In 2013, big sister Anna took her 7-year-old sister Arianna to out to a Midvale, Utah Chili’s to enjoy lunch together. Arianna, who has autism, was looking forward to dining on a cheeseburger- which is her most favorite food. However, when the server brought their meal, Arianna refused to take a bite.
Even though Arianna could sometimes display odd behavior, Anna knew even this was out of character for her sister. After asking Arianna what was wrong she responded that her cheeseburger was “broken” and that she needed a new one that was fixed. It soon dawned on Anna that the cheeseburger that Arianna has been served was cut in half, which seemed broken to her sister. Anna called over their server Lauren and explained the situation.
She told Lauren that while there was nothing really wrong with that cheeseburger, they would need one that was “fixed” so that Anna could enjoy her meal. She told Lauren that her sister had autism and that she wouldn’t eat unless her burger was fixed. They would gladly pay for the two meals since there was nothing wrong with the one Lauren originally brought out. That is when Lauren did something that stunned Anna.
Lauren gave Arianna a big smile and told her that her fixed cheeseburger would be right out. Not only did Lauren recognize Arianna’ needs, but the restaurant’s manager stopped by the table to have a chat with the young girl as well. He brought her some french fries to munch on while she was waiting and apologized for bringing her a broken burger. The second cheeseburger soon arrived and Arianna could not have been happier to receive her fixed meal.
Once Anna and Arianna got home, Anna took to Facebook and shared her experience at Chili’s with her friends and family. Her post soon went viral.