Why Greg and Sandi Terry Give Back

Sandi and I were - and still are - regular patrons of Local Three in Atlanta and have grown to appreciate how the employees there always make us feel at home. Our servers Grace and Holly always make us feel like we are special, and Adrian is a great bartender who doesn’t mind sharing some of her bar secrets with us. 

Grace invited us into the kitchen one night, and for the first time, Sandi and I really were able to see just how hard the people behind the scenes work. We are so appreciative of everyone in the food service industry who, day in and day out, work to make our dining out experience pleasurable. Sometimes it can be a thankless job.

While eating at Local Three, we began to hear stories of how restaurant workers often have a difficult time making ends meet when medical or family issues take them away from work. We didn’t realize most restaurant workers don’t have medical insurance, nor do they have accrued paid leave. More times than not, no work means no pay. This concerned us, and we wanted to help. With our support, we feel we are contributing in some fashion to the security and respect that each and every worker in the restaurant industry deserves. Giving Kitchen provides a true safety net for those in need, and I’m sure this is of comfort to the restaurant workers - knowing someone has their backs. 

We feel Giving Kitchen started with love from a selfless, generous heart. Giving Kitchen is a role model for other industries where little to no benefits can be provided by employers, and they provide a life-changing experience for those who face crisis with no other support. 

The next time you go out to eat, please take a minute to get to know your servers, and let them know how much you appreciate them. It’s easy to complain when something goes wrong. Most take good service for granted. You never know what kind of day your server is having, what news they may have just received or what’s going on at home. They need to know they can keep doing the thing they love by serving each of us, even when times get tough.