At 102 years old, Glenn Ward of Arlington, Virginia, still has a strong appetite and a favorite destination for birthday meals. The U.S. Navy veteran, who recently celebrated his 102nd birthday, particularly enjoys marking the occasion at Hooters.

His family has kept the outing going for years, turning it into a familiar part of Ward’s birthday celebrations. “We've been going there for years and years,” Ward told Fox News Digital. “It's sort of a tradition .”

Ward estimates that the tradition began at least 15 years ago. Although the restaurant offers plenty of choices, he is clear about what keeps bringing him back: “Hot wings, that's the main attraction there, hot wings,” Ward said.

His son, Terry Ward, said his father especially favors Hooters’ 3 Mile Island wing sauce. It is among the spicier sauces offered by the restaurant chain.

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The celebrations have also grown into family gatherings. Terry said about 70 people attended his father’s 100th birthday celebration in 2024, and even an ordinary birthday can attract a crowd.

Hooters regularly sets aside a separate room for Ward and his guests. For his recent 102nd birthday, Ward also posed for a photograph with waitresses at the Hooters location in Fairfax, Virginia.

His present day enthusiasm for bold flavors contrasts with the foods he ate while growing up. Ward spent his childhood on a 6 acre farm along the Sandusky River in Ohio, where his family raised hundreds of chickens and grew fruits and vegetables.

Meals followed the seasons, and the family ate what the farm provided at different times of the year. Fresh produce was preserved through canning when the growing season ended, allowing the household to continue eating what it had grown.

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“Everything was seasonal,” Ward said. “We ate whatever happened to be in season.”

Sunday could bring homemade ice cream made with strawberries, raspberries, peaches or whatever fruit was available. Because the family did not have refrigeration, it bought a block of ice, crushed the ice inside a burlap sack and used it in a hand cranked freezer.

Whatever ice cream the family prepared had to be eaten that same day. The process reflected the practical way food was handled on the farm, where meals depended on the harvest and what could be prepared or preserved.

Another favorite was pan haus, which Ward described as a dish similar to scrapple and made after hog butchering. Meat trimmings were cooked in a large cauldron, mixed with cornmeal and seasonings, cooled in loaf pans, sliced and then fried.

Ward remembers the finished dish as “very, very tasty.” Those farm meals were part of a childhood spent helping with the food his family raised, grew and prepared.

Ward’s palate later expanded during his long career in the Navy. He served during World War II and subsequently became a naval aviator, flying 102 combat missions during the Korean War.

He also remembers the meals he ate during his military service. “The Navy food was so good, I decided to stay,” Ward joked.

Food continues to receive considerable attention in the Ward family today. Terry said his father often begins the day with a protein shake containing bananas, fresh fruit, milk and protein powder.

Dinner generally includes meat, vegetables and carbohydrates. Ward credits part of his longevity to a “balanced diet” and the eating habits he learned during childhood.

Still, his balanced approach leaves room for the spicy wings that have become part of his birthday tradition. “I might make it to 115,” Ward said with a smile. “I'm hanging in there.”