Both Gulf Shores and Mobile Causeway Original Oyster House restaurants closed early this month for their annual Christmas parties to celebrate employees. The coveted Employee of the Year awards are presented to staff members who exemplify the company’s mission, core values and excellence. Margaret King, a long-time, front-of-the-house lead server and James Collier, back-of the-house line cook, prep and dishwasher were named the 2021 Employees of the Year for the Mobile Causeway location. Eliza McGaster, a back-of the-house kitchen lead and second time winner and Rebecca Ruling, front-of-the-house cashier, bartender and host were named the 2021 Employees of the Year for the Gulf Shores location.
“Margaret is one of our hardest working employees. With staff shortages, Margaret, who has been with us for 26 years, worked many double shifts to help everyone out. Extremely well loved, by guests as well as employees, Margaret has mentored generations of servers and leads by example,” stated Jim Harrison, general manager of the Original Oyster House on the Mobile Causeway. “James Collier is another appreciated and versatile coworker who started in the middle of COVID. We are so blessed to have them as employees and look forward to many years to come,” said Harrison.
“Eliza is a great team player who puts others before herself. With a smile on her face, Eliza’s positive attitude can be contagious,” said Bud Morris, general manager of Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores. “Rebecca Ruling learned a lot this year and has stepped up as a strong staff member. Rebecca is top-notch and always wears a smile,” said Morris.
The Original Oyster House has become the “must-go-to” place for great fresh Gulf seafood, service and Southern hospitality and for its panoramic waterfront sunsets. A top-spot for hand-shucked and fire-grilled oysters, the Original Oyster House has also become legendary for its homemade gumbo, cheesy grits with blackened shrimp, as well as handcrafted desserts including its famous Peanut Butter Pie. In 2016, the Original Oyster House became the first restaurant in the state of Alabama to recycle oyster shells through the Alabama Coastal Foundation. In December of 2021, an estimated 17 million oyster shells to date have been recovered from participating Gulf Coast restaurants.
The Original Oyster House (OOH) has two locations, Mobile: 3733 Battleship Parkway, on the Causeway and Gulf Shores: 701 Gulf Shores Parkway on the Original Oyster House Boardwalk. Both locations offer spectacular waterfront views and have been celebrated as the area’s finest family restaurants for the past 37 years. For more information about the Original Oyster House, please visit www.originaloysterhouse.com or call 251-928-2620.
Pictured from left are Justin Fleming, dining room manager congratulating Margaret King [winner], front-of-the-house lead server employee of the year, and Jim Harrison, general manager of the Mobile Causeway location. James Collier [winner] back-of-the-house line cook, prep and dishwasher not pictured.
