A Nebraska bar has adopted a creative reward system to thank patrons who don’t drink and drive.
Owners of the Union Bar and Grill in Gering, Nebraska, Scott, and Carla Swanson are receiving a lot more attention than they ever anticipated, after what happened in their parking lot on a typical Saturday night. When a woman Janelle, whose husband Austin Martin leaves his truck in the bar’s parking lot overnight, Austin was going to meet a friend at the bar.
The couple discovered a letter on the windshield of Austin’s truck as Austin’s wife Janelle drove him to pick up his car the following morning which had spent the night at the bar because of Janelle’s pick-up Austin the previous evening.
After receiving the note, Janelle let everyone know of what had occurred and her thoughts, by posting it on social media, with over 24k likes and over 53k shares. The woman stated that she posted the letter because she considers it a good example of a bar trying to keep people safe.
The letter reads:
“Dear Union Bar and Grill Park Guest, Just wanted to thank you for leaving your car parked overnight. I’m not sure if you consumed alcohol at our restaurant or not, but we want to thank you for not drinking and driving. Bring this letter to the bar and we will give you a hamburger and French fries. Please accept this as a thank you for being responsible. Life is valuable, have a great day.”
Following Martin’s post, Scott Swanson, who runs the bar with his wife Carla, said they had received Facebook messages of gratitude from individuals all around the country. Most messages, he continued, came from folks who had lost a loved one to a drunken driver. “It’s a $7 burger, and if it keeps someone out of jail or keeps someone from killing someone, it’s damn well worth it,” he said.
According to Swanson, his wife had the idea after reading online about a bar offering similar incentives to patrons. He claimed that he places the letters on windshields on weekends when eight to ten client automobiles are parked there. He acknowledged that he doesn’t always leave letters. He thinks more bars will use the concept.
“Carla and I pulled into the parking lot a couple years ago, We had a pretty good night the night before and there was ten cars in the parking lot, and I mention and she mentioned that, you know, we ought to think of something to do for the people that are responsible, She came up with the idea.” Scott recalled.
When asked how many patrons take up the free food offer, Swanson said: “100 percent.”
Sources: Taphaps, Lovethispic, Thoughtnova