Washington Township police say the situation unfolded on Friday evening when the 55-year-old father and his 6-year-old daughter walked into the Nifty Fifty's located on the Black Horse Pike in Turnersville.
Restaurant manager Samuel Keller told Action News he immediately recognized something wasn't right with the man.
"He was overly enthusiastic about being there and was making little jokes about my name on my hat. Something seemed a little bit off about it," Keller said.
Keller, who has worked at the restaurant for 12 years, said he asked his servers to keep an eye on the man. They confirmed that something was off, reporting that the man smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech.
"He kind of stumbled out the door as they were leaving," Keller said. "As a parent, I couldn't let this guy get into the car and drive."
As he followed the father and daughter outside, Keller said he called 911.
Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik said his officers responded to the diner within minutes.
He told Action News, "They conducted some field sobriety tests out in the parking lot and he failed them, at which time he was placed under arrest."
Police said the man's blood alcohol concentration was .22, which is almost three times the legal limit. His young daughter was seated in the backseat of his pickup truck at the time.
"Inside the cab of the truck was open alcohol and a six-pack of beer, so we believe he obviously was drinking before he got to the restaurant," Chief Gurcsik said.
The chief said they aren't identifying the father right now, as they try to respect the privacy of his daughter. He faces charges of DWI, reckless driving, careless driving and endangering the welfare of a child.
His daughter was turned over to her mother and is doing OK, according to police.
Keller told Action News the little girl and her mother returned to the restaurant this weekend to thank him for what he did.
"I'm so thankful that I made the right call. I prayed that I was wrong, but I'm thankful that I was right," he said.
The police chief said what Keller did is the perfect example of "see something, say something," a phrase the chief said has become a motto in the Washington Township community.
"It's outstanding that they were responsible enough to see something and say something and work with law enforcement to possibly prevent a tragedy from happening out there," the chief added.