After A 12-Hour Shift, Officers Spent Hours Helping Fast Food Outlet Staff Get Up And Running

Jul 13, 2021 by apost team

The staff at a Waffle House in Dandridge, Tennessee, looked a little different during a weekend shift in June 2021. A crew of correctional officers in Jefferson County showed up to the Waffle House for their usual visit after a long 12-hour shift at work. When they arrived, they noticed that the restaurant employees were struggling to keep up with the demands of customers, as some of their staff had walked out earlier than expected, leaving the team rummaging to catch up with their orders and work tasks.

When most people finish a shift at work, especially one that lasts 12 hours long, it’s common to want a nice, hot meal and a chance to finally sit back and relax. This wasn’t the case for Sergeant Jonathon Bright and his team of officers. Once they realized just how much help the restaurant team needed, the six correctional officers stepped up and stepped behind the counters to lend a helping hand to the staff who desperately needed it.

The workers that had walked out left piles of dirty dishes and overflowing trash. Although officers are used to helping out their communities, this probably wasn’t the type of service they’re used to performing. Nonetheless, the officers did everything they could to help the Waffle House workers, from taking orders to washing dishes to scrubbing the place spotless. These would-be customers turned into some of the most incredible helpers to the short-staffed restaurant crew as they spent hours working to get the restaurant up and running smoothly again.

Bright told WVLT News that the crew typically visits the Waffle House in Dandridge every week after their 12-hour shift. When they showed up at the restaurant, they were taken aback by how dirty and short-staffed the team was. “There wasn’t a clean dish in sight,” Bright said. The officers didn’t let the Waffle House workers struggle for too long before they stepped up and offered to lend a helping hand.

“We were cleaning the toilets, the sinks, everything from top down,” correctional officer Tracy Roberts said. They also pitched in with taking orders and getting the restaurant up and running again. Working such a stressful job themselves, the officers understood what it was like to struggle at work and need some extra help.

“It’s stressful for us in the jail, because once these people are arrested and brought in, they’re mad,” Corporal Kayla Gabbard said. “They’re upset and we have to talk them down once they get there.” Alongside the hardworking restaurant crew, these six correctional officers did whatever they could to help make their day a little easier. “We are considered public servants, so when we see people in need, that’s our job to help,” Bright said.

Although the officers didn’t apply for a part-time job at Waffle House, they have continued to encourage people to do what they can to help the people in their community. Sheriff Jeff Coffey told WVLT News that he is proud of his team and has gone on to challenge everyone to perform a random act of kindness to help “make the world a better place.” 

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What did you think about this heartwarming story? What random act of kindness could you do today? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to your loved ones, too!