When we go to a restaurant, we want to make sure we have the most comfortable seat possible. Perhaps you have had the experience where you get seated at a table with hard chairs when there is a comfortable booth not far away. It’s difficult to tell why those employees pick a certain spot but some people get rather upset over it when they are denied a booth.
At a Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Dallas, Texas recently, a family walked in and didn’t know why they couldn’t have a booth. There was an empty booth, or at least what appeared to be an empty booth but then they took a closer look. On the edge of the table, there was a sign that explained why the booth was vacant. At that point, the family realized it was being saved for some VIPs and suddenly, they understood.
The booth was set up nicely for such a restaurant. It was almost as if some dignitary was going to arrive and have a seat at any moment. There was a Texas state flag along with an American flag behind the booth and a white tablecloth was gracefully draped over the table. A place setting was in place for 5 people and a special sign was in front of the table that said who it was saved for.
When people took a closer look at the sign, they suddenly realized that the party of five was not going to be coming. In fact, those people would never have the opportunity to celebrate their life over a delicious steak or a loaded baked potato ever again.
In Dallas, five police officers were killed when they were ambushed by snipers. The table was more than just a place to eat, it was a monument to those individuals who gave their lives while protecting others. Customers were taking pictures of the booth and it wasn’t long before social media got involved.
Restaurants make money when the seats in their facility are filled to capacity. By setting aside this place for a sacred monument, they were honoring those victims in a very special way.
When customers realized who the VIPs were, many shed a tear. The sign on the table read the:
“We remember and honor the five slain police officers, Sergeant Michael J. Smith, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, and Mr. Brent Thompson, who worked for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department, that the Texas Roadhouse restaurant reserved a table for. We thank you for your service. May you rest in peace.”
Texas Roadhouse did something that deserves noticing. Perhaps what deserves noticing, even more, is what those fallen officers did on that day. They were more than just police officers, they are heroes.