Restaurant Owner Invites Dumpster Diver in for a Free Meal

Though the U.S. throws away a staggering percentage of the food it produces and imports, it's hard for most people to imagine being hungry enough to need to dig through the trash for their next meal. That's probably why Ashley Jiron, the owner of P.B. Jams in Warr Acres, Oklah., left a note for the hungry person who has been going through her dumpster. She told the local Fox News station that seeing that old food was being taken each night "hurt... that someone had to do that."

So she put a note next to the dumpster:

"To the person going through our trash for their next meal, you're a human being and worth more than a meal from the dumpster. Please come in during business hours for a classic Pb&j, fresh veggies, and a cup of water at no charge. No questions asked. - your friend, the owner."

It's nice to see one restaurant owner treat would-be patrons kindly. More often, the story involves an angry restaurant owner lashing out at guests, as in the case of this San Francisco restaurateur who blamed "MSG-hating" customers for his restaurant's shutter.

Mashable notes that P.B. Jams — an all-peanut butter and jelly restaurant — has received a lot of praise on Facebook since the story of the owners' kindness broke. Out-of-towner Timothy Burns wrote, "You're awesome. Next time I'm in Oklahoma I know where I'm having lunch. Food is for everyone. Life doesn't have to be so hard for people."

Go, watch the local news story: