Aw, Shucks: Father And Son Claim Decades-Old Promise of Free Oysters

Since the 1930s, a quirky sign hanging inside a historic oyster house in Mobile, Alabama, promised something unusual: free oysters to any man who turned 80 and walked in with his father. It sounded almost impossible. And for decades, no one had ever claimed it. Until now.

Credit: Wintzell's Oyster House

Jimmy Rush, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, walked into Wintzell’s Oyster House with his 99-year-old father, Jim - making them the first pair to finally cash in on the long-standing promise. The moment was especially meaningful for the Rush family as visiting the oyster house has been a family tradition stretching back more than 50 years.

“My dad and I started riding in a parade at Mardi Gras on Friday nights,” Jimmy said. “So we would come down here on Friday afternoon and eat oysters. And that started in 1972.” Over the years, the famous sign on the wall became something of a family goal. Jimmy’s brother, Carl, said the idea of someday qualifying for the offer had been talked about for decades.

“I can quote by heart, ‘Free oysters, to any man 80 years old, accompanied by his father,’” Carl said. “So in seeing that sign, we felt like our dad was going to make it to 100 because he’s in great health. We’ve been talking about it as a family for 25, 30 years.” When Jimmy finally reached the milestone birthday, the family checked with the restaurant to see if anyone had ever beaten them to it. The answer was no.

The special occasion turned into a big celebration. About 60 family members and friends gathered to mark Jimmy’s 80th birthday - and to watch the restaurant make good on its promise with a dozen free oysters.

For Jimmy, it was a milestone he’d been looking forward to for a very specific reason. “Never thought about any birthdays except my 80th,” he said. “That’s the one I was looking forward to - because of the sign.”