return rows in laravel that are not empty

I have the following output that I am getting from the laravel and I am inserting them in to selectbox as an option. But for the lunch option my last options are empty. How can I return rows in laravel that are not empty?

{"id":18,"guest_origin":"Bulgaria","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":"Cheese"},{"id":19,"guest_origin":"Chech Republic","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":"Chicken"},{"id":20,"guest_origin":"China","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":"Ham"},{"id":21,"guest_origin":"Denmark","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":""},{"id":22,"guest_origin":"Finland","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":""},{"id":23,"guest_origin":"Israel","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":""},{"id":24,"guest_origin":"Malaysia","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":""},{"id":25,"guest_origin":"Norway","heard_where":"","staying_at":"","lunch_option":""},

controller.php

function getComboselect( Request $request)
{
    if($request->ajax() == true && \Auth::check() == true)
    {
        $param = explode(':',$request->input('filter'));
        $parent = (!is_null($request->input('parent')) ? $request->input('parent') : null);
        $limit = (!is_null($request->input('limit')) ? $request->input('limit') : null);
        $rows = $this->model->getComboselect($param,$limit,$parent);
        $items = array();
        $fields = explode("|",$param[2]);
        foreach($rows as $row) 
        {
            $value = "";
            foreach($fields as $item=>$val)
            {
                if($val != "") $value .= $row->{$val}." ";
            }
            $items[] = array($row->{$param['1']} , $value);     
        }
    return json_encode($items);     
    } 

Model.php

static function getComboselect( $params , $limit =null, $parent = null)
{   
    $limit = explode(':',$limit);
    $parent = explode(':',$parent);
    if(count($limit) >=3)
    {
        $table = $params[0]; 
        $condition = $limit[0]." `".$limit[1]."` ".$limit[2]." ".$limit[3]." "; 
        if(count($parent)>=2 )
        {
            $row =  \DB::table($table)->where($parent[0],$parent[1])->get();
             $row =  \DB::select( "SELECT * FROM ".$table." ".$condition ." AND ".$parent[0]." = '".$parent[1]."'");
        } else  {
           $row =  \DB::select( "SELECT * FROM ".$table." ".$condition);
        }        
    }else{
        $table = $params[0]; 
        if(count($parent)>=2 )
        {
            $row =  \DB::table($table)->where($parent[0],$parent[1])->get();
        } else  {
            $row =  \DB::table($table)->get();
        }              
    }
    return $row;
}

This code is using http://carlosdeoliveira.net/jcombo/?lang=en. If you look up to the example on the project link you will see that it is using parent (state) to list the child (cities) for listings. I am not using the parent so nothing is assinged to variables $parent[0] and $parent[ 1 ], thus nothing to worry about but for the rest, I will try to post each result below so, you would have a better idea. My understanding is that the model.php is passing the data to controllers.php using $row = \DB::table($table)->get(); If you look to the screenshot, you will see that I have more then 1 column to list the options. I cannot write a single column name there if I write $row = \DB::table($table)->whereRaw('lunch <> ""')->get(); this brings the options until the Id 4. In this case Holland is not in the option list for guest origin.

Once the model.php passes $row to controllers.php, It' returning the following results for each variable.

print_r($row);

stdClass Object ( [id] => 48 [guest_origin] => Other [heard_where] => [staying_at] => [lunch_option] => )

print_r($rows);

Illuminate\Support\Collection Object ( [items:protected] => Array ( [0] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 1 [guest_origin] => Western Australia [heard_where] => Wildsights Office [staying_at] => Wildsights Villas [lunch_option] => Chicken ) 1 => stdClass Object ( [id] => 2 [guest_origin] => Rest of Australia [heard_where] => Brochure [staying_at] => Wildsights Beach Units [lunch_option] => Cheese ) [2] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 3 [guest_origin] => Germany & Austria [heard_where] => Sign [staying_at] => Bay Lodge Backpackers [lunch_option] => Ham ) [3] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 4 [guest_origin] => UK & Eire [heard_where] => Word of Mouth [staying_at] => Blue Dolphin Caravan Park [lunch_option] => Tuna )

print_r($fields);

Array ( [0] => staying_at )

print_r($value); 

prints nothing

print_r($items);

[8] => Array ( [0] => Shark Bay Holiday Cottages 1 => Shark Bay Holiday Cottages ) [9] => Array ( [0] => Shark Bay Hotel 1 => Shark Bay Hotel )

Hope it is clear and you can help me to filter the empty rows before it goes into loop.

via hijacker83