97-Year-Old Veteran Eats At Arby's Alone Every Day – The Restaurant Lets Him Dine For Free For Life

Mar 15, 2020

The staff at a Chandler, Arizona Arby's restaurant is being recognized for their treatment of a 97-year-old veteran known only as "Mr. Doug." Mr. Doug loves Arby's. In fact, Mr. Doug loves Arby's so much that he eats there every single day. The World War II veteran orders a roast beef slider with swiss cheese and a Coca-Cola with no ice.

After seeing Mr. Doug every day for several weeks, Travis Coye, an employee at the Chandler, Arizona Arby's, wanted to know Mr. Doug's story. As Fox10 Phoenix reported, it turns out that the decorated war veteran lives at a nearby retirement home. He has no family and struggles to eat due to digestive issues. For whatever reason, Arby's roast beef sandwiches don't upset his stomach. So, with the help of a walker, Mr. Doug visits the restaurant every day to order an Arby's slider.

Travis Coye and his fellow employees wanted to ensure that Mr. Doug could always have his roast beef slider, so they chipped in and bought him a $200 gift card for the restaurant. When Mr. Doug isn't feeling well enough to make the trip to Arby's, staff members deliver his lunch to his assisted care home.

The staff even reserves Mr. Doug's favorite table so he'll feel at home, and the restaurant manager, Christina Gamage, always holds the door open when Mr. Doug arrives at lunchtime.

A customer who witnessed the way the Arby's staff treated Mr. Doug penned a Facebook post that eventually went viral. The post caught the attention of Fox10. You can watch their heartwarming video below:

After Fox10 ran the story on Mr. Doug, Arby's corporate office decided to give Mr. Doug free Arby's for life. The veteran joked that he didn't know how much life he had left, but he was extremely thankful for the gesture.

Many retired veterans live on a fixed income. The National Veterans Foundation reports that 1.5 million veterans live in poverty in the United States. These brave souls risked their lives for the freedoms Americans enjoy every day. They deserve better.

A veteran organization called Run for the Wall recently recognized the staff of the Chandler Arby's for the way they treat Mr. Doug. Run for the Wall hosts an annual motorcycle run from California to the Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC. The nonprofit raises awareness about accountability during times of war.

If you're moved by this amazing story, please tag your friends in the comments. The staff of Arby's deserves to be lauded for their continued kindness.