Laura is celebrated company-wide for her exceptional hospitality, consistently praised by guests for her warmth and professionalism. Her care elevates team morale and strengthens her restaurant’s reputation for outstanding service. Recognized by leadership as a system-wide standout — even noted as having the best hospitality skills among 1,100 employees — Laura leads by example and is now being considered to help train others. She sets the standard for service excellence.
Make Everyday Payday. Talk to sales.
2025 Workforce Warrior Winners
Described unanimously by his leaders as the definition of a Workforce Warrior, Sayvar brings positivity, responsibility, and flexibility to every shift. During a recent staffing shortage, he trained new team members while maintaining — and even improving — production efficiency. His calm leadership and strong work ethic set the tone for his department and reflect the core values of Daimler Truck. He’s a dependable, high-impact team member others rely on.
Heather has been a standout since joining Buffalo Wild Wings in 2016. Known for transforming the lunch shift with her exceptional hospitality, she built strong guest relationships and moved quickly into leadership roles. In 2023, she helped her restaurant achieve a 3rd-place national finish, and by 2025 she stepped up as bar supervisor, taking on responsibilities far beyond her role. Her drive, positivity, and care for her team and guests make her a true Workforce Warrior.
Celebrating Hourly Employees
What an incredible start! In its first year, the Workforce Warriors program received more than 140 nominations nationwide, highlighting amazing individuals in warehouses, restaurants, offices, and on the road. The stories of dedication and resilience were truly inspiring. We are thrilled to announce that our three 2025 winners will each take home a $1,000 Visa gift card to make their holidays a little brighter!
Due to the outstanding quality of the submissions, Instant Financial will also recognize each of the seven remaining finalists with a $100 Visa gift card as a special acknowledgment of their impact. The seven remaining top 10 finalists of 2025 finalists include:
Noah Allen, McDonald’s
Courtney Cooper, Sonic Drive-In
Nicole Dotson, Hardee’s
James Duncan, Schenker (via Randstad)
Tayler George, Papa Johns
Kierstin Luker, Cotton Patch Cafe
Destiny Schaefer, Glory Days Grill
The Judging Panel
Nominations for the Workforce Warriors program were accepted throughout October and November. From more than 140 submissions, an internal team selected the Top Ten Finalists, after which a panel of judges reviewed anonymized entries to rank and choose the three winners. The judging panel included:
Tal Clark
CEO, Instant Financial
Steve Price
Co-Founder, Lazy Dog Restaurants
Callie Evergreen
Editor, FSR Magazine
Ben Coley
Editor, QSR Magazine
Kevin O’Bold
VP of Finance, Ultra Steak, Inc.
We Love Supporting Employees
If you would like to learn more about how you can support your team with Instant by providing digital tips, earned wage access and paycards, fill out the form and we’ll be in touch.
