Katie's crash course

Editor’s note: Vindicator reporter Katie Seminara worked during the morning shift as a helper at the Denny’s Restaurant on U.S. Route 224 in Boardman on the day the restaurant gave out free breakfasts. This is her report:

By KATIE SEMINARA

Vindicator Staff Writer

Free Breakfast

Video

BOARDMAN — I started work at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Within 10 minutes, instead of answering the phone “Newsroom, Katie speaking,” I was answering, “Good morning, Denny’s on 224, how can I help you?”

Talk about a crash course.

I was at the Denny’s restaurant in Boardman where coffee was flowing and free breakfasts were a-plenty.

Denny’s offered free Grand Slam breakfasts ­— two eggs, two pancakes, two strips of bacon and two sausage links ­— from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. to its dine-in customers Tuesday.

For three hours, I answered the phone, wrapped silverware, poured coffee, served plates and passed out free Pancake Puppies to the masses waiting in line.

Though some were weary of the fried doughlike sweet treats, not many were willing to pass up a free sample as the preview to their free breakfast.

While refilling my Pancake Puppy basket, manager Roy Main yelled at me from the kitchen, “Hey, newspaper girl, are you having fun yet?”

Was I having fun? I was having a blast, while trying not to screw things up for the workers who were doing such a stellar job.

To stay out of the way, I wrapped a lot of silverware — and I mean a lot. I just kept repeating in my head, “knife, fork, spoon, fold, fold, roll,” but my work disappeared faster and faster.

At one point the phone rang more than 25 times in a span of 30 minutes with eager customers on the other end.

“Is it true that you are giving away free breakfast?”

“How long is the wait?”

“Can you get the Grand Slam for take-out?”

And my favorite, “Do we have to wear something special?”

I should have told those people yes, they should wear something obscene.

Two servers, Denise Yemma and Renee Stocker, took me under their wings and showed me the ropes. Denise, who has worked at Denny’s for about a year, was even kind enough to let me take trays out to her tables.

“It’s a balancing act,” she said.

Denise wasn’t joking. Her customers were lucky not to be wearing syrup.

Renee has about 25 years under her belt at Denny’s and kept an upbeat attitude the whole morning.

While hustling from her section to the kitchen she said, “Just laugh and smile.”

I heeded her advice, and the entire staff seemed to follow suit.

I would like to extend my thanks to all the employees at Denny’s in Boardman for being so accommodating and helpful. I had a great time.