I started at Luby’s right out of high school in 1990. I still remember walking in and filling out my application on one of those little three-by-five cards. Believe it or not, I have an employee today who still has their original application card in their file.

I started working, moved up to supervisor, then management, and became a General Manager in 2002. I left Luby’s for a few years to try some other things. And then I came home. That’s really what Luby’s has always felt like to me—home. I came back around 2012 and have been going nonstop ever since. More recently, I became an Operating Partner, which means I get to spend time helping other restaurants and managers throughout the company. At first, people would see me walk in and get nervous. “Are you here to audit me?” And I’d tell them, “I’m here to help you, man.” That’s still how I see the job.

I’ve always considered myself a pretty average guy. I come to work, do what needs to be done and take a lot of pride in doing it well. Over the years, employees have told me, “No, John, you’re different.” I never really understood what they meant. Becoming an Operating Partner has helped me see it a little differently. I’ve spent most of my life learning the Luby’s way—our systems, our standards, making food from scratch and understanding all the little things it takes to run a restaurant well. Now I get to share what I’ve learned and help other people get better.

I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about where I’ll be five or ten years from now. I’m more of a day-by-day person. But I do know this: I want to be with Luby’s until it’s time to retire.

After all these years, it’s hard to separate Luby’s from my life. I joke that maybe I should get the little Luby’s apostrophe tattooed on me somewhere. I haven't done it yet. But after starting here at 18, leaving, coming back and spending most of my life here, I guess you could say Luby’s has already left its mark on me.