Madison restaurant gives free Thanksgiving buffet to public servants

MADISON, AL (WAFF) - One Madison restaurant opened up on Thanksgiving just to feed the area's public servants.

ChuckWagon BBQ provided a free Thanksgiving buffet for police, firefighters, EMTs, sheriffs, and active and retired military.

One of the owners, Stephen Holley, said they had some military folks come in before Thanksgiving last year and ask if the restaurant would be open for the holiday. Holley said he thought it wasn't a bad idea. Now they're on their second year of the tradition.

Holley said it's their way of saying "thank you" for everything public servants do for the community throughout the year.

Holley is spending time away from his own family to do this but said it's totally worth it. And local first responders said the Thanksgiving meal means a lot to them.

"This is the second year that ChuckWagon has opened up and provided us a free meal for Thanksgiving. We always try to get down here and eat and support them," said Zac Tanner, a Madison city firefighter,. "They always have good food and they're always good about taking care of us, especially on the holidays and stuff when we have to work and don't get to be with our families."

Holley said once they wrapped the lunch up at about 2 p.m. Thursday, they took what was left over to local charities and to those in need.

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