Brewton, a small town in South Alabama with a population of just over 5,000 people, is home to Drexel & Honeybees. Drexel & Honeybees operates solely on donations and does not charge customers for meals.

The unique restaurant's founders, Fred and Lisa McMillan, appeared on NBC's “TODAY” show, which aired Monday morning.

“I just wanted to do something to show people that money doesn't make the world go round,” Lisa said.

Before opening her restaurant, Lisa drove for over 10 years delivering meals door to door.

“It's been over 100 days. Many of them have gone to elderly people in need,” she said. “Everyone should have the right to go into a restaurant and eat without having to worry about paying.”

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Drexell & Honeybee's Donations Only restaurant in Alabama keeps Dr. King's legacy of service alive with a simple motto: “We serve a need.” . @ReporterBlayne have something to talk about. pic.twitter.com/Rt0to9dKjP

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 15, 2024

To make the restaurant a reality, the couple spent half of their retirement savings, a move many people close to them called crazy.

“People were saying to us, 'How are you going to open a restaurant that doesn't pay you when the restaurants that charge you go out of business?'”

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Lisa also said that the process of choosing the daily menu is very simple.

“It depends on what's on sale at the grocery store.”

Lisa revealed that her reason for opening the restaurant was very personal.

“I was pregnant and had no food,” she said. “Someone was having a barbecue and she smelled it and she started crying because she didn't have anything to eat.”

“I don't want anyone to go through that.”

Drexell & Honeybee's first opened in 2016. Staffed by volunteers, the restaurant serves lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.according to newsweekThe restaurant makes just $110 a day.

Austin Shipley is a staff writer at Yellowhammer News.