EDMONTON -- As a way to say thank you to long haul truckers, two companies teamed up to serve free lunch to drivers along Highway 16.

AFD Petroleum teamed up with Opa's Bake Shop in Hinton to serve up over 70 safe and tasty lunches to hungry truckers at the Medicine Lodge rest stop.

"A lot of people have the luxury of working from home, truck drivers don't get that luxury so a lot of them are still on the road," said Kennedy Gordashko, from AFD Petroleum.

The rest stop, halfway between Hinton and Edson, is a popular pit-stop for truck drivers.

The group had both directions of the highway staked out, making sure anyone in need of a free sandwich or smile wasn't turned away.

"Restaurants are closed, can't bring a semi through the drive-thru, so we either pack sandwiches on a long haul... hard to pack for 34 days, so this helps really... helps out a lot," said one driver.

The plan is to go to more roadside rest stops, with Grande Prairie and Edmonton in the weeks ahead. Organizers say just look for the "free lunch ahead" signs.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Dave Mitchell.