For 31 years, redditor Coppin-it-washin-it's parents celebrated their wedding anniversary at a Red Lobster restaurant in Columbia, Missouri. In March, after his dad passed away, his sister decided to keep the tradition alive and took their mom out to the same restaurant for an anniversary meal.
The waitress asked if there was a special occasion, and the sister explained the situation:
The waitress asked if there was a special occasion or if they were just hungry. My sister explained that my parents had been going there every year for their anniversary. The waitress then asked why my dad wasn’t there and they explained how he had passed away in March. She said she was sorry to hear that and then it was just a normal meal like any other after that. Until they got the bill.
via Buzzfeed
Instead of a bill, the widow and her daughter got this note that said:
We are sorry to hear about your husband's passing, but we appreciate you loyalty in spending 31 years of your anniversary with us. For your appreciation your meal is on us! We look forward to spending you're your next anniversary with us!
Sincerely, Red Lobster & your server, Taylor
The image has since been deleted, but Red Lobster confirmed the story. "What Taylor, the server, and Chad, the manager on duty, did demosntrates how our teams live Red Lobster's core values of genuine caring and hospitality each day," spokesperson Erica Ettori told NewsChannel 5. "All of us at Red Lobster are truly proud of the Columbia team and appreciate their commitment to making every guest's dining experience a special one. We also extend our wishes to the family who dined with us and look forward to serving them again next year!"