60 years later, he’s still the headwaiter
VIDEO - Imagine working the same job for over 60 years. There's a man in Oklahoma who's still at it, 6 days a week, well into his 80's...
Imagine working the same job for over 60 years. There’s a man in Oklahoma who’s still at it, 6 days a week, well into his 80s.
Robert Antoine Jones is the headwaiter at ‘Jamil’s Steakhouse’ in Tulsa. He’s the only headwaiter they’ve ever had. In fact, Robert is the very first employee ever hired at this restaurant.
In 1944, he was sacking groceries when a customer asked him if he ever waited tables. The man was James Elias, and he was planning to open a little restaurant in Tulsa. Robert was his first hire on one condition. Robert was to become ‘Antoine’. James became ‘Jamil’ because it sounded fancier.
“He cooked and made salads and I waited tables and ran the cash register. At the end we’d both would wash dishes,” Jones said.
The restaurant would, of course, become known as ‘Jamil’s’ and it would do pretty well with hard work. Jones worked his first 28 years at Jamil’s 7 days a week without a day off.
He met his wife Cookie here. She’s only been waiting tables for 47 years. Robert’s daughter helps out too. Tracing a path through the maze of tables, Robert has served all kinds of celebrities including Muhammad Ali.
Headwaiter is really just a title. Robert sets tables; he clears them, gets drinks and does whatever else needs doing. He still works 6 days a week, 4pm until past midnight.
And just about every one of those nights, his friends are still lining up.
