Ellen once gave away a car to her ‘favourite’ waitress in unexpected moment: "Thank you for..."
Ellen DeGeneres always ended her iconic segments on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' with the words, "Be kind to one another." In 2013 she got the chance to shower Sarah Hoidahl, a waitress at Ruby Tuesday Concord with a generous tip and a brand new 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport for a generous act. Hoidahl went viral on social media for buying a meal of $27.75 for two temporarily suspended National Guard officers. The single mother encountered an emotional moment on television when DeGeneres presented her with a $10,000 check during her first appearance. The talk show host then took a step forward and rewarded Hoidahl with a brand-new car during the second edition of the show.
According to the Daily Mail, the waitress included a sweet note for the soldiers when they were unable to pay enough for their meal. "Thanks to the government shutdown the people like you that protect this country aren't getting paid. However, I still am. Lunch is on me! Thank you for serving ladies!" The single mother further explained on the show that she was motivated to put forth the good deed since she was struggling economically as well. "It got me thinking I'm a waitress, single mother and I know how hard that is, so I just decided I was going to do something good that day and I bought them lunch." DeGeneres then surprised Hoidahl with a brand-new 50-inch Insignia TV and a $10,000 novelty check.
Shout out to our team member Sarah for going above and beyond to truly #serve those who serve our country! pic.twitter.com/DJhfFDM1AX
— Ruby Tuesday (@rubytuesday) October 10, 2013
"Your television is broken and you're not able to watch me so that's unacceptable, so I got you a brand new 50-inch insignia television, well you get two of those. I'm going to make you a check right now, that's for you," DeGeneres explained while gifting the rewards. The waitress was further left in tears when the television host called her at work in New Hampshire a few days later in the pretense of taking her interview and handed out the keys to a sports car. "Hey, we're taping the show right now, and you're on it," DeGeneres told a surprised Hoidahl. The single mother disclosed live on TV that she had been driving an almost wrecked car and occasionally even requested her acquaintances to drop her off at work.
That is the exact moment DeGeneres and her team handed Hoidahl the keys to the new sports automobile. Viewers and fans of the show were left touched by the seasoned host's heartfelt gifts. "Dear Ellen. Just saw your piece on the waitress and the car. No, I am not looking for a car. Just wanted to say thank you for being so nice to people. As a middle school teacher, I try to make sure the kids understand that. Good to be able to see it put in use for all to see," a fan gushed over her generosity.
Dear Ellen. Just saw your piece on the waitress and the car. No I am not looking for a car. Just wanted to say thank you for being so nice to people. As a middle school teacher, I try to make sure the kids understand that. Good to be able to see it put in use for all to see.
— Kevin Atwood (@Katwood33) September 7, 2019
"There seem to be less and less good people in the world. It's beautiful to see @theEllenShow celebrate this nice girl!" a viewer tweeted. "You are fantastic, wonderful people!" another X user chimed. "Ellen's Favorite Waitress Gets a Car @YouTube I didn't see this episode of Ellen and I have tried not to miss one ever. I could not help crying From the bottom of my heart I think Ellen is truly a wonderful human being, and blessings and love to her," another fan complimented.
