97-year-old eats alone at Arby’s every day until employees realize something’s off. Over the last 22 years, Arby’s had a regular. He’d walk in every day like clockwork. The manager had noticed him ever since she started working there. She was curious as to why he was always alone. She wanted to know why he came into the same restaurant every day and sat down to eat.
Christina, the manager, tried to get to know her regulars, but she was also curious about why Doug did what he did. Many people don’t like the food Arby’s offers, but Doug would order the same meal every day and wolf it down. The staff affectionately called him Mr. Doug.
Christina described his routine: he comes in with a walker, and they try to hold the doors for him at lunchtime. However, Doug wouldn’t tell her why he was always by himself. There were rumors among the Arby’s staff as to why Doug ordered the same food from them. He’s a veteran living in a retirement home without family, but why the same food every day?
Doug’s order: a beef slider with Swiss cheese and a Coca-Cola without ice. One day, Christina finally gathered the courage to ask him why he kept coming back. His reply was unexpected. He said, ‘This is the only place I can get a sandwich that doesn’t hurt my stomach.
Christina had no idea that Doug had been suffering from health issues and came to their establishment because it was the only place he could eat without agony. At the Chandler Arby’s, they considered their regulars family, especially Doug.
When the staff heard about Doug’s story, it didn’t stay within the walls of the Arby’s. Another staff member, Travis, mentioned that Doug often expressed that they were like his family. The staff tried to make him feel welcome in every possible way.
One day, something unusual happened. Something unexpected made its way into Doug’s sandwich. A regular named Ethel suspected a young waiter of tampering with Doug’s usual order. She witnessed the waiter slipping something red into Doug’s Arby’s paper bag.
Though partially obscured from view, Ethel saw the waiter crack a smile as Doug checked his order. It turned out the staff had decided to slip a $120 Arby’s gift card into Doug’s order to help him save money. When Arby’s headquarters heard what the people in Chandler did for Doug, they had a discussion with manager Christina.
Arby’s decided that the veteran wouldn’t pay for a roast beef slider or Coca-Cola ever again. They granted him a lifetime’s worth of free lunches. The staff surprised him with the news during his regular meal, leaving him speechless.
Speaking to journalists, Doug mentioned that the restaurant staff always reserved his table, even offering him more than he needed. He expressed his satisfaction with the food, stating, ‘It’s just so satisfying.
Beyond free food, the staff always has Doug’s meal ready when he arrives. They know that even when his gift card runs out, he’s entitled to food on the house. They even gave Doug their personal phone numbers for direct contact in case he couldn’t come in for his meal. They promised to deliver his favorite meal directly to his door if needed.
The community embraced Mr. Doug’s story, prompting further acts of gratitude towards the veteran.”
