Good Morning America announced this restaurant was the "Nicest Place In America". A survey from Reader's Digest, GMA, and USA today asked people to submit entries for the nice places they know and love.
Several people suggested Yassin's Falafel House in Knoxville for it's friendly atmosphere and commitment to accepting everyone with open arms. See sign below.
The entries were slimmed down to 10 places people could vote on. And America chose Yassin's. Yassin Terou, the owner of the restaurant in East Tennessee, told Reader's Digest,
“I’m not here just to make falafel and make money. I’m here to build this community.”
In an interview with the magazine, we learned of Yassin's incredible nature:
A man in the crowd draped in an American flag was yelling at anyone who would listen that immigrants were preventing him from getting a job. When it was Terou’s turn to speak at the rally, he invited the man up on stage so they could hold the flag high together. When the man refused, Terou went into the crowd to find him so he could introduce himself and offer to buy him dinner so they could talk.
He also offered the man a job. Terou is the owner and operator of Yassin’s Falafel House, which employs 30 people and has been open for the past four years.
“I always do that,” Terou told Reader’s Digest, “I always invite anyone who hates us to the store. I want them to know us more. When you break bread, you break hate.”
No wonder his restaurant won the title. The guy is nice. And it shows in the way he runs his restaurant.
Good Morning America's Robin Roberts even stopped by.