Hunter Metzger, an Ephrata, Pennsylvania resident, placed an order at his local Texas Roadhouse that has touched hearts around the world.
On April 19, Iris, the family’s eight-year-old Great Dane, was facing the last moments of her life, and they wanted to do something special for her. Little did they know they were going to receive that same grace back.
“About three weeks prior, she started having some health issues, breathing problems,” Metzger tells TODAY.com, adding that they initially thought that the nearly 120-pound pup had a respiratory infection, so she went on antibiotics. “That didn’t make anything better.”
Veterinarians eventually discovered that Iris had a tumor in her nose. No matter what they did, it wouldn’t respond to treatment, so Metzger made the decision to euthanize her.
“Everybody loves their pets, and if you ever have to make that tough decision, you want them to be able to go down with some semblance of dignity, you know what I mean?” Metzger says. “We want to hold on as long as possible, but it’s not always fair to the animal.”
That last day, lots of friends and family came by and gave Iris treats, pats and cuddles, and at dinnertime, Metzger decided to place an order at Texas Roadhouse for his dog’s final meal: an 8-ounce thick-cut New York strip steak, steak fries, mashed potatoes and freshly baked bread.
“I put in an online order, and they have a special request field, and we were all up in our feels getting ready to say goodbye to our dog,” Metzger says. He wrote, “Last meal for our dog. Please prepare with love,” and submitted the order.
That’s when Kate Weston, this Texas Roadhouse’s kitchen manager, got involved.
“My to-go team actually saw the message,” Weston tells TODAY.com, adding that they showed her knowing that she’s an animal lover with a dog of her own. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, we need to make sure that this is the best meal we’ve ever made.’”
After preparing the meal, staff members wrote him a note of condolence on receipt paper, and added “Made with LOVE” on the to-go container. When Metzger picked up the order, two staff members came to the window to share their condolences in person, too.
“It just blew us away,” Metzger says. “She was just put down later that night, and the next morning, I happened to check my emails and I saw they had also refunded my meal.”
Metzger posted about the experience in a private Ephrata Facebook group, and his photos were then shared far and wide.
“This kind of customer service and demonstrated compassion sets this Texas Roadhouse team a level above the rest!” Metzger wrote on his post. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
For its part, Texas Roadhouse says it believes in “treating guests like family.”
“While it was a simple act, we hope it brought a moment of comfort during a difficult time,” a spokesperson for the chain tells TODAY.com. “We’re proud of our team for showing such empathy and humanity, values we strive to uphold every day.”
Metzger, who recently celebrated his birthday, decided to mark the occasion at — you guessed it — Texas Roadhouse, where he met Weston and some of the staff, and they talked about Iris. A gentle giant, she loved to try to sit on people as if she were a lap dog.
“I just hope that it shows people that a little bit of kindness can go a long way,” Weston says. “The world feels like such an ugly place right now, and showing that love and compassion can definitely help someone and make what could be a really bad day into something amazing.”
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