Darden for Life | Kim Basham of LongHorn Steakhouse

Q. How long have you been with LongHorn Steakhouse and Darden? 

A. I’ve been with Darden 25 years in June. For the last 17 of those years, I’ve been a bartender and server at the LongHorn Steakhouse on Eastgate North Drive in Cincinnati, OH. I was one of the first employees hired when the restaurant opened. My team members tease me by saying that the building was built around me. Before here, I worked at Red Lobster, which is no longer with Darden.

Q. What do you like best about your job, and why?

A. The interaction with people, both those I serve and those I work with. I love this job. I look forward to coming to work every day. How many people can say that? I’m a happy, outgoing person, and I don’t let anything get me down. No one stays grouchy around me. 

Q. How has LongHorn Steakhouse helped you to be successful and fulfilled in your job?

A. They provided me with the training I needed. Also, if I see something we need in order to accomplish a goal, they listen to me. Managing Partner Chuck Hepburn and all my managers in Cincinnati are great, and I’ve always been able to help them help me. They will take orders or run food if we’re busy. I think it’s good for employees when their managers are working managers and not just telling everyone what to do.

Q. Can you share with us a memorable interaction with a guest that moved you or possibly even changed you?

A. Where do I start? There have been so many. One of my regulars is a nice woman who’s struggling a bit and has had cancer. She comes in every week and sits at the bar and drinks her little glass of wine and talks to me. I make her feel better. I have a lot of regulars, and I always remember what they drink. I’ve got four men who come in on the last Friday of every month. They don’t have to order. I know that one wants a Bud Light, one wants a Corona, one likes Amstel Light and the other one wants just water. I have a pretty good memory.

Q. What are the top three reasons you have dedicated your career to LongHorn?

A. Money is the main reason. I make really good money at LongHorn Steakhouse, and the benefits are great from Darden. That’s why I’ve stayed here so long! The other reasons are because I like meeting people and I enjoy the flexibility of my schedule. My kids are 34 and 35 now, but when they were young, or when I had health problems, my managers gave me the time off I needed.