Life Money

Customers Ask to Settle Their Bill in Private, Then Server Realizes Why

Customers Ask to Settle Their Bill in Private, Then Server Realizes Why December 16, 2019Leave a comment

It was like any other busy night at the Seagrape Cafe in Connecticut when waitress Ashley was at the end of her rope. But what happened next was unlike anything she had seen during her three years of bartending. As soon as she gave the receipt to her customer, she felt that something was off. And when the customer demanded Ashley's manager Carlos to intervene, that night became a story they would tell for years.

The Seagrape Cafe

Google Maps

The Seagrape Cafe in Fairfield, Connecticut, is a local pub. It was established in 1980. It's a popular spot for tourists and college kids. But it's no ordinary bar, and what happened there is no ordinary story. As Ashley the waitress soon found out, she had no idea what kind of lives her customers lead.

Like Any Other Night

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Ashley Latella was working one weekend in December. She'd been waitressing and bartending at the Seagrape for three years. She thought this weekend would be like any other, but she didn't know what the universe had in store for her.

Serving a Table

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She was serving a group of three men. The men were ready to leave, and asked for their check, so Ashley brought it over to them. It came to $112. Surely, that was a hefty bill for one night of drinking, but it shouldn't amount to any trouble, Ashley thought.

Settle Up

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But when the bill came, the men didn't settle up right away. Rather than handing over their credit card, they did something else. They asked if they could settle the bill privately. The request was unsettling for Ashley, considering that her uneventful shift had left her very tired.

Something Wrong?

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Ashley found the request odd. "It was a strange request and I was a little concerned," she said. She did what any waitress would do. She notified her manager, Carlos Carmo Jr. who immediately came to the table to speak to the customers.

The Meeting

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It's understandable why Ashley found the request unsettling. A customer asking to do something in private is likely because of something negative. It could be a complaint. Maybe they're unable to pay their bill. Carlos and Ashley took the meeting in the kitchen, and Ashley expected the worst.

Not a Complaint

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The customers, however, were only looking to do exactly what they'd said. They wanted to settle their bill. But there was a reason they wanted to give their credit card privately. Because what they did next was so shocking and it left Ashley in tears...

The Surprise

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They signed the bill with a generous tip— $500. But the customer told Ashley to look again. "At first I thought it was $500, but the gentleman told me to look closer and I realized it was $5,000," she said. They were tipping $5,000 on a $112 bill!

Tears of Joy

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Ashley was overwhelmed by the gesture. "I burst out into tears because I was so happy and thankful," she said. Although she'd received some large tips in her day, she'd never gotten anything like this. It's not every day you get a 4,464% tip.

A Thanks

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Ashley thanked them for their generosity. "Afterward I gave him a hug. It was such a nice gesture," she said. But the patrons weren't the only ones with nice gestures in mind and they weren't done spreading joy in this town.

Spreading the Love

Yelp

Ashley decided to share her good fortune with the other staff at the Seagrape. She split the tip amongst the four bartenders who were working that night. Ashley's generous spirit didn't stop there. She had more to give...

Donating a Portion

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Ashley didn't keep her money to herself! She decided to use her portion to buy toys for disadvantaged children. And she wasn't alone, as her manager Carlos did as well.

Giving Back

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"This was our way of sharing our good fortune with the community," said Ashley. She and Carlos gave the toys to Al's Angels of Westport. Al's Angels provides 17,000 gifts to children who are facing illness or financial hardship. And they can always use more toys.

You Can Give, Too

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Ashley had a message for others on the spirit of generosity. "“There are great people, generous and giving people out there," she said. "I think the moral of the story is it doesn’t matter how much money you have, you can still give.” The spirit of giving really takes over in some people, and the mysterious tipper lives by that feeling...

Story Doesn't End There

Instagram

The tipper wasn't done being generous. People all over the country have reported extremely generous tips from strangers at restaurants. The customer's signature was a clue. The customer signed the bill "Tips for Jesus." And it turns out, that was his calling card.

Tips for Jesus

Instagram

Tips for Jesus is an Instagram account. It has 84,600 followers. And they do just what they did at the Seagrape - tip substantially. Their tagline is, "Doing the Lord's work, one tip at a time."

Tipping, Tipping, Everywhere

Instagram

The Instagram account is full of receipts and smiling servers. All of them have one thing in common: substantial tips. But the photographs come from all over— Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, even Russia! The tipper is quite the traveler. And he must have the money to do so!

Starting With a Bang

Instagram

When Tips for Jesus began in 2013, the tipper was anonymous. #tipsforjesus trended on social media. It's no surprise. In December alone, there were tips of $7,000, $3,500 and $1,000.

Lucky Recipient

Instagram

Arjuj Dhawan, a worker at Bo's Kitchen and Bar Room, received a $1,000 tip. Dhawan couldn't believe it. The tipper even gave his phone number to manager Benjamin Cramer, in case the credit card company had any issues with the tip amount. It seems the tipper was not only generous, but thoughtful.

Wanting to Remain Anonymous

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Cramer called American Express, and the person assured him the tip was real. Cramer wanted to pursue the tipper's identity, but didn't. The tipper had asked for anonymity, so Cramer respected it.

Who Is The Mysterious Tipper?

Instagram

People speculated who the tipper might be. But their identity remained hidden and rumors swirled. Then, in 2017, their identity was confirmed. And the rumors about where his wealth came from were put to rest.

PayPal Connection

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Tips for Jesus was created by Jack Selby. He's a former executive from PayPal. He was part of what's known as the "PayPal Mafia." The PayPal Mafia are a group of executives who went from PayPal to create other tech ventures, and who have made billions doing it.

Creating Giving Via Social Media

Instagram

Selby's goal was to create copycats who would repeat the gesture. By showing the tips on instagram, he was hoping others would copy the move. Although he would sign many of the receipts, 'God bless,' he said it wasn't a religious gesture. "The movement we have started is intended to be agnostic," he said.

Changing People's Lives

Instagram

Regardless of the reasoning behind his intentions, Selby has undoubtedly changed people's lives for the better. The many smiling faces on the Instagram account are proof. One waiter even took his family on vacation with the tip he received. It's no doubt that Selby has changed lives.

Ashley And Carlos Forever

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That isn't the only happy ending. Ashley and Carlos, the waitress and manager who donated their portion of the proceeds to buy toys for children, had something else to share— their hearts. The two got married in 2015. No doubt that those two generous spirits will share a lifetime of happiness.