Meet Ms. Marie, a 90-year-old who has worked at Chick-fil-A for 11 years

A 90-year-old Chick-fil-A employee came out of retirement to work purely for the love of the job.

“I came to Chick-fil-A after I retired because I couldn’t sit at home any more,” explained the Chick-fil-A ambassador affectionately known as Ms. Marie. “I love to work.”

“I came to Chick-fil-A and put my application in and they hired me that day, and that has been going on 11 years ago and I’m still working for Chick-fil-A and love every minute of it.”

She is one of the company’s oldest employees and the third longest-tenured employee at the Charlotte Pike location in Nashville.

“My children don’t like for me to work since I’m as old as I am, but I still enjoy work and as long as God gives me strength I will be working,” said Ms. Marie.

She used to work an 8-hour shift, but the company recently scaled back her hours.

“They thought I was getting too old to work eight hours, but I could still work eight hours a day,” she said.

She used to be the lead hostess at the restaurant and now is the store’s lead ambassador.

“I sit right here at this table and I welcome all the customers and tell them to come back,” she said. “And I take care of my little kids,” she added, showing the coloring books for children.

“I take care of all my children that come here.”

Mary Ann Peugeot and her husband made going to Chick-fil-A part of their weekly routine years ago.

“People know your name. They know when you’ve been gone. When you show back up. It’s like ‘where have you been?’ It’s just, it’s a part of our world,” explained Peugeot.

She said their experience at the restaurant would not be the same without their visit with Ms. Marie.

“Marie has been a part of our lives ever since we came in because she’s so loving. She’s the grandmother to so many people or just the friend of so many people,” explained Peugeot. “She can come in here and you may be having a bad day, but she can change that in one smile.”

Marie’s advice to those who are having a hard time going back to work after years of work from home or unemployment? “Keep your career that you’ve done and just keep working.”

By WTVF staff.