Pillsbury Doughboy delivers $20K to Dixie Grill

Becca and her family holding the huge $20K check! L-R: Robbie Thomas, Carter Ferrell, Rebecca Thomas, Colby Ferrell and Connor Ferrell. -Photo: Submitted

By Tami Stevenson

LIVE OAK, FLA., – Recently, General Mills officials, along with the Pillsbury Doughboy, visited Live Oak’s Dixie Grill restaurant to present a megalithic-size check for $20,000 to the Dixie Grill for Chef Rebecca Thomas’ nation-wide award winning biscuit recipe using Pillsbury biscuits, strawberries and cream cheese, called Becca Bites.

Held on a day the restaurant is normally closed, hundreds of supporting fans, friends and customers attended the celebration where mounds of the delicious Becca Bites were offered to guests.

The contest from General Mills Foodservice was called The Biskies Recipe Contest. When Thomas saw it and entered the contest, she never dreamed she would actually win first place out of the entire nation.

Thomas’ Becca Bites recipe was chosen as one of four finalists by General Mills Foodservice chefs. Once the four finalists were chosen, the contest went online in April and gave the public a chance to vote for their favorite recipe.

The Live Oak and surrounding communities rallied behind the Dixie Grill and placed their votes. Imagine the Dixie Grill’s surprise when Thomas was named the winner, beating out three other finalists in the nation.

“It was really amazing to achieve that,” said Thomas. “So this little person from this little town went in strong. The community rallied for this and ultimately beat out three other contestants. Then seeing all the people come to celebrate our win was really amazing.” She wanted to thank everyone for their support and their continued support moving forward.

Rebecca, along with her husband, Robbie Thomas, want to do some remodeling with the money. “We’re ready to change with the times.” She added they want to improve on the customer experience while making things flow better for the staff.

She said of her in-laws and owners of the restaurant, Charles and Myra Thomas, “I think the Thomases are very pleased and happy. This has been their building for the last 40 - 50 years. So for us to make them proud since they’ve retired, that’s really good.” Thomas added,

“We want to make the Dixie Grill wonderful behind them and continue to make them proud.”

She wanted to thank everyone for their support, including the Dixie Grill staff for being her taste testers and encouragers through it all.
“We just want to invest in Dixie Grill because Dixie Grill has invested in us.”

Dixie Grill staff & friends. L-R: Noah Thomas, Caleb Thomas, Nichole Henderson, Jamie McCourt, Allyson Potter, Alana Combs, Porsche Neal, Courtney Neal, Robbie Thomas and Rebecca Thomas. The dough boy is Pillsbury’s Maggie Combs. -Photo: Submitted

Hundreds from the community joined the Dixie Grill’s celebration in winning the nation-wide contest. -Photo: Submitted