Angie's Restaurant

LOGAN — Angie’s Restaurant will continue their Thanksgiving tradition Thursday, inviting the community to come enjoy a free dinner. The restaurant will serve up a full turkey meal, complete with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Angie’s owner Saboor Sahely started the tradition as a way to thank those who invited him into their home for Thanksgiving while he was by himself, attending Utah State. After buying the restaurant, he and his wife started serving the free meal in 1990.

“It’s the one day of the year we put a lock on the cash register, open the door and pick a local charity,” said Sahely. “Those who can’t afford it can eat and those who could afford it can have their dinner and, instead of paying the restaurant, they can make a contribution to the charity of that particular day.”

During the past 29 years, the restaurant has rotated through different charities, always trying to focus on local organizations. This year, they will be giving all of the collected donations to the Cache County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue.

Sahely said they expect to serve around 3,000 people, some of which will begin lining up outside at 9:30 a.m. It is one of his employees’ favorite days to work.

“There is a spirit in the air, in spite of all the busyness that goes on that day. It is one day that we all look forward to getting up in the morning and hoping that we’re prepared enough to take care of our customers, and take care of the local community. There is an opportunity in this to give back to the community that literally put us on the map.”

Sahely has worked 41 Thanksgiving holidays in a row, going back to when he was a dishwasher at Sambo’s that was in the same location.

will@cvradio.com