A Tradition of Giving: Eddie’s Grill Shares Tri-Tip and Gratitude in Lompoc

Local Restaurant Turns Thanksgiving Into a Community Celebration

Eddie’s Grill

Eddie’s Grill in Lompoc is once again stepping forward with a heart full of generosity, offering a Thanksgiving gift that goes beyond great food — it offers hope, unity, and community care. This year, the locally loved restaurant is giving away 1,000 tri-tip sandwiches to neighbors in need, continuing a tradition that started with breakfast burritos just a year ago.

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Restaurant managers shared that the free tri-tip sandwiches will be handed out on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at their H Street location, ensuring as many people as possible can stop by. The motivation behind this effort comes straight from the heart of owner Carlos Villa, who emphasized the importance of giving back during challenging times.

“As a local business, we want them to understand it’s been a difficult year, you know, for businesses, for a lot of people. You know, the government shutdown affected a lot of people,” Villa said.

This marks only the second year Eddie’s Grill has hosted a Thanksgiving giveaway, yet the impact is already undeniable. Last year, Villa and his team handed out 1,000 breakfast burritos, and the idea came to life through unity and shared compassion within the staff.

“Talking to my coworkers and employees, I presented this idea, and I told them, ‘Listen, if you guys donate your time, I’ll donate all the food, and we can get it done if you guys think it’s a nice thing we can do for the community.’ And they all agreed,” Villa said.

This year’s giveaway is first-come, first-served — and most importantly, filled with gratitude from the Eddie’s Grill family. Villa hopes to turn this into an annual tradition that brings the community together year after year.

“If we can do it every year, I’d be more than happy to do it. I want to make it a tradition,” he said.

Eddie’s Grill is showing what true leadership looks like — not through profits or popularity, but through service. In a year filled with financial strain and uncertainty, their willingness to give so generously reminds us that compassion is a powerful force. Traditions like this don’t just fill stomachs; they strengthen the bonds that make a community feel like family.

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