I met up with friends from Texarkana last night at the hotel in Tulsa, then Jim Garber called, so we decided to meet at Applebees for dinner since they were giving free meals to Veterans. We got there and there was literally a line out the door! 30-45 minute wait, and I literally saw three generations (at least) of Veterans waiting PATIENTLY to be served… It’s not like we haven’t stood in line once or twice before… People were chatting back and forth, comparing service, comparing generations, etc. Jim was having a ‘bit’ of a navigation issue (he didn’t believe the restaurant existed) so he was a bit late…
We ended up sharing a table with a young Airman and his family and our waiter was a Marine Reservist with two tours in the Sandbox who is finishing his degree in Dec and heading back to TBS then back downrange. Needless to say, the jokes were flying fast and furious…
I had to step out to take a phone call, and the manager came out as I was finishing; we chatted for a couple of minutes, and I asked him how it was going, he said he expected they would “lose” $4-5000 for the day, and he was perfectly happy with it!!!
He said they had been giving Veterans a free meal all day, and estimated they had served between 5-600 Veterans just at that one location. He also said he was amazed at the camaraderie and lack of complaints about the wait or tables, or anything else…
Thank you Applebees!
EDIT- Go HERE and watch this one… One of the best I’ve seen…
Yes, thank you Applebees, and thank you Veterans. That was an awfully nice thing for Applebees to do, and I’m sure we in the buying public will not forget it.
Bob Perrow
+1 on Applebee’s. If you want another free meal on Monday, that is when all Golden Corral locations will be having their veteran’s appreciation day.
I checked out that video……. wow I am going to try to repost that on Facebook, too bad they wont broadcast that over the cable Tv!! wow I say again! Thank you once again from a grateful, humble American who does remember who the real heros are!
Gia
I’ve only eaten there a couple of times, but next time I’m near one, I’ll stop there.
Good to hear,and way to go Applesbees.
Didn’t know that they did this but every time the wife and I go off the Island for the day, Applebees is the place we ALWAYS go for dinner before getting back on the boat.
We will continue to do the same. ‘Tent hut! Hand Salute, Too!!
Good for Applebees. Went there last year on Veterans Day. Now I go there often. Sometimes doing the right things bring bigger rewards.
All- Concur! They WILL be getting more of my business on the road…
nice, very nice!
Julie- Thanks!
BZ Applebees! No vet would bitch about standing in a line that provides good hot food, K-rats, C-rats or MRE’s. Thank You all for your service.
MikeyB