Waffle House Waitress Had No Idea She Was Being Filmed By Customer
In Texas, a Waffle House waitress headed into work for her shift just as she did every day. Nothing was special about the occasion; it was just like any regular morning - or so she thought.
In just a few hours, a chain of events would take place and change the waitress' life - something she couldn't have known as she went about serving customers coffee and breakfast.
Something Was Different About This Day
This particular Waffle House, in La Marque, Texas, had quite a few regular customers. One of them was a woman named Laura Wolf, who frequently stopped in for coffee and a conversation with the staff.
Most of Laura's visits to the restaurant were pretty routine, but this particular day, March 3, 2018, was destined to be different. She witnessed something that not only caught her eye, but caused her to push her breakfast aside and reach for her phone.
Why Were There So Many People at Waffle House?
Laura began taking photos of a woman, who had no idea anyone was recording her actions. Even before being prompted to start filming, another thing had seemed odd to Laura on this day.
Although the La Marque Waffle House usually stayed pretty busy, it was much more crowded than usual. In fact, it almost seemed as if a large number of the town's 16,000 residents were there. The servers scrambled to keep up with orders during the morning rush, and Laura kept her eye on all of them.
Laura Had Her Eye on One Particular Waitress
As a regular visitor to this particular Waffle House, Laura had gotten to know some of the employees' names. One of the waitresses working on this especially busy morning was a woman named Evoni Williams.
Evoni was a long-time employee of the restaurant, so she was well-known to her customers as a hard worker. Just 18 years old, she'd dedicated herself to saving up money for college. The long hours at Waffle House were helping, but she hadn’t been able to save very much yet.
What a Busy Day!
Evoni was pretty excited the restaurant was so crowded. After all, tips are how servers make the majority of their pay, and more customers naturally means more tips.
The 18-year-old got down to business, taking orders and delivering food. Unfortunately, the Waffle House was understaffed on this busy day, so Evoni had to hustle even more to cover her duties and keep up with everything.
She was really running around to get things done today, but as she dropped off an order at one table, she noticed something that distracted her for a moment.
What Had Evoni Noticed?
It was a particular customer that drew Evoni's attention as she served breakfast to a table of hungry patrons. She’d seen him at the restaurant several times and he usually visited at least once every week. He was definitely a regular.
The customer was a 78-year old man named Adrien, but everyone used the affectionate nickname "Mr. Karaoke," instead. The Waffle House staff knew he had some health problems and was now carrying an oxygen tank with him.
What Evoni Did Next Was Unexpected
Evoni was moving around non-stop to keep up with the fast pace that busy day. She hadn't really had any time to stop and take a break. Finally, the 18-year-old felt like she was getting caught up on all her duties. Just then, Adrien attempted to get her attention. She noticed him and walked over to where he was sitting.
The man started whispering to her, in a quiet voice, so no one else could listen in. Remember: Evoni didn't know she was being recorded by another customer who had noticed this interaction. She had no idea she was on camera.
Captured On Camera
Laura Wolf was seated in a booth directly across from where Evoni and Adrien were having their private conversation. She couldn't hear what they were talking about, and she leaned in to see if she could catch a snippet of the interaction.
Laura thought the man looked a bit embarrassed as he talked to Evoni. Sensing something incredible was taking place, it was then that she took out her camera and started recording.
Evoni Also Had a Hard Time Hearing Adrien
During the breakfast rush at any restaurant, it can be a challenge to hear anyone's voice - especially that of an old man with an oxygen machine.
Evoni leaned in and tried her hardest to understand Adrien, but one of the line cooks noticed she was holding things up - something the restaurant couldn’t afford on a busy day. Despite his yelling to get her attention, she ignored him and continued to listen to the elderly man.
Was He Upset With His Food?
At first, Evoni thought Adrien might have had a complaint about his food. After all, that's one of the most common reasons for a diner to flag down their server. In fact, after quietly whispering something to her, the old man began to push his plate of food her way.
Evoni took the plate, loaded up with ham, toast, home fries and scrambled eggs, and pushed it right back to him. What was going on?
Someone Was Watching
It might sound like this interaction took a long time, but it was only a minute or so. Evoni was completely focused on Adrien during this brief moment.
All thoughts of the packed restaurant and its hungry customers left her mind as she listened to the elderly man speak. Laura was still filming the interaction, of course, but there was another recording being made, as well!
The Security Camera
In a busy restaurant like Waffle House, security cameras are increasingly important, and this particular location had CCTV set up. At the same time that Laura was watching the interaction take place, the security camera, hanging from the ceiling, was also recording everything that happened.
The silent device, barely noticed by anyone, gave a bird's eye shot of everything happening between Evoni and Adrien on that fateful day.
Laura Posted the Footage Online
Laura was speechless after witnessing the scene that had just played out in front of her. She now had several photos of Evoni and Adrien as the waitress returned the older man's breakfast plate to him.
She struggled with what to do with the photo evidence, and eventually decided to post it to her Facebook page. She shared it, not having a clue how she was about to change Evoni's life.
It All Started With a Simple Question
Adrien was experiencing declining health and wasn't able to perform personal tasks the way he'd used to. Laura thought he had seemed embarrassed or self-conscious when he talked to Evoni. It turned out that he'd needed assistance cutting his breakfast ham.
"I can hold a fork fine and dandy," Adrien told ABC News. “But to cut it looks like I'm going to stab somebody.” This is what he'd asked of Evoni: for help cutting his food.
Helping Someone in Need
Evoni later spoke of the scene at the Waffle House on that fateful morning. "He was like, 'My hands are not functioning too well,'" she said of Adrien's request. She had to really lean in, in order to hear his question. “He needed me to cut his food for him, so I did,” she said.
The 18-year-old took his food, cut the ham into bite-sized pieces and pushed it back over to him. This was routine for a waitress to do for a regular customer, so Evoni went about her regular day and didn’t much of it. For now.
Laura's Facebook Post Made Waves
Laura felt strongly that she wanted to get the story about what she'd just witnessed to get out there. She figured Facebook would be the best place to share her photos. Here's what she posted:
"I don’t know her name, but I heard this elderly man tell her his hands don’t work too good. He was also on oxygen and struggling to breathe. Without hesitation, she took his plate and began cutting up his ham. This may seem small, but to him, I’m sure it was huge.
"I’m thankful to have seen this act of kindness and caring at the start of my day while everything in this world seems so negative.”
Laura Never Expected the Post to Go Viral
The post instantly touched everyone who saw it. While she was still at the Waffle House, it started to gain some major attention. Her phone was lighting up with alerts left and right.
People shared positive things about Evoni, and many of them shared Laura’s post on their own accounts. Word rapidly began to spread of this woman’s kind deed.
Little did she know what would happen as a result.
Praise for Evoni Was Overwhelming
It didn't take long for Laura’s post to go viral. In just a few days, the photos racked up 90,000 likes and nearly 50,000 shares. People were truly touched by Evoni’s kind act and wanted to share the heartwarming moment with their own friends and family.
Adrien got attention from the Facebook post, too. He told ABC News, "Somebody told me two days later that I was very popular because they saw me on Facebook. They got a fancy picture of my suspenders in the back.” It seems everyone in the town knew about him and Evoni.
The Mayor Got Involved
The mayor of La Marque at the time was Bobby Hocking. When word of Evoni’s good deed reached his office, he instantly wanted to meet her. It was arranged that the meeting would take place at the Waffle House (of course).
The restaurant was filled with cameras for the event, which Evoni had expected, but she had no idea what Hocking had planned.
The Big Day Arrived
Hocking wanted to honor Evoni in front of everyone. When the big day arrived, the 18-year-old waitress watched as the Waffle House filled with reporters and cameras - at least she'd know she was being recorded this time!
The mayor then arrived and announced that he wanted to give a special presentation. He told the gathered crowd and cameras that he would be declaring March 8 as "Evoni 'Nini’ Williams Day."
Returning The Favor
Things were about to get even better for Evoni, who was already in disbelief. As her story made its rounds on the internet, people wanted to learn more about her.
Online sleuths found out that the 18-year-old worked so hard because she wanted to save enough money to attend college. In a "paying it forward" move, the residents of La Marque set up a GoFundMe account to raise tuition money, so Evoni could go to school.
And it turns out that someone very important received news of this fundraising effort.
Someone Important Was There That Day
At Texas Southern University in Houston, the staff learned about Evoni's goal and wanted to help out in a special way. One of the university's administrators said, “We wanted to reward Evoni’s act of kindness.”
As she learned about the new holiday in her honor, Evoni beamed knowing Adrien and Laura were both there cheering her on, but there was someone else present that she never would have expected in her wildest dreams: the president of Texas Southern University!
An Unexpected Announcement
The school's president said that he wanted the chance to meet Evoni and "let her know that good deeds do not go unnoticed." After the mayor's presentation, it was hiss turn to take his place behind the Waffle House bar.
With a jumbo-sized check in hand, he announced the school was awarding Evoni a scholarship worth a whopping $16,000! Evoni, and most of the crowd, burst into tears of surprise and joy.
The People Responsible
The folks who'd helped start this whole thing were especially happy for Evoni. Laura Wolf and Adrien had no possible idea of the role they'd both play in one Waffle House waitress' future.
As she spoke to reporters that day, Laura shared, "It was so busy in here, you know? And she actually took the time to stop and hear what he had to say, instead of walking past him.
"It just meant something to me."
Just Another Day of Being Kind
Ever humble, Evoni said she did what anyone else would've done if they knew someone was in need. She didn't let the award, the media attention or the scholarship go to her head. She told local reporters, "I don’t know, it was something I would do any other day."
But anyone who’s ever been helped by the kindness of a stranger might disagree with the 18-year-old. Evoni is a beautiful example of treating people with kindness.
Meet Another Inspiring Waitress
Rosalynd Harris wass more than your average waitress, that's for sure. At 25 years old, she worked at Busboys and Poets, in Washington, DC, and knew just what she wanted from life.
Working at the restaurant was no mere coincidence, as it promoted social justice, just like Rosalynd did. She stood up for what she believed in, no matter what.
The Daily Struggle of a Waitress
When a group of Texans walked into Busboys and Poets once day, Rosalynd's moral compass went off and she didn't know how to handle the situation. The last thing she wanted was a customer confrontation, but the moment was approaching where she had no say in the matter.
As aforementioned, the restaurant was a social-justice-friendly location that had role models of color plastered across its walls.
Fighting for Her Rights as a Woman
The situation took place during the presidential inauguration! Not only that, but it was also when the Women's March occurred. A lot was going on, and Rosalyn had been among the 500,000 women at the event.
After both the march and the inauguration had finished, some folks stayed around the city for the week. Jason White and his friends were some of those who decided to stick around after coming all the way from Texas.
Sticking Out Like a Sore Thumb
During that fateful day, Jason and his pals strolled into the restaurant at lunchtime. The energy shifted, and, immediately, the place became silent.
Rosalynd and everyone else in the building stared in disbelief. Stereotyping people usually isn't something she did, but two things were certain aboutthese new customers. For one, they were from out of town. Secondly, they'd only came to the country's capital to celebrate the inauguration of the new president.
Jason Was a Real Patriot
It's never polite to judge a book by its cover, but, sometimes, your assumptions are correct, as was the case with Rosalynd. Jason and his buddies had traveled from Texas to celebrate the new leader of the free world, happy at the outcome of the election.
Jason was very patriotic and someone who put his country first. Looking through that lens, it makes sense that he casually walked around sporting his red cap. Still, there was more than met the eye about him that Rosalynd didn't know...
Who Was Jason White?
There was more to Jason White than you'd guess from a first impression.
The 37-year-old was a dentist big on family and friends. Once he'd arrived in Washington, he and his buddies visited several locations, including Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
No Hats, Please
Unsurprisingly, the first thing that caught everyone's attention were the red hats Jason and his friends wore. Rosalynd didn't mention anything to him, but she quietly suggested that he and his pals remove the lids while in the eatery.
"We started getting looks," Jason said. "I told my friend, you need to take your hat off. I don't want people to think we're coming in here to flaunt. We're just coming here to have lunch."
One Friendly Encounter
Determined not to let anything ruin her mood, Rosalyn proceeded to Jason's table and gave he and his friends a welcoming smile. They reciprocated the gesture, and things looked to be going great as they started cracking jokes!
"She started laughing when we said we were from West Texas, and she said, 'I can tell you're from the South,'" Jason shared. "I said, 'What's your favorite thing on the menu?' She said the avocado panini is delicious, and I love avocado, so I got that… It was a relief for both of us."
A Very Unique Place
After the two broke the ice, Jason stared curiously around and asked about the restaurant's history. Rosalynd told them that they named it after the poet Langston Hughes, a prominent figure in African-American literature.
According to Rosalynd, the group informed her that they'd never been to a place like it. Once she'd completed taking their orders, she let them enjoy their food.
Would You Look At That!
Skip ahead one hour, and Jason left the restaurant with his friends. They'd enjoyed their lunch in an environment they'd never seen before and departed with a positive vibe.
As waitresses do, Rosalynd walked over to their table to clean up and collect any tips they might've left before setting up for the next customers. When she made it to the table, she saw the check covered in words. One of the men had decided to leave a note, so she read it.
Jason Had Written Rosalynd a Note
Rosalynd only had to read a couple of words for her to realize that they'd been written especially for her. "Shocked" was the best way to describe the emotions she felt. The first part of the note read: "We may come from different cultures and backgrounds and may also disagree on certain issues."
Rosalynd's interest soared, so she kept on reading. The more she read, the more her jaw dropped.
An Incredible Smile
Overwhelmed by what Jason had written in the first few sentences, it was what came toward the end that genuinely made Rosalynd's eyes glow. Remember, she hadn't expected anything of this magnitude coming from someone wearing a red hat. He'd written:
"If everyone would share a smile and kindness like your beautiful smile, our country will come together as one people. Not race. Not gender. Just American. God bless!"
But that wasn't the end of it!
Rosalynd Wasn't Expecting What Came Next
Rosalynd became utterly shocked by what was at the bottom of the check. The subtotal for the meal had only been $72.60, but Jason had left her a 625-percent tip - $450! A standard 20-percent tip is something to be happy about, so this was mind-blowing.
The waitress had never seen anything of this magnitude in her life.
An Epiphany While Eating Lunch
Jason remembered looking at all the influential figures that were on the walls of the restaurant. He also thought of how the Women's March and the inauguration coincided with each other, and that's when something clicked.
The dentist figured that those were examples of people expressing the values they had. Like a light bulb appearing over his head, he began to understand how much he had in common with others, including Rosalynd. That's what inspired his generous tip.
At a Loss for Words
Rosalynd couldn't help, but become emotional. There was no doubt that the tip would help her a ton. Working two jobs, so she could pay for college meant that extra money would be able to do some damage control.
"The note was extremely touching and unexpected," she told TODAY. "Of course, the biggest part was definitely the amount of the tip he left."
A Change of Heart
The kind gesture helped provide Rosalynd gain a broader perspective, especially when it came to people with differing views from hers. She thought that folks like Jason and his friends, with their red hats, were only interested in taking care of themselves.
"You automatically assume [...] that they have ideas about you," she explained. "But [Jason was] more embracing than even some of my more liberal friends, and there was a real authenticity in our exchange."
Moved to Tears
The whole event was enough to bring Jason to tears. He became reflective of what had happened. His thoughts made him more emotional than he would've ever imagined.
"As I sat there, I thought about the entire weekend," he said. "And I thought, 'I don't know her, she doesn't know me, but if most Americans have a preconceived perception about people, then we’re never going to get better.'"
It was at that moment the dentist got a phone call he wouldn't forget.
A Special Reunion
It didn't take long for this story to catch the attention of millions, and it put both Rosalyn and Jason in the limelight.
During an interview, the waitress decided to give Jason a surprise FaceTime call. It was the first time they'd an interaction since the day they met at the restaurant, and they finally had a chance to brief each other on how their lives were going.
During the conversation, they both admitted that there was something about the story that people might've misunderstood.
Understanding the Root of Jason's Gesture
Everything in life isn't black and white. If it were, then there'd be fewer misunderstandings between people.
"I hope that people just don't see it as this white guy helping this black girl," Rosalynd said. "This gracious gesture came from a place of compassion and love."
Jason agreed, saying, "It's not about her and me... I just want people to take the example, and stop and think a little bit before they judge people - on all sides."
