PATASKALA, Ohio — Every Nov. 11, Pataskala’s famous Nutcracker restaurant is standing-room only.
“It’s been busy,” Steve Butcher said.
Butcher, the restaurant’s owner, calls it a good problem to have.
“Too often, we don’t take the time to just stop and say thank you,” he said. “So, this is just a simple way for us to just say thank you for everything they’ve done for the country.”
Organized by his father when he owned the business, the special day calls for a special meal for the most special of people.
“We have a lot of veterans that support us every day,” Butcher said.
Veterans like World War II Navy veteran, Luther Fultz, who, at 96, still remembers and always appreciates.
“I was stationed in Tulagi in motored torpedo boats, squadron 11,” he said. “I appreciate just being alive. I’ve gone through a lot.”
Vietnam Air Force veteran Rene Levino appreciates the appreciation.
“It’s more than a pat on the back,” he said. “It’s they’re giving up to say thank you.”
“We’d all be better served to just take a minute and say thank you and just appreciate how much people give,” Butcher said.
At 6:30 a.m., Butcher says there was a line outside the front door. And, since opening the doors at 7 a.m., it’s been non-stop serving all veterans free of charge.
“It’s not about the money,” he said. “It’s not about giveaways. It’s about thank you and reciprocal of us on how much they’ve helped us.”
He estimates serving 350 veterans during the day while forfeiting as much as $5,000 in sales.
“It makes me feel like our country appreciates what we did,” Levino said.
“It tells me it’s wonderful,” Fultz said. “I enjoy it.”