SYRACUSE N.Y -- You may have heard that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Well once a year that doesn't apply to cab drivers in Syracuse.

Thursday was Taxi Appreciation Day! For the past decade, the Jefferson Clinton Hotel in Syracuse has been grilling out and giving thanks to the drivers of the Salt City. In its tenth year, the hotel decided to thank more than just cabbies.

"Today we are celebrating all transportation because now we have Uber and Lyft in town," said Stephenie Pyle, the hotel's General Manager. 

Ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft were made legal in all of New York State Last year. Since then, tension has built up between the cab companies and the ride-hailing apps.

Most of that tension comes from places like the airport. Taxi's will line up and wait to drive people all over Syracuse. In order to do that, the cab companies need to buy a ground transportation permit for each car, which can cost hundreds of dollars. Uber and Lyft dont have that problem.Their drivers can sit a minute away and when someone books a ride on their app, just drive right up. 

Not every Taxi driver is worried.

"People are always gonna need their taxi service. and It'll never hurt us, and never shut us down," said Walter John, who has been driving a cab in Syrcacuse for 41 years.

Walter says his company has been adapting just like Uber and Lyft by using technology to automate much of the behind the scenes work.There is; however, one thing he says will never change.

"it's the people that we're here for, and its the people that make my job very interesting," said John.

He's had some pretty memorable customers, ranging from Sugar Ray Leonard to Bob Barker and anyone in between. No matter who he's driving, making sure to laugh every day.

"I started at 10:00 last night," John Said. "I got out at 8:30 this morning and I'm still laughing"