Recently, restaurant staff in New Hampshire received the shock of a lifetime: a customer left a massive $16,000 tip on a $37.93 bill. That’s right! Read on to discover why he committed this incredible act of kindness…
Dedicated Restaurant Customer
Last week, when a customer arrived at Stumble Inn Bar and Grill in Londonderry, New Hampshire, about 30 miles southeast of Concord, everything seemed normal. He ordered two chili dogs, fried pickle chips, and a few cocktails, with a bill totaling $37.93. “Actually, he saw the pickle chips going by and said, ‘Hey, I want some of those,'” bartender Michelle McCudden remembered. However, when paying for the food and drinks, things took an interesting, exciting turn. On his small bill, the customer left a $16,000 tip! At first, the servers could hardly believe it, asking restaurant owner Mike Zarella to make sure it wasn’t a prank. Even Zarella doubted the tip at first. “I thought it was a mistake,” he said. “[A] typo.”
But when Zarella talked to the customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, the owner quickly confirmed that the tip was real. While the amazing tipper never revealed his identity, he will stay in the hearts of the restaurant staff team forever. “He’s kind of a mystery man,” McCudden said. “I’ve been doing this a very long time and I never thought anything like this would happen to me.”
Now, the restaurant team has decided what to do with the fantastic sum of money!
Splitting The $16,000 Tip
While the tipper wishes to keep his identity under wraps, the workers still thanked him. “We went up and we thanked him,” McCudden said. “It’s just been a really rough year for all of us. For someone to do something like that really restored my faith in humanity. He just said that we work really hard and he wanted to do something nice and he just really wanted us to have it.”
So, where did the money go? Well, in the end, Zarella decided to split the money between all eight servers and bartenders working that day, as well as the cooks in the kitchen. That day, they all walked home with a sizeable chunk of change in their pocket! McCudden says that the gift could not have come at a better time, as the Stumble Inn Bar and Grill is still getting over the effects of the coronavirus lockdowns and regulations. At times, the staff felt sure the restaurant would close down for good, as over 110,000 nationwide have. According to the National Restaurant Association, that’s just over 17% of all eateries in the U.S. However, the Stumble Inn persisted, and now, thanks to the “Mystery Man,” the crew is well on its way to feeling normal once again.
All this just proves the power and impact a loving patron can have. And we can all take a page from his book! While few can leave a $16,000 tip, let this story serve as a reminder to make a difference where you can, especially for those hardest hit by the pandemic.
Sources: NBC Boston, NBC News, The Hill.