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Impact

Arby’s and a Birthday Surprise for Jake in Pennsylvania

By Raj Prashad

Jake Hart loves Arby’s. His family can’t pass an Arby’s without stopping in, where Jake typically eats two or three Classic Roast Beef sandwiches in a sitting. So when his mother, Kimberly, began planning Jake’s 12th birthday party, she reached out to her local Arby’s with a simple request.

“She sent an email over to the store, where she asked about buying a few Arby’s cups for Jake’s birthday,” Paula Plisko, general manager of the Arby’s in Scranton, Pennsylvania, said. “The managers at our store started brainstorming ideas on how to make it a special birthday. So we told Kimberly we wanted to do something for Jake if she could bring him into the restaurant on Saturday.”

To the delight of Jake, Arby’s team members threw him a surprise party, complete with Classic Roast Beef sandwiches, balloons, gifts and a birthday cake.

“There are no words to explain what they have done for him in making his day,” Kimberly said, per WNEP.

“You hear so many bad things going on in the world, and you don’t see things like this every day, where people really just go out of their way to just make someone feel better.”

For Paula and her team, putting the surprise together for Jake is more than just celebrating a birthday. It’s about forming a relationship with the families in their community.

“The Hart family was so wonderful and Jake was just so appreciative,” Paula said. “At Arby’s, we aim to make a difference in the lives of our guests, and I can’t think of a better way of doing that than celebrating Jake’s birthday.”

Watch below as the Arby’s team serenades Jake with “Happy Birthday.”