Chapmans restaurant in South Knox County offers complimentary spaghetti and meatball dinner to veterans every Monday.
Many restaurants offer a veteran discount. Others will open their doors for a special event that honors vets occasionally. At Chapmans Restaurant, owner William Laboy knew he wanted to provide even more.
He decided that an annual dinner to serve a free meal to veterans was definitely kind, but also believed that to truly reach all of those who deserved a meal, a regular and consistent schedule was necessary.
With that in mind, Laboy now opens his doors every single Monday evening with an open offer to all veterans of a free meal of spaghetti with marinara and meatballs, a fresh salad and garlic knots. The restaurant opens from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays.
“Doing it one time a year just didn’t feel right,” says Laboy. “We are very thankful for all they do for us!”
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The free Monday night meals have garnered Chapmans some attention, not only by veterans who are appreciative of the offer but also by the community, which wants to support a restaurant that is so generous and grateful to the military.
In addition to Mondays, Chapmans is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. Chapmans is at 10321 Chapman Highway.
Chapmans truly has a little of everything, including a selection of more than 20 pasta dishes, pork chops, country fried steak, shrimp and grits, mahi mahi and po boy sandwiches. It also offers classic sandwiches and burgers.
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“We have definitely expanded our seafood menu and offer everything from fresh oysters and salmon to fried shrimp,” says Laboy. “On Friday nights we either do a fried flounder or codfish.”
Chapmans uses beef from the local Smelcer Farm, located in Seymour. The burgers include a barbecue burger and a bacon, egg and cheese burger, which is topped with an egg cooked to order.
“We also get great reviews on our homemade alfredo sauce and our homemade marinara,” says Laboy. “We also have gluten-free bread and pasta.”
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The menu boasts an array of salads, including a buffalo bleu chicken salad consisting of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, buffalo grilled chicken and bleu cheese crumbles. It also offers a salad topped with blackened filet tips.
“I am originally from Brooklyn, New York, where I worked in a restaurant when I was 18,” says Laboy. “It was there that I fell in love with cooking.”
His family has now lived in Seymour for 12 years and has operated Chapmans Restaurant for the last three. Joining him in the business are his wife of 24 years, Leah Laboy, and their three children: Tyler, 26, who serves as a manager; Megan, 18, and Sarah, 13.
Everyone is welcome on Monday nights and all are encouraged to bring their veteran friends and family so they can be recognized.
New items, daily specials and reminders for the Monday meals are always posted on the restaurant's Facebook page each week. For more information, call 865-577-1700.
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