Additional Coverage:
- Meet the 100-year-old man who drives to McDonald’s at 8 a.m. almost every day for coffee with his friends (businessinsider.com)
In the heart of a small American town, a centenarian’s daily routine has woven itself into the fabric of local lore, serving as a heartwarming reminder of the power of community and tradition. Zan White, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, has been meeting his friends for coffee at McDonald’s almost daily for an astonishing 36 years. The story of White and his companions, known affectionately as the ROMEO Club, Retired Old Men Eating Out, is a testament to the enduring nature of friendship, the simple pleasures of life, and the remarkable milestones that can be celebrated in the most familiar of places.
White’s predilection for McDonald’s isn’t just about the coffee; it’s also about the treats that have become a staple of his mornings. Biscuits and gravy, a classic comfort food, is his breakfast of choice when he gathers with the ROMEO Club. This small daily ritual underscores a universal truth: happiness often lies in the simplicity of good food shared with good friends.
The enduring bond of the ROMEO Club and their daily meetings at McDonald’s has not gone unnoticed by the community or the fast-food chain itself. To honor White’s incredible milestone—turning 100 years old—McDonald’s stepped out of its usual role as a restaurant to host a birthday celebration for him. This gesture speaks volumes about the impact White and his friends have had on the people around them, transforming an ordinary dining area into a place of extraordinary importance in their lives.
Zan White’s journey began in a small settlement near Elkins, where he was born and has lived for most of his life. His story is not just one of personal longevity but of a bygone era that continues to echo in the small, yet significant, daily gatherings at a local McDonald’s. The ROMEO Club’s meetings provide not only a source of camaraderie for its elderly members but also a bridge to the wider community, connecting generations through the universal languages of food and friendship.
Through White’s story, we are reminded of the profound beauty in the daily routines that shape our lives, the enduring nature of friendship, and the ways in which our local haunts can become the backdrop for the most meaningful of life’s celebrations. As White and the ROMEO Club continue to gather, they offer a living lesson in the art of aging gracefully, surrounded by friends and cherished by a community that has come to regard them as much more than just regular customers.