A small family diner in Tennessee got a big surprise one day in June, when no fewer than 22 policemen came to dine in their establishment.
But when the officers went to pay their bill, they got a big surprise from a good Samaritan who wished to pay tribute to them, which left them speechless.
As it turns out, the officers had just finished their K-9 training for the day and were in search of a good home-cooked meal.
The restaurant, a place called Twisters Shakes & Sundaes & Diner, in Knoxville, is owned by a couple named Dixie and Don Miller.
Their manager, Lauren, expressed feeling overwhelmed seeing all those uniformed patrons walk in all at once. But that feeling soon subsided.
“She said, ‘It was a bit overwhelming at first,’ but she quickly realized they were all very friendly and patient the entire time of their visit,” Dixie later told The Epoch Times.
However, what started out as just a busy day at the diner turned into something much more special when a good Samaritan decided to repay the officers for their service to the community—repay quite literally.
For when the policemen finished their meals and went to pay, they found someone had already done it on their behalf.
And not just for one officer but for all 22 of them.
The officers’ spokesperson, Brian Baldwin, told the restaurant, “We thought the server was just messing with us!”
Dixie said: “Then they found out the customer really did pay for ALL of their meals!” They were astounded.
“The officers were very surprised and extremely appreciative. Each officer made it a point to tip separately, even though there was a tip left on the good Samaritan’s card.”
The slip shows a total of $506.53—which included a $60 tip.
“The good Samaritan award of the week goes to this customer!!” the post read. “We love our law enforcement customers and thank them every day for putting their lives on the line for us!!”
When asked who the good Samaritan was, Dixie told The Epoch Times it was local businessman Ron Keese, who often frequents Twisters.
Dixie recalls the good Samaritan’s reasoning: “I wanted to make sure someone said ‘thank you’ to those officers that day. They kiss their families goodbye before they go to work and they don’t know if or when they might come home.
“I did not do it to bring any kind of recognition to myself. God Bless.”
