Texas Roadhouse Employee Kevin Wells Farewell After 8 Years

Eight years, thousands of silverware rolls, and a goodbye that stopped an entire restaurant cold. Kevin Wells walked out of Texas Roadhouse in Midland, Texas for the last time on May 25, 2025.

Nobody expected that Sunday shift to feel like this. But when Kevin Wells walked through the doors of Texas Roadhouse in Midland, Texas on May 25, 2025, the entire restaurant was waiting for him. Staff lined up shoulder to shoulder. Family packed into the space. Former coworkers who had not been on a shift there in years came back, just for this moment.

It was a surprise goodbye celebration, and it was long overdue.

Kevin Wells at Texas Roadhouse: How It Started

• 2017

Kevin Wells joins Texas Roadhouse in Midland, Texas. He begins rolling silverware and building his daily routine with the team.

• 2017 to 2025

Eight years of showing up on time, in uniform, and ready to work every single shift. Kevin becomes a fixture of the restaurant and someone the team genuinely relies on.

• Early 2025

Kevin is diagnosed with dementia. The restaurant adjusts and adapts alongside him, bringing in former team members to help Kevin find new ways to manage his role.

• May 25, 2025

Kevin’s final day. A surprise farewell celebration brings together staff, family, and friends to honor his eight years of service.

Who Is Kevin Wells?

Kevin Wells is not a manager. He was not front of house. He worked at his station, rolled silverware, and showed up to every shift with the kind of energy that most people spend their entire careers trying to find in themselves.

Kevin lives with Down syndrome. He joined the Midland Texas Roadhouse team roughly eight years ago, and from that point, he became part of what made that restaurant run. His arrival each day set a tone. Aaron Battles, the Managing Partner at Texas Roadhouse Midland, described what it was like having Kevin walk through the door.

“Kevin had things in his life go on outside of the restaurant and he still showed up to work and did his job. We learned so much from him as we ever taught him. He’s been so important to us.”Aaron Battles, Managing Partner, Texas Roadhouse Midland

The Dementia Diagnosis That Changed Everything

People with Down syndrome face a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as they age. For Kevin, that reality arrived in early 2025.

Even after the diagnosis, Kevin did not stop showing up. He came in on time, put on his uniform, and went to work. The restaurant made adjustments. Former team members returned specifically to help Kevin adapt to the changes the illness was bringing.

“We saw a little bit here and there. He had to adjust some things. We had some people who helped and worked with Kevin in the past come back and tried to teach him different ways to cope with what he is going through.”Aaron Battles, Managing Partner, Texas Roadhouse Midland

His mother, Katherine Wells, spoke about what this job has always meant to her son.

“They love him, and he loves them. He always wants a sense of accomplishment, and he wants to work. He does not like it when he can’t work. They have supported him through all these years now.” Katherine Wells, Kevin’s Mother

The Farewell

The Goodbye That Midland Will Not Forget

When Kevin arrived for his final shift on May 25, what he found inside was not a normal Sunday. Staff, family, and friends had gathered to give him a proper send-off. The room broke into applause when he walked in. Hugs, cheers, and handshakes followed.

Katherine Wells described what work has always given her son beyond just a paycheck.

“A sense of being able to contribute to the household and have a life that adults should have.”Katherine Wells, Kevin’s Mother

The Texas Roadhouse employee Kevin Wells farewell was covered by local station KOSA CBS7, and the story spread well beyond Midland after that. People across the country responded to the footage and the reporting, most of them struck by how genuine the whole thing was.

What Kevin Brought to Texas Roadhouse, According to Aaron Battles

• ❤Compassion that the entire team felt every shift
• 😀Friendliness that made coworkers smile the moment he walked in
• 💪Motivation that pushed the people around him without him saying a word
• ✅Consistency that the restaurant could set a clock by
• 🌟A routine that anchored the team’s daily rhythm for eight years

What This Story Says About Inclusive Hiring

Aaron Battles addressed this directly, and it is worth paying attention to what he said. When asked about hiring people with disabilities, he did not speak in corporate language. He spoke from eight years of firsthand experience.

“Sometimes we have to adjust and adapt a little bit. But what you gain is far more than you’ll ever give.”Aaron Battles, Managing Partner, Texas Roadhouse Midland

Kevin was not brought in as a charity case or a feel-good headline. He was hired, showed up consistently, and earned the trust and respect of everyone in that building over nearly a decade of real work. The farewell was emotional because the relationship was real.

Kevin Wells worked at Texas Roadhouse for eight years. He rolled silverware. He showed up on time. He made people smile. That is his legacy in Midland, Texas.

Kevin’s Legacy in Midland

The Texas Roadhouse employee Kevin Wells farewell was one afternoon in May. The eight years that led to it were the real story. Kevin showed up when things were hard. He kept his routine when routine became difficult. And when his team needed to adapt to help him, they did, because that is what eight years of real connection looks like.

Kevin Wells is stepping away from his job. But in Midland, Texas, at that particular Texas Roadhouse on that corner, nothing will quite feel the same without him walking through the door.