‘Every section was closed’: Man goes to Texas Roadhouse late. Then he asks to sit as far away from the bar as possible

Going to a restaurant later in the night can be daunting. Servers might be finishing their side work and preparing to head back home. At certain hours, chains stop offering the same amenities and slowly shift toward closing. But despite the desire to get out the door, some establishments still give their customers unbeatable hospitality.

One man experienced a gesture of kindness from a local Texas Roadhouse location that stuck with him, so much so that he posted a video to TikTok. Derrick Spurlin (@notdoneyet.co), a recovery advocate who wrote the book “You Don’t Just Wake Up From This,” posted a video explaining that despite the restaurant only having bar seating when he came in later in the evening, a host prepared a table just for him. 

The gesture struck a chord with the man, who said, “ You probably thought you was just finding a man a table, and you weren’t. You reminded him that compassion still exists, and sometimes that matters a whole lot more than just a meal.”

As of this writing, his post has more than 740,000 views.

A kind gesture while visiting Texas Roadhouse

Spurlin explained in his video that he got off work late. There was only one spot in his area open — Texas Roadhouse — so he decided to drop by.

Upon entering the establishment, Spurlin noticed there wasn’t much available seating. He approached the host stand, and the host offered him bar seating. Spurlin immediately knew that he wanted a table, so he told her he’d prefer to sit as far away from the bar as possible.

The host asked why, and Spurlin explained.

“ I said, ‘I’m a recovering alcoholic,’” Spurlin said. “She didn’t make a face. She didn’t ask another question. She just smiled and said, ‘I understand. Give me a minute.’ She goes and finds somebody, they clean a table, they find a server for a customer of one, me.”

In his video, he clarified that “ I still don’t like sitting at a bar, especially when I’m out of town, especially when it’s just me and I’m by myself. Not because I think I’m gonna drink, because recovery taught me to respect the things that almost killed me.”

Spurlin knew that it “probably caused somebody extra work.” That’s one of the reasons why the kind gesture stuck with him.

“Recovery isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes it’s one person deciding, ‘I’m gonna make this a little easier for you,’” Spurlin said. “ I’ll remember the kindness, the dignity, the fact that nobody made me feel like I was asking for too much for trying to protect my life that I fought so hard to get back.”

@notdoneyet.co Kindness doesn’t always look heroic. Sometimes it just looks like someone making one small accommodation that reminds another human being they’re worth caring about. Georgetown, ky. Tag em till they see it! @Texas Roadhouse #RecoveryJourney #Sobriety #KindnessMatters #TexasRoadhouse #NotDoneYet ♬ Covered By God – Keiko Murata

Why bar seating isn’t always an option for those in recovery

In the comment section, Spurlin clarified more on why he preferred not to sit at the bar during his visit.

When a viewer said, “I don’t sit at a bar either bud 6 years in,” Spurlin replied, “I think even at 6 years I’ll still be the same way. I don’t like dancing with the devil, I’m afraid of get burned!”

Sitting in bar settings can, for some people, trigger “cue reactivity.”

“When people suffering from alcohol addiction see alcohol-related stimuli and images, physiological reactions occur in the brain, a phenomenon known as cue reactivity,” according to the Recovery Research Institute. 

In essence, the sights, smells, and appearance of a bar can trigger cravings for some individuals. According to a study published in Addictive Behaviors, “the presence of these signals, even in the absence of alcohol, is sufficient to activate psychological states such as cravings and motivations to drink.”

But not every person in recovery is the same. There are individuals who feel comfortable at bar seating or social settings with alcohol. In general, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. 

How did Texas Roadhouse respond?

Spurlin’s thank you video managed to reach individuals at Texas Roadhouse. The hostess at the location who helped Spurlin commented, “Aw i was your hostess last night! I’m crying watching this rn… Congratulations on your recovery!!”

The server who helped Spurlin also commented, “hey, i was your server. you were my last table of the shift and the best one too. something you told me will always stick with me. ‘don’t count the days. make the days count!’ see ya next time man!”

The manager of the Texas Roadhouse Spurlin visited even left a note for the content creator. “Service Manager of Georgetown Texas Roadhouse here! I am soooo thrilled that you had this experience here,” they said. “I am proud of our team and it is so amazing to hear that they took great care of you. Congratulations on your recovery- I hope we get to see you again!”

Then, the Texas Roadhouse social media account commented. “Legendary service wins again! Love the compassion of our Roadies!” the comment said. “Congratulations to you on your recovery as well. Come back and see us again soon, we’d love to have you.”

Buzz News reached out to Texas Roadhouse via email and Spurlin via TikTok direct message and email for comment.