Joshua "Holbie" Holbrook, 29, has been a driver at Waiter on the Way for the last 2 years. (His favorite story is when he delivered lunch to Ryan Hurst from Sons of Anarchy at an event at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival.) Born and raised in Fort Wayne, he is a true native. I sat down to chat with him about being part of the Waiter on the Way crew. His positive energy is infectious; he jumped right into the conversation telling me how Waiter on the Way is a big family to him. 

"From the top down. Derek is really approachable as an owner. Brandi, our manager, is fantastic. The kitchen crew and drivers are all on the same page. There's so many ways to connect with other people here. My job would be impossible without servers and hosts making it happen. We have over 150 restaurants that we work with seven days a week, and I'm so thankful for what everyone does to make this happen. It's so vital to our success. I love being a part of that."

When I asked Holbie why he loves delivering, he doesn't hesitate to answer. "I love to drive because I get to see the joy on their faces when I arrive with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I get to deliver a meal and they didn't have to go anywhere to pick it up themselves." He goes on to tell me that he loves Waiter on the Way because "of the interactions with people throughout the day. It's everything I love about being a server. I LOVE it. I choose to be positive. Every day that you see me, I am better than yesterday and not as good as tomorrow."

A number of businesses seem to be growing at the same pace as Fort Wayne, especially since the rebirth of the downtown area. "Growing up I wasn't a big fan of Fort Wayne, but with the renaissance that Fort Wayne is doing, it would be hard to leave. I can't wait to see the growth of the next decade. I am beyond excited to call Fort Wayne home. Think about the future from the art scene to the diners to small businesses. It's a brand new city that is only going to get better!"

by Stephen J. Bailey of PH Digital for Waiter on the Way