Enter Sarah
So I'm sure all many of you heard in the news in the past few weeks about a 22-year-old New Hampshire waitress named Sarah Hoidahl who very kindly paid for the meal ($27.75) of two soldiers after overhearing how the government shutdown had put them on a leave of absence and left them temporarily without pay. This incredibly kind deed made it's way back to Ellen DeGeneres who had Sarah come on board the Ellen show and did what Ellen does best! Not only did Sarah receive $27.75 from Ellens wallet, but she also was given a check for $10,000 to show appreciation for this random act of kindness. But it doesn't stop there, Ellen did some further digging and found out that Sarah, a single mom, had been sharing her car with her mother and relying on occasional rides from her friends and her co-workers.
I believe that stories like this happen more in the restaurant industry than in almost any other industry, and it makes me so proud to be a Server and to be working in the industry with Servers like Sarah. We might be assholes sometimes and want to strangle some of our customers, but for the most part, we thrive in knowing we have a connection with our customers and that we can make a positive impact in their day. I know my regulars better than any bank manager, mail man or lawyer ever could. We are one of the few industries that really get to connect deeply with our customers and thats what makes so many restaurants feel like family.
Your Thoughts?
What do you think of this story? Is it one of thousands of random acts of kindness that happen in the restaurant industry or is one waitress setting the bar too high for the rest of us? Would a customer expect this kind of treatment from their Server after hearing about this story? Have you ever done something like this? Has anything like this ever happened to you?
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