9622276E 3Cd2 48C5 8Bac 2F2F3Ec8C325 — Wintzell’s Oyster House in Mobile is covered with signs with witty jokes and sayings. (donireewalker / CC BY 2.0)

A hand-painted sign hangs behind the bar at the original Wintzell’s Oyster House in Mobile, offering a deal that most customers assumed was impossible: “Free oysters to any man 80 years old accompanied by his father.”

For decades, the sign was regarded as a witty piece of barroom humor. Anyone who has visited Wintzell’s is likely familiar with the signs that adorn every wall in the restaurant, each with its own joke, saying or story.

This particular joke, however, became a reality in February when Jimmy Rush walked through the doors to celebrate his 80th birthday.

Walking right beside him? His 99-year-old father, James Rush.

A new tradition decades in the making

The Rush family is no stranger to Wintzell’s. They have been visiting the Mobile landmark since 1972, according to FOX 10 News. What started as a annual stop before riding in Mardi Gras parades eventually turned into a decades-long mission.

The family had been eyeing that sign promising free oysters for over 30 years, using it as a goal to keep their father, James, in good health. Jimmy’s younger brother, Carl Rush, told FOX 10 that he can quote the sign by heart. As Jimmy approached his 80th birthday, the plan finally came together.

When the duo arrived, they weren’t alone. They were joined by nearly 60 friends and family members who gathered to celebrate the historic moment. True to the sign’s word, Wintzell’s served Jimmy a dozen oysters on the house — the first time in the restaurant’s 88-year history that the “80-and-accompanied-by-father” deal has ever been redeemed.

“Most people read that sign behind the bar and laugh. But tonight, Jimmy Rush walked in on his 80th birthday with his father, James Rush, 99, right beside him, and turned one of Wintzell’s rarest traditions into a real-life milestone.”
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Their feat has gone viral, from a feature on the People magazine website to a spot on ABC World News Tonight.

The Rushes will take a dozen more oysters, please

While Jimmy is the first to claim the prize, he might not be the last in his family.

His brother Carl is currently 77 and already has his sights set on October 2028. If the family has their way, James Rush — who will be 102 by then — will be back at the bar to escort his second son for another round of free oysters.