Our Compliments to the Chef

Meet Miss Casey, she was the only customer in the local Waffle House when we arrived for dinner. She had just gotten up to leave. The Cook behind the grill had a short conversation with her as he saw her stand up and tremble a little. He asked if she was ok, and she commented that she was tired. He told her there was no need to hurry off, she could rest a while. She said she was tired and wanted to go home and rest for a long while. He then told her he was almost done. The Waitreess came over in a few minutes and handed Casey the two meals she was waiting to take home. The Waitress refilled her two styrofoam glasses and helped her pay her bill. The Cook and Watress then wished her a good evening, gave her a hug and she left the store.

As I sat there and watched this interchange I realized that these two employees were friends for this tired woman, and may be the only people she sees for the rest of her day. Casey bought two dinners to feed herself for two evenings and her friends made her feel important as part of the business interchange. Before she pulled away Casey came back inside to get a cup she half drank refilled before she pulled away. The Cook and Waitress wished her well again and sent her on her way. My husband and I then waited for our dinner to arrive, and we received the same warm interchanges during our visit. 

In many people’s eyes this is just a Waffle House. It’s greasy, food fast and cheap. It’s open twenty-four hours and is staffed by people working for an hourly wage. To Casey this is a place where she gets a good meal someone has prepared with care and friendship in mind. She is welcomed, she is known, she is important. For her this place is an important part of her life and well being. This place matters to her. It makes her feel welcome in an unexpected way. 

When was the last time someone made you feel important? Important enough to stop what they were doing and have an impact on your soul? When was the last time you did that for someone else? Someone who needed a personal touch during a basic life interchange? It only takes a moment to impart kindness into another person’s world. It only takes a pause to insure that someone knows that they matter in this big, cold world. 

When we left we stopped and gave our compliments to the chef; our meal and observing the interactions made this a five star restaurant in our world.