Chick-fil-A helped one Florida man ring in his 100th birthday by offering him free Chick-fil-A for life.
Stephen Bellisimo got the surprise of a lifetime when his weekly visit to his local Chick-fil-A restaurant turned into a surprise birthday party to help him celebrate his 100th year of life. The popular fast food chain not only marked the milestone event by decorating the restaurant with banners, streamers, and balloons, but by also gifting Bellisimo with a giant check allowing him free Chick-fil-A for life.
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“Oh, I think this is just one great surprise for me. I didn’t expect anything like this,” Bellisimo told local station Fox 13 after being gifted his life-long present. “That is the best gift I could ever receive! Thank you very much!”
The centenarian had been going to the same Chick-fil-A restaurant every week for the last 20 years, sitting at the same booth and ordering his pick of his favorite chicken-based dish on the menu, his frequent visits allowing him to become friendly with the staff, who now refer to him as “Mr. Steve.”
“He makes everyone here feel loved and welcomed,” Chick-fil-A marketing director, Brittani Craft, said.
Bellisimo’s weekly visits temporarily came to an end last year when he fell and moved in with his son to recover. Though once fully healed, Bellisimo started visiting the Chick-fil-A restaurant located just six miles outside of Tampa once more. Now, however, he said that his visits will become even more frequent.
“Instead of coming once a week,” he said, “Now I’m coming every day!”
Bellisimo is not the only lucky person to be gifted with free Chick-fil-A for life. In July, the chicken restaurant chain extended the distinguished honor of feasting at Chick-fil-A for free to a newborn after the little one was delivered in a Texas Chick-Fil-A.
Robert and Maggie Griffin had been on their way to the Texas University Hospital in San Antonio at the time, but their baby girl was not willing to wait that long, and when the couple stopped at a Chick-fil-A restaurant to drop their two other daughter’s off with friends, Maggie was in active labor.
“By the time we got to the restaurant, Maggie was in active labor and said she REALLY had to go to the bathroom,” Robert said.
Gracelyn Mae Violet Griffin was delivered in the restaurant’s bathroom 15 minutes before paramedics arrived at the scene. Along with gifting the newborn with free Chick-fil-A for life, the fast food chain also guaranteed her a job when she reaches the age of 14.
