Most cops put their lives on the line to protect the public. A couple of Outback workers simply wanted to show their appreciation for their dedication and sacrifice. The whole incident took place in Slidell, Louisiana. Four police officers received an amazing little act of kindness that made the internet fall in love with everyone involved.
The cops were working their usual shift when they felt like getting dinner at an Outback Steakhouse outlet. As per the reports of Fox8, the waiter and the manager had immediately noticed the uniforms when the officers had walked through the door. The service was usual, and nothing special took place until the bill arrived. The night just became a bit special for the officers when they saw what was written on the receipt. The four cops were, apparently, generous regulars at the outlet.
Cops Deserve A Random Act Of Kindness
The manager, Arline Wood, as well as the waitress, Zoe Rao, were pretty familiar with their faces. Arline has also been in the company for 18 years, so she knew a thing or two about appreciating customers. Both Zoe and Arline were quite fond of the police officers. Zoe had said, “They’re the sweetest guys. I enjoy waiting on them.” So, the pair of them thought up a simple gesture that would make the cops’ night – make the dinner on the house!
The receipt for the night stood at $67. However, when it reached the officers, it carried a sweet note: “Be safe! Thank y’all for y’all’s service. Enjoy y’all’s meal’s on us – Arline & Zoe.” Explaining the intent behind their actions, Arline had said: “They care about their community. They care about everybody. They’re just great guys and these guys at night, I went to Zoe and I said, let’s just take care of it.”
The Slidell Police Department got a hold of the news and showed their appreciation in their own way. They posted a picture of the receipt on their Facebook page. They also gave this statement: “Words can’t describe how this makes all of us feel. Thank you Ms. Arlene and Zoe for being so kind and showing your appreciation for law enforcement.” Moreover, fearing any unrest on the internet about the act, the SPD also gave another disclaimer: “This is not meant to take away from the act of kindness, but due to ethics laws and Slidell PD policy, officers left a very generous tip that covered the cost of the bill. It truly is a shame that we even have to put this disclaimer, but with the world we live in, we unfortunately have to.”
The Manager Did Not Expect The Reaction
The kind gesture towards the cops went viral on the Internet soon afterward. However, this actually made Arline and Zoe a bit uncomfortable at first. Arline had received a call on her phone early in the morning the next day talking about the incident. Other calls soon came in, before the two of them checked their Facebook. They were surprised to find it almost shared almost everywhere. To the attention, Arline had this to say: “…we didn’t do it for this publicity, because Lord knows I don’t like all this publicity.”
Regardless, the pair now hopes that this kind gesture will inspire other people to act accordingly toward cops. There has been at least one more instance like this in 2017 when a kid paid for a police officer’s lunch at Danny’s outlet in Florida. For the kid, being a police officer is a dream, so that was just his small way of showing his appreciation. It doesn’t take much to thank people, after all!
Sources
- “Workers pick up tab for police at Slidell steakhouse.” WWLTV