DICKSON CITY – It was hard to find an empty table at the Texas Roadhouse in Dickson City Monday. Almost every guest being served has served our country.
The parking lot was packed with cars decorated in veterans stickers as well, all because this restaurant in Lackawanna County offers a free meal to thank our vets.
"Literally, it`s the most feel-good day of the year for me and my staff. We meet so many people, we hear so many stories. We cry all day," said Texas Roadhouse manager Denise Harding.
In one of the booths, Vietnam veteran Gary Bobrowsky says this meal brings back a lot of memories both good and bad.
"I left some people back there too you know, and it`s a happy day because we`re being recognized,” said Bobrowsky.
Guests wrote messages of supporters for vets before taking a seat and placing their orders while a table setting honored prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action.
"Now it appears that everybody`s caring, it kind of makes you feel good,” said Bobrowsky.
At Denny's it's free pancakes for all veterans but for those who served it's more about the gesture than being served.
"In the past it seemed that, I don`t want to use the word ignored, but sometimes you felt that way," said Korean War Vet Dennis Koropchak of Honesdale.
But now veterans like Edwin Kuchinski of Taylor say breakfasts like this are helping to recognize servicemen and women of all eras in a delicious way.
"They made a big sacrifice being away from your family for years at a time. I have a son-in-law that`s been over in Afghanistan and Iraq for three different tours already,” said Kuchinski.
"Finally they`re recognizing that we did survive, we did live, and we did serve our country,” said Bobrowsky.