Oldsmar Chick-fil-A celebrates longtime customer's 104th birthday with party inside restaurant

(Courtesy: Chick-fil-A Oldsmar)

Celebrating "Mr. Steve" has become a bit of a tradition at this Chick-fil-A in Pinellas County.

For more than 20 years, Stephen Bellissimo has been going to the same Chick-fil-A restaurant in Oldsmar. Until 2018, he visited every single day (except Sundays, of course) — always sitting in the same booth, ordering the same breakfast, and reading the paper from that day.

Staff at the restaurant enjoyed getting to know him, and began lovingly referring to him as "Mr. Steve."

FROM 2018: Chick-Fil-A surprises regular customer with 100th birthday party

"His visit was a daily highlight and our team would carve out a good 5-10 minutes each day to sit and talk with him," the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post. "He always gave the best advice about life, about what's really important, and expressed a genuine interest in the happenings of our lives."

So for his 100th birthday back in 2018, they wanted to do something special for their favorite customer. They surprised him with a birthday party, decorating his favorite booth and even giving him the gift of free Chick-fil-A for life.

Mr. Steve's 100th and 103rd birthday celebrations at the Chick-fil-A in Oldsmar. (Photos courtesy: Chick-fil-A Oldsmar)

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Every year since, they've continued to celebrate Mr. Steve's birthday — and they didn't let the pandemic stop them either.

They threw a socially distanced home driveway party in 2020, and opened their dining room just for him for his birthday in 2021.

Chick-fil-A Oldsmar employees held a socially distanced birthday party for Mr. Steve for his 102nd birthday during the pandemic in 2020. (Courtesy: Chick-fil-A Oldsmar)

"But the heart of the celebration has remained the same — honoring a man year after year who has not only made an impact on our team, but captured the attention of the company and the whole country," they said.

This year, they were back inside the restaurant at his favorite booth, with handwritten cards, balloons and cake for the man they called "one of the sweetest, most genuine, kind, and humble people we have had the pleasure to know."

Mr. Steve attends his 104th birthday party at the Chick-fil-A in Oldsmar, where a plaque dedicates his favorite booth to him. (Photos courtesy: Chick-fil-A Oldsmar)

They ended by saying they are grateful for the opportunity to return "even a portion of the love that he shares with our team."

Happy 104th birthday, Mr. Steve!