Family gets free meal at restaurant after tragic house fire

A young family dining at Olive Garden were recipients of a compassionate gesture by the restaurant's manager recently.

"My brother, wife, 3 year-old daughter and I went to Olive Garden after a recent house fire at my parents. When the manager asked how everything was my daughter said "Grandpa's house burned down," redditor Tanek42 wrote.

"Here's how we received the check:"

The meal was on the house.

"It was a great gesture and should be admired. It obviously meant a lot to this guy and his family and made them feel better after a crises. I say, way to go Olive Garden," redditor CrocanoirZA wrote.

While some skeptical redditors believe the entire story to be an impressive marketing ploy, generosity from dining establishments isn't unprecedented:

A Turkish restaurant in Saudi Arabia offers free meals for "hungry" people in exchange for their prayers.

A waiter's decision to stand up for a young diner with Down syndrome made him an online hero. He then used the donations of strangers to help the boy's preschool.

The Rathskeller Restaurant and Bar in Sourthbury, Connecticut, gave its Super Bowl proceeds to a 19-year-old waiter trying to pay for college.

In Texas, a restaurant owner donated Thanksgiving meals to his Twitter followers.

And Gwendolyn's Cafe in Fort Myers, Florida, hires recovering addicts to help them reenter the workforce.

What has been your most positive dining out experience so far?