May 21, 2023

There are few times the lobby of the Original Pancake House is ever empty.

But it was earlier this week when I got there about 2 p.m., which was lucky. It allowed me to observe the woman I was about to meet and actually hear her absent the drove of people that usually would have been gathered there.

I hadn’t met Dawn Wynthein yet, but I knew the server had been working since at least 6:30 a.m. and that she was scheduled to be done in about 10 minutes.

I also could tell she’d just been assigned a new table to serve.

And I guarantee you the diners sitting there never would have known it was the end of another long shift.

I watched Wynthein greet them like she’d just gotten started for the day — genuine smile and all. When she came over to me for our scheduled chat, the first question was if I wanted something to drink. I passed; she brought me a water anyway.

Earlier this month, I watched as Wynthein received the First Impressions Award in the restaurant category from Experience Sioux Falls. The organization’s CEO, Teri Schmidt, was blown away by the sheer number of nominations for one server.

“There were six different business people who nominated her,” Schmidt told me. “We’ve never had that. Someone from a financial group, someone from a medical tech business, someone from the Pancake House itself, a trucking company. Crazy.”

See why I had to meet her?

It turns out, Wynthein has been serving guests at the Original Pancake House for a decade. Now a mom of two daughters, 12 and 18, she started in the restaurant industry when she was about their age and a student at Roosevelt High School. Her first role was at Perkins, not very far from where she works now.

She earned a degree to be a medical assistant and worked as a phlebotomist and in patient care for five years before returning to the restaurant business to better balance life with her kids. She’s done by 3 p.m., in time for after-school time and works one or two weekends month, which allows her to balance their activities.

“We have so many regulars that come in every single day, so they almost become your family,” she said.

Of course, it’s not always easy. I thought it was interesting that when I asked her about the hardest part of the job, she didn’t talk about hours on her feet, the massive crowds that always fill the restaurant or the heavy loads of dishes she carries around.

The worst part? The inevitable difficult customer. Notably, she has learned to deal with that too.

“If I let them get to me, that will take my whole day down,” she said. “I know everybody’s going through something. I keep that in mind, and that makes me feel better too, when I just keep on being positive for them.”

To say it’s noticed is an understatement. I asked Schmidt to share what some of Wynthein’s nominators said about her.

“Dawn is the best server I have ever had at a restaurant,” one wrote. “Her attention to detail is second to none. She remembers your entire order without having to write it down and never makes a mistake. She will brighten up anyone’s day that she interacts with and always brings positive energy to her job.”

“Going above and beyond is the norm for Dawn,” another nominator wrote. “From the moment a client is seated, throughout their visit and right up until their departure, Dawn makes them feel at home. Her kindness is unmatched. Whether it’s a table for one or a table for 12, her work ethic and attention to detail is exquisite.”

Another called her “friendly, welcoming and hard-working.”

“Dawn goes out of her way to make the guests she is serving at the Original Pancake House have an exceptional experience.”

Even if there are tables open in other sections, Wynthein’s customers will wait for a seat in hers, general manager Beth Copley said.

“She’s just always in a good mood,” Copley said. “Even if things are going on, she’ll come in here and put on a smile. She cares about this job, and she cares about the people. We’re very lucky to have her.”

Wynthein thinks about the sort of experience she wants to have going out to eat and then tries to deliver it.

“I like to go out to eat. It’s a good pastime with friends and family,” she said. “And if you have a bad server, it just dampens the whole experience. I want people to have fun when they’re doing this, and if I’m in a good mood and having a good time with them, hopefully they enjoy it too.”

To receive her award, the Original Pancake House team tricked her into coming with them to represent the business at the Experience Sioux Falls event. She knew something was up when she spotted her parents and daughters, but still, “it was quite the surprise,” she said.

This weekend, she celebrates high school graduation for her oldest daughter. I asked how long she plans to continue a serving career that can take a toll on anyone.

“It’s hard to imagine doing something else, almost scary,” she said. “But it’s hard labor too. I just hope my body keeps me for a while.”

The First Impressions Award is given to an employee who comes in direct contact with visitors and consistently provides extraordinary customer service. And while Wynthein clearly exemplifies it, my other takeaway was this: It was clear her leadership valued her work and that of her colleagues. As she reminded me, it wasn’t always so difficult to get a table at the Original Pancake House. Today, it’s arguably the most popular breakfast spot in town. That’s thanks to an entire culture that ultimately shows itself one server at a time, creating repeat customers along the way.