I issue a challenge!

[Indy_Guy_77]

If you are financially able:

There a uniformed service member at the restaurant you're eating in?

Pay his/her bill. Or part of their bill.



-J-

 

[Benny]

If you are financially able:

There a uniformed service member at the restaurant you're eating in?

Pay his/her bill. Or part of their bill.



-J-

My best friend (former Sgt in the 82nd airborne) comes over and eats and drinks for free all of the time, does that count?

 

[printcraft]

I usually shake their hand and say thank you. Makes their eyes light
up when they hear someone cares and is appreciative of their efforts.

 

[SC_Shooter]

My wife and I have done this very thing several times. I've usually paid the server directly and then just stopped by the table to say thank you without ever mentioning the bill. The idea is to thank THEM...not to get a pat on the back.

What surprises me is that they seem surprised that anyone would take the time to say thanks. I suspect they have another little dash of surprise when they ask for the bill.

 

[MoparMan]

I know you guys like to do this but most of us get embarresed about it and dont really want to receive free services. We get paid pretty well and the benefits are pretty good so when some guy who has been working construction for 14 long hours in the sun offers to pay i feel like s*** and I should be paying for his. Just my .

BTW it is much appreciated though!

 

[Archbishop]

I know you guys like to do this but most of us get embarresed about it and dont really want to receive free services. We get paid pretty well and the benefits are pretty good so when some guy who has been working construction for 14 long hours in the sun offers to pay i feel like s*** and I should be paying for his. Just my .

BTW it is much appreciated though!

I hear you, but consider two things.
1. generally speaking, unless in a bad neighborhood, the construction workers not worried about being shot at to do his job.
2. While what he's doing may be valuable to his community, what you're doing is a great value and service to our whole nation.
So, again, thank you men and women in whatever division you serve (served) in.

 

[Scutter01]

If you are financially able:

There a uniformed service member at the restaurant you're eating in?

Pay his/her bill. Or part of their bill.



-J-

I do whenever possible. The opportunity doesn't present itself often, however, which is why I started Project INGOCare. I owe too much that I can't possibly pay back.

 

[MoparMan]

I agree with the Project INGOCare. I even have donated and will continue to donate along with INGO itself. Scutter runs a good program there and deserves a lot of credit for that. You guys are great and hearing "Thank You" is more than enough.

 

[Scutter01]

I agree with the Project INGOCare. I even have donated and will continue to donate along with INGO itself. Scutter runs a good program there and deserves a lot of credit for that. You guys are great and hearing "Thank You" is more than enough.

Thank you for supporting the project. I don't really want or need any credit, though. My part is the easy part. I just box up popcorn. It's the guys away from their families for a year at a time that need the credit.

 

[flatlander]

One of the times, when I was on my way home from the sandbox, I went thru Atlanta airport. I stopped by a restaurant and a PFC came in in uniform. He looked very nervous and just ordered a Coke. I asked him when his flight left and he said he had a couple of hours to kill. Small talked for a few and then acted like I was getting something to eat and we talked about food for a min. He said he heard the steaks were pretty good. I got up like I was going to the latrine, grabbed a waitress, ordered him a nice steak dinner with all the fixins. I paid for it and left. Told the waitress to tell him thanks for his service. My point is not a pat on my own back but just to let a new troop know his dedication and self sacrifice is greatly appreciated. Also I hoped that maybe it would be payed forward sometime in the future.
Bob

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

I hear you, but consider two things.
1. generally speaking, unless in a bad neighborhood, the construction workers not worried about being shot at to do his job.
2. While what he's doing may be valuable to his community, what you're doing is a great value and service to our whole nation.
So, again, thank you men and women in whatever division you serve (served) in.

As a former construction worker that used to put in 14 hour days out in the sun, I'll second this statement. You and other men and women in uniform willingly and deliberately put yourselves directly in harms way, so that I can live free. A half a days pay or so to buy you a meal is a small price to pay for the opportunity to say thank you personally.

 

[Woodsman]

What I usually do is ask the server who is waiting on the service member(s) for their bill and pick up her tip. When they ask for their bill she is just supposed to say; it's taken care of and Thank You.

A couple of meals here and there is not even enough for what they do!!

I did this once for an older WWII vet and he caught me! I think he was as surprised as I was about getting caught in the act.

I'm not tootin' my horn, just think more of this should be done... If not for them we might be speaking a different language by now.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

I'd be glad to do this if I could, most of the time when out I haven't really had the money to do it. But in the future if I do, I definitely will. I do normally at least go up to them and thank them for serving our country and shake their hand.

 

[Ness2k]

While it's a really nice gesture, can all of the people who do this please do one thing:

Please listen to us when we say "we can get it", or "Thanks,I've got it but I appreciate it", and just put your money away and let us pay our bill and go on our way without drawing too much attention to us?

 

[ATM]

I will add it to my list of sneaky nice things to do.

Handshake and thanks or (thumbs-up and smile if I pass a group) are the minimum.

Good challenge and tips.

...just put your money away and let us pay our bill and go on our way without drawing too much attention to us?

Yes, but only if I get caught trying to do it on the sly.

 

[Bill of Rights]

While it's a really nice gesture, can all of the people who do this please do one thing:

Please listen to us when we say "we can get it", or "Thanks,I've got it but I appreciate it", and just put your money away and let us pay our bill and go on our way without drawing too much attention to us?

on ATM... The way I see it, you've paid "your bill" far in excess of the amount of a lunch. Someone recently posted here in a sig file that serving means you wrote a check to the people of this country up to and including the amount of your life.

I'll listen if you say that, but while the attention may be embarrassing, consider the alternative. Some ungrateful *illegitimate children* did the alternative as good people came home from Viet Nam to empty airports or worse, to hurled insults. I wasn't old enough to be part of that, thank God, and I'm embarrassed that it was done at all, but I'll be da*ned if I'll let it happen again on my watch.

Thanks for your service.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[hotfarmboy1]

on ATM... The way I see it, you've paid "your bill" far in excess of the amount of a lunch. Someone recently posted here in a sig file that serving means you wrote a check to the people of this country up to and including the amount of your life.

I'll listen if you say that, but while the attention may be embarrassing, consider the alternative. Some ungrateful *illegitimate children* did the alternative as good people came home from Viet Nam to empty airports or worse, to hurled insults. I wasn't old enough to be part of that, thank God, and I'm embarrassed that it was done at all, but I'll be da*ned if I'll let it happen again on my watch.

Thanks for your service.

Blessings,
Bill

I'm with you here on this one Bill. I've got a few uncles that served during nam. A couple of them were lucky enough to go to Korea during that time instead of going to Nam, another was a drill sargeant so he got to stay home most of the time. The other two both went over and faught, one a marine, the other an Army Ranger. The one that was an Army Ranger ended up a POW/MIA for I can't remember how long. And even after going through all that neither of them got much of a welcome when they got home, more like you described above. So now I, like others here do whatever we can to show appreciation to our soldiers today and give them the thanks and respect they deserve. Its not that we don't think you can't pay for it. Its that we just wanna show our appreciation for fighting for our freedoms. Thanks and God Bless to all our soldiers!!

 

[csaws]

My daughter(4) tells them thank you whenever she sees a soldier.

 

[Dryden]

While eating lunch a a very large chinese buffet, I noticed quite a few uniformed soldiers there. On my way back to my table, I saw they were all seated in one section. After finishing my lunch, I walked into their section and Excused myself....to get their attention. Then I just said that I wanted them all to know how appriciated they were and how proud my wife and I were of their service. They all smiled and almost in unison said "Thank You."
They were grinning just as much as I was.

 

[Scutter01]

Its not that we don't think you can't pay for it. Its that we just wanna show our appreciation for fighting for our freedoms. Thanks and God Bless to all our soldiers!!

I also try to be as discrete as possible. It's generally paid on my way out without them knowing who did it. My goal isn't to embarrass anyone; that would be counter-productive.