PHOENIX — This week's Server of the Week takes us to north Phoenix. Andrea Shacher works at Denny’s just to make ends meet, which, as we found out, was more than your typical monthly lift.
She’s a single mom and has been renting a car weekly for around $1,600 a month just to make it to and from work. In addition, the Denny’s location where she works has some air conditioning problems, and half the restaurant is shut down just to keep the other half moderately cool.
Despite the challenges, Andrea still has a smile on her face and a friendly attitude.
That’s the first thing customer Terrie Kulh noticed when she and her husband stopped in for a meal. “We come here all the time. We’ve been coming here for years, even with the air conditioning. One particular day that struck me it was extremely hot in here. She was the only server, still with a smile on her face. Absolute kindness and gentleness, sweetness, she just shared a lot of her life that day, and I was just so touched,” said Kuhl.
Shacher left such a strong impression on Kuhl that it prompted her to nominate her for "Server of the Week."
When 12News showed up to surprise Shacher, we learned she already knew about the honor, but what she didn’t know was that her life was about to change.
Carlos Aguirre, the general manager for Ken Garff Kia presented Shacher with a $2,000 tip and learned that she would be putting the money down on a new car to alleviate some stress in her life.
Once he learned how much she was renting for, he invited her to stop by the dealership so they could talk about some options.
By the end of the day, Shacher drove home in her brand new car, the purchase of which will save her a significant amount of money per month moving forward.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.