Growing up is weird. When I think back to my younger years, I think about how as a seven-year-old I really wanted to grow up, but ever since I hit 22 I've been fighting doggedly against any semblance of adulthood. A few years ago, I thought turning 30 was pretty much being sentence to mediocrity and a slow death (apologies to any 30-year-olds out there), but I can't even imagine what it would be like to be 100 years old.
In the United Kingdom, you get a really nice letter from the Queen for officially reaching triple figures, but in general, there is little reward in reaching that age apart from getting to be indignant about way more generations of children. But Chick-fil-A, everybody's second-favourite chicken restaurant, want to change that.
Out in Florida, where we're more used to seeing weirder and darker stories than this, a Chick-fil-A out near Tampa was getting ready to welcome one of their most loyal customers, who'd been going there ever since it opened 15 years ago. Stephen Bellissimo makes it a point to visit his local branch of chicken at least once a week, and now, Stephen is turning 100 (one hundred!) years old.
Bellissimo doesn't even begin to describe it.
Unsurprisingly, this chicken restaurant is a pretty big fan of Stephen."He makes everyone here feel loved and welcomed," says Brittani Craft, marketing director for Chick-fil-A, and 'Mr Steve' as he's known gets plenty of free coffee and half-priced meals. But for his 100th, these restaurant workers want to do something a little extra.
So Chick-fil-A, in tribute to one of their most persistent and long-serving patrons, decided to throw a surprise party for Stephen. Even better, we got to see the whole thing on video, so you can see the exact moment where 100-year-old Stephen realises this noble chicken restaurant is throwing him a birthday party:
"Mr. Steve, we want to give you Chick-fil-A for the rest of your life. No more 50% off, you're getting free," say the restaurant staff at this Chick-fil-A. That's a hell of a birthday gift, isn't it? And on that video, you can see the exact moment they tell him about his gift, and you can see his adorable face light up!
Sparing no expense on his 100th birthday, this Chick-fil-A filled out the restaurant with balloons and other decorations, and when Stephen went to his regular booth, he found it full of birthday cards and birthday cake! There's barely room for chicken after all that! "Now I'm coming every day," Stephen said, and to be honest, can you blame him?
Well, isn't this the cutest thing ever? Chick-fil-A may come under fire from some quarters for speaking out against gay marriage in recent years, but as we've they're also capable of being kind to people too. Let's hope that Stephen gets to enjoy free Chick-fil-A at this Florida branch for a long time yet.
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