What’s the proper tip on a $17.23 breakfast? Is $2 too little? ‘Tis the season of giving, so how about $20? Too much?
Not for the man who sat quietly at a booth at 5 & Diner in Scottsdale, Arizona. Not even by a long shot.
Before leaving, he wrote in $2,000 tip.
“Merry Christmas!” he wrote on the bill.
He had, however, one request: “Please split with the whole staff.”
The staff was overjoyed.
Of the nine staffers each took $200, except for the secret Santa’s waitress, who took $400.
“It takes a lot of weight off their shoulders; $200 makes a big difference on bus boy pay or cooks pay or hostess. So $200, it makes your week,” Meek said.
She gave her part to her daughter, who could use every dollar to pay tuition at a nursing school.
The generous stranger inspired other customers to make a difference too. Meek said another customer put down $200 tip. “It almost made me cry,” she said.