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81-year-old Culver's regular ditches retirement to don an apron and help her favorite restaurant stay afloat

Bonnie August, a regular customer at Culver's in Findlay, Ohio, decided to join the crew after she learned the restaurant was short-staffed.

FINDLAY, Ohio — Would you come out of retirement to help keep your favorite business afloat?

For one Hancock County woman, she knew she had to take a break from her "golden years" to support a place where she loved to go.

How many times have you heard this story shared on social media? Folks showing up to their favorite restaurant to find the doors locked and dining room closed due to staffing shortages.

At Culver's of Findlay, when one of their longest regulars found out the dining room was shut down, she didn't take her frustrations online. 

She joined the line cooks.

The Culver's restaurant has been drive-thru only since last month. To help beef up staffing, owner Danielle Doxsey held walk-in interviews and noticed a familiar face: 81-year-old Bonnie August.

"Bonnie was walking up and she is a regular, so I met her at the door and I explained that we were closed. And she's like, 'no I'm here for an interview'... And I was like, 'what!?'" explained Doxsey.

"I said, 'what can I do to help?' And they said, 'you can help us until we can get it open, and take food to cars,'" said Bonnie.

Bonnie says she was one of the first people in the door when this Culver's opened and has been a regular ever since.

She says she missed sitting down and eating at her favorite restaurant regularly with her circle of friends and decided it was time to step up and join the team.

Her days of retirement now over, Bonnie now works six days a week for 3 to 4 hour shifts taking drive-thru orders of ButterBurgers and cheese curds out to cars.

"Everybody pitches in, everybody works together. It's not a one person operation; we all pitch in where we're needed," said Bonnie.

Credit: Jon Monk
Culver's of Findlay

Bonnie says she is looking forward to serving customers in the dining area once it reopens, including her group of friends.

But she isn't quite sure how long she expects to continue working once it's back.

"Well, I don't know. I mean, as long as they'll put up with me," Bonnie laughed. 

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