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Restaurant lets customers decide how much to pay for meals

DALLAS — A once struggling restaurant owner managed to turn her business around in just months by giving to others.

She told Eyewitness News that God led her to take the prices off her menus and let her customers decide how much to pay.

"We were kinda struggling, and I'm a woman of faith, and I thought I'd turned all my business over to God, but I hadn't turned the cash register over," said Dana Parris.

Parris owns Just Cookin' Restaurant in Dallas, North Carolina; she decided to put up signs in the store asking people to pay what they felt their meals were worth; she said she started to notice amazing things happen.

She knew some would only pay what they could, or possibly nothing at all, but she was moved to see that others gave much more.

"If the bill was $3 I'd pay $10," said customer Sandra Smootz.

Parris said everyday, others would give much more.

"There was a group of two tables both, and the first one who came up said I want to pay for everyone," said Parris.

She said it's a demonstration of the Christmas spirit that has made her job even more rewarding.

"The biggest thing is the faith that we have and my customers have. It's amazing," she said. 

She added that her business has tripled since she put the new business philosophy in place.