A grieving woman dined alone for the first time and left a note that floored her waitress

She had just lost her husband. What she wrote after her meal moved people around the world. In a world that can often feel saturated with cruelty and division, simple acts of kindness can have incredible emotional resonance. The moments when someone chooses empathy can ripple outward, touching lives far beyond the original interaction.

That’s exactly what happened when Megan King, a server at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in Yankton, South Dakota, shared a moving story on X. During her shift, she had a brief exchange with an older woman that left a lasting impression and, eventually, left social media users in tears.

Speaking to Tyla, King described how the woman had visited the restaurant on a particularly hectic Sunday.

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“This older woman came in on a busy Sunday, and about halfway through her meal, it started to slow down. We chatted for a few minutes. Small talk, nothing too deep.” The woman confided that she hadn’t been out to eat in a long time and mentioned that Perkins had been one of her go-to spots. “She was very low maintenance, and she left just as quietly as came. When it came time to bus her table, I was surprised that she'd left a note," King explained. Next to a modest tip, the woman had left behind a small, folded piece of paper.

What it said: "Thank you very much for your kind service. This was my first time eating out alone since my husband passed. I was hoping I could get through it." That was all it took to completely undo King. “As soon as I read that she'd lost her husband I lost it. I had to use the restroom to get myself together enough to tend to my other tables even though I really didn't have time to take a rest," she recalled.

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She posted a photo of herself—smiling, with tear-streaked cheeks—and captioned it simply, "in pain." She added: "This is my real smile because I am very happy and that note did not break my heart at all."

Many people on X were just as moved as King, sharing their own reflections in response. One person wrote, “Always better to just be a good person to other people because you just don't know what they're going through. You were an angel to that woman.”

Another chimed in, “That's the sweetest thing I've seen. thank you so much for being kind.”

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And a third shared: “Wow my eyes filled up a great example of why customer service is so important. You never know how you can change around someone’s whole day.”

King went on to express some lingering regret about the interaction. “I would add that she did seem a bit sad. In retrospect. I wish I would've taken her quiet as an invitation. I think that's what she wanted, looking back. She kept looking up at me so I assumed something wasn't right with her meal or that she needed something, but every time I checked, she said everything was great and she didn't need anything.”

Though she wished she had done more, the note clearly showed the woman felt seen and cared for in a vulnerable moment.

The post quickly took off online, garnering more than 49,000 shares and over 822,000 likes. While most responses were supportive, some questioned King’s reaction, asking whether she was crying due to a small tip. King responded to Newsweek, clarifying, “A lot of our customers are older and living on fixed incomes, so they tip what they can. They are always welcome, no matter how much or little they tip.” And regarding the woman who left the note, King said her gesture was deeply appreciated: “more than enough,” she said. “But I wouldn’t have cared if it had been smaller.”

Sometimes, the simplest exchanges say the most. A quiet meal, a kind word, and a handwritten note were enough to create a memory neither of them will likely forget.

This article originally appeared last year.