# Has anyone ever paid for your meal at a restaurant?



## biggandyy (Nov 21, 2008)

First, I am not a soldier nor could my physical appearance EVER be confused with a current or former soldier. My wife in not a soldier or former member of the armed services.

A month or so ago we were eating at Eat'n'Park (a local dine in eatery in the Pittsburgh area). We had gotten a baby sitter for a few hours just so we could go out and pretend to be husband and wife, not mommy and daddy. Just for a few hours.

We were seated in a portion of the restaurant that wasn't too busy and no one could overhear our conversation. Not that we were talking about any heady stuff. No finances, no school problems with the kids, no talk that would make someone take pity on us or have compassion. Just a couple out for the evening. In fact, we had just seen the movie "Fireproof" at the theater a few blocks away and much of the conversation was dominated by expressing our admiration of that movie.

We were eating on the cheap, just got the dinner buffet and some water, no dessert. But we did get a couple of smiley cookies to take home to the kids. When the waitress brings the bill (my wife was washing up in the ladies room when the bill came) she says, "Your bill has been taken care of by someone in the restaurant, don't worry about it."

"Oh. Who was it?" was my reply.

She just said, "Someone has taken care of it for you," smiled and cleared the table.

When my wife got back I told her and she, of course, did not believe me. I explained it again and she was still skeptical. When the server came back my wife looked at her and the waitress nodded to her to answer her unasked question.

This _really_ disturbed my wife. She wanted to know who did it and wanted to know NOW. I had glanced around but did not recognize anyone and left it at that. I felt weird leaving the building without paying for the meal and felt weirder that someone paid it on my behalf (kind like how we all should feel that Christ paid our sin debt for us).

The only thing we could figure is when the family is out for our monthly visit to Ponderosa (another buffet type place) when we are seated and before we raid the salad bar, we sit, hold hands, and have a moment of audible prayer and grace thanking the Lord for the day and for the meal before us. On many occasion (especially the old patrons of the restaurant) will make a point to come up to my wife and I and comment on how seeing our short family prayer time made THEM feel good.

Perhaps someone in Eat'n'Park saw my wife and I begin with prayer and were similarly moved. But maybe, just like Christ, it was done not because my wife and I did something (pray) but because our mysterious benefactor wanted to show love to us even though we did not first love them.


----------



## BobVigneault (Nov 21, 2008)

No one has paid for ours but we love doing that anonymously when we go to restaurants. Sometimes I'll know something of the need of a person or family and other times it's just an unction. I would highly recommend this kind of behavior. 

If you see a young struggling family in line at a grocery store, pay for their groceries if you have some extra. If you're in a restaurant, look for someone who looks like they need a pick me up. It's a thrill and hey, it's only money. Keep it anonymous so you won't take the glory and also, just to mess with peoples heads.

One day my wife, myself and 8 year old daughter were at a pancake restaurant. A man and woman came over and gave my daughter a dollar because they were surprised to see her bow her head when we prayed before eating.


----------



## Contra_Mundum (Nov 21, 2008)

I had a guy pay for our meal in a MikyDs about 6mo. ago. It was a pure shock, because he just pressed a 20 in my hand and said something I can't remember. I think I just stared at that money in my hand for about 30 seconds just puzzled, and when my wife was back from the restroom or something, I just told her that a guy in the place was gone now, but he just gave me 20 bucks.

She thought maybe someone heard a sermon the day before where the pastor told the people to do a good deed. She'd heard of that kind of scenario from someone before who might have actually been in a church service like that.

1) It was helpful, and appreciated. Even though I think I may have been too surprised to really thank the guy properly.

2) I hope it wasn't a feel-good moment for him, getting points with God because the preacher advised "do a good deed once a week and you will make the world a better place, and God will reward you, love you, or see you as heaven-worthy, etc."


----------



## Kim G (Nov 21, 2008)

I went on a mission team to Cameroon with 15 other people, and on our first flight, from SC to Chicago, a group of us struck up a conversation with a man near us who looked like he had stepped off the streets--long uncombed hair, ratty jean jacket, etc. (He said he was an engineer for Caterpillar--construction equipment.) We talked with him for the whole trip and told him about our mission trip to Cameroon. He asked us who was paying for us to go, and we told him that we were all paying our own way.

When we all got off the plane, this man opened his wallet, took out $200, and handed it to our team leader. He said that we had made a big impact on him and he wanted to pay for our lunch at the airport. 

We were very grateful to the Lord for providing for us!


----------



## Wannabee (Nov 21, 2008)

I haven't had it happen, but if anyone wants to do it I'm sure we can arrange something.

Thanks for sharing. We all could learn something here.


----------



## PastorSBC (Nov 21, 2008)

I have not had my meal paid for. But one of the deacons in my church was having supper with his wife at a local restaurant and he went to pay his bill and the waitress told him that it had been covered. He inquired why and was told that Jim Bakker was there having supper and he paid for everyone in the restaurant.


----------



## Brother John (Nov 21, 2008)

I do not recall anyone ever purchasing me a meal anonymously. But I have done it a few times for others. The last time we did purchase a meal my wife and I were traveling and stopped at a buffet type resturant like "Ryans" or "Golden Corral". In line in front of us was a young man with his enire family. He was back from Iraq and his family was throwing him a little welcome back dinner. He was in uniform and on crutches. He had lost his leg from enemy fire. We talked a little bit while we all waited in line. This young man was upbeat and happy to be home to his family and it was very evident that they were all very happy for him to be home. They went through the line in front of us paid and went off to eat. When it was our time to pay I asked the lady behind the counter for a gift certificate that would be enough for two to eat there for dinner. I then asked the lady to wait till my wife and I were seated then to take the gift certificates over to the young soldier and not tell anyone who it was from.

Towards the end of dinner an old man came over to our table with tears in his eyes. He had demanded that the waitress tell him who bought the gift certificates so he could thank them personally. I dont rember the conversation exactlly but my wife and I told him we were thankful for his grandson and we simply wanted to give him a gift for his service. I would have preferred for the waitress not to have told the family. But I was thankfull to get the chance to talk to the grandfather for a moment and see that this young man had a family behind him to support him as he adjusted to life after losing a limb in battle. 

When the oppurtunity presents itself I hope to be able to give more away anonymously.


----------



## kvanlaan (Nov 21, 2008)

We were in Hawaii getting our boys' paperwork done and stopped to get some food at the cheapest place we could find. A woman thought we were a church group lol and when told that we were just a family, asked if she could help us pay for dinner, then laid $10 down on the table. That took care of 1/3 of the tab - wonderful! God's provision is so amazing at times.


----------



## smhbbag (Nov 21, 2008)

_Someone_ always pays my bill.

Though, it's usually me.


----------



## Tim (Nov 21, 2008)

It is providential that this thread has occurred when it did. Because the other night this came up in our Bible study group. The anecdote was regarding anonymously paying for the meal of someone who isn't visibly in need. I said that this stuck me as odd. 

If anyone can tell me how this might be a good Christian act (anonymous and the other person is not in need), I am interested to hear. Perhaps there is some scripture that I am forgetting, because the only thing that comes to mind is that this would be good for the poor, widows, orphans, etc.

I am open to hearing what some more people have to say.


----------



## Tim (Nov 21, 2008)

Of course, this may also lead to the discussion of the issue that the anonymous donor "felt led". And then we have to figure out if the Holy Spirit really leads people in that way...


----------



## biggandyy (Nov 21, 2008)

Even if the person doing the giving is doing it for selfish reasons, the recipient can give the Glory to God for the generosity bestowed and know full well that even though the giver received their reward (a glad heart), the SOURCE of the gift was God Himself.


----------



## Kim G (Nov 21, 2008)

Tim said:


> If anyone can tell me how this might be a good Christian act (anonymous and the other person is not in need), I am interested to hear. Perhaps there is some scripture that I am forgetting, because the only thing that comes to mind is that this would be good for the poor, widows, orphans, etc.
> 
> I am open to hearing what some more people have to say.



What about just to be nice? We're not required to pay for other people's meals, but why not make someone's day a little bit brighter? I don't need flowers or chocolates, but when my husband gives them to me, it's a reminder that he was thinking of me. When I answer the phone at work (I'm a receptionist) and someone takes the time to ask me how I am and tells me to have a great day, I may not know them, but it's still nice to hear.


----------



## he beholds (Nov 21, 2008)

biggandyy said:


> First, I am not a soldier nor could my physical appearance EVER be confused with a current or former soldier. My wife in not a soldier or former member of the armed services.
> 
> A month or so ago we were eating at Eat'n'Park (a local dine in eatery in the Pittsburgh area). We had gotten a baby sitter for a few hours just so we could go out and pretend to be husband and wife, not mommy and daddy. Just for a few hours.
> 
> ...



This sounds like something that my dad would do, and he's practically lived at ENP since my step-mom left him a year ago! But I haven't heard of any recent stories!
Which ENP was it?

Anyway, I have had things like this happen to me a lot. And I have never felt guilty, just surprised and grateful. 

I think there are just people who truly delight in secretly making someone's day. Kind of like "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."


----------



## SolaScriptura (Nov 21, 2008)

It has happened to me on THREE occasions. In each case it was an older veteran wanting to thank me for my service. In every case it has been my entire family's tab that was picked up.


----------



## biggandyy (Nov 21, 2008)

he beholds said:


> This sounds like something that my dad would do, and he's practically lived at ENP since my step-mom left him a year ago! But I haven't heard of any recent stories!
> Which ENP was it?
> 
> Anyway, I have had things like this happen to me a lot. And I have never felt guilty, just surprised and grateful.
> ...



Waterfront Eat'n'Park in Homestead.


----------



## Seb (Nov 21, 2008)

When I was in the Navy, stationed in Jacksonville, a nice little old man came out of nowhere and paid for my *meal* (actually it was my bar tab - That still counts huh?) because he figured I was in the military.

That's been over 25 years ago and I still remember it. 

"Random" acts of kindness sure make a long lasting impression.


----------



## he beholds (Nov 21, 2008)

Seb said:


> When I was in the Navy, stationed in Jacksonville, a nice little old man came out of nowhere and paid for my *meal* (actually it was my bar tab - That still counts huh?) because he figured I was in the military.
> 
> That's been over 25 years ago and I still remember it.
> 
> "Random" acts of kindness sure make a long lasting impression.



Yeah...if we're talking bar tab...well, nevermind


----------

