in the area to read, vote on, and reply to.

“Someone had posted that Pizza Sam’s was closing down and many people followed after with similar posts saying that yes, Pizza Sam’s was closing,” sophomore Munif Hakim said. “Some people said they were employees to back up this statement, and others said they knew the owner in some way and heard it from him.”

Many of the Yik Yak users in Midland continued to perpetuate the rumor as a joke, spreading misinformation and confusing other users. The “news” then travelled to other media, such as Facebook and Twitter and was met with concerns, as the restaurant is a favorite of many in the city.

“What’s there not to like about Pizza Sam’s?” Hakim said. “They’ve got pretty darn good pizza and they have this friendly feeling and aura around the shop with amazing employees. It really would have been a shame if they had closed down, and it definitely would have upset many people in town.”

Finally, the Pizza Sam’s Twitter account sent out a message to dispel the myth.

“The rumors going around about us going out of business are false,” read the tweet. “We’re here to stay! #DontHatePizzaHateTheGame.”

For more information on Pizza Sam’s, visit their website at http://pizzasams.com/ and follow them on Twitter @PizzaSamsMid.

By Jasmine Purtell