<P> The cafe was started in Sikeston in 1942 by Earl Lambert, assisted by his wife Agnes, his brother Robert, and Robert's wife Ruby . In 1976 Earl's son Norman "' Ole Norm" Lambert, a former football coach at Sikeston High School, took over management . It was Norman who started the tradition of throwing rolls to customers . In 1981 he explained, "I started throwing rolls about four years ago when we were in our old cafe . It was too crowded one noon for me to serve the rolls to a customer and somebody yelled,' Throw em .' So I threw them . So, now I do that about every noon meal and during the evenings too . The rolls are fresh, right out of the oven ." </P> <P> In August 2015 the restaurant was sued by a customer who says he suffered permanent eye injuries after being struck by a hot roll thrown by a staff member . A lawyer acting for the plaintiff said Lambert's has been sued similar injuries in the past . A Lambert's spokesman confirmed that other customers have previously sought damages for similar claims, and in some cases medical expenses have been paid . </P>

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