In Benton Harbor, Michigan, servers at a local restaurant, the Mason Jar, were left in awe after a patron left an enormous $10,000 tip. The astounding gesture was made on a mere $32.43 bill, leaving staff members of the cafe in shock and disbelief. Although it would have been remarkable if the tip was given for outstanding service, the cafe’s manager, Tim Sweeney, disclosed that the reason for the generous tip was heartwarming.
On one of the cafe’s slowest days, a customer who only identified himself as Mark left a staggering 30,835% tip. The manager was understandably taken aback by the amount and felt compelled to confirm with the customer if the tip was intentional.
According to The Hill, Sweeney had a conversation with the individual and they went back and forth on the matter before he ultimately expressed a desire to proceed. The waitress present during the conversation was reportedly taken aback by the exchange.
During his visit to the restaurant, the customer shared with the staff the touching reason behind his generous tip of five figures. He revealed that he was honoring the memory of a friend who had recently passed away and that he was in town for the funeral. The staff was moved by his gesture and grateful for his visit.
After Mark informed the server that she could distribute the amount, the tip was divided among nine employees, and each received $1,100. Paige Mulick, one of the servers, disclosed that she intended to use the funds to pay off her student loan. Unfortunately, a few days later, things took a negative turn.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Linsey Boyd, the waitress who received the generous $10,000 tip, was let go from her job a few days later. The owners of the cafe posted on Facebook, which has now been deleted, that her termination was unrelated to the tip.
In an email response to News 8, Jayme Cousins, co-owner of Mason Jar café, stated that due to labor laws, they were unable to disclose all of the specific details.
In an email, Cousins clarified that the speculation that they fired her due to the tip is unfounded. “I know there’s a lot of talk about us letting her go because of the tip, but that’s just not true,” he wrote. He emphasized that the decision was entirely based on business considerations.
During an interview with WNDU 16 news, Boyd, the server, had a different story to share. According to him, the workplace had turned toxic due to some employees’ dissatisfaction with the way tips were being divided.
Boyd sensed the animosity from those who were unhappy about not receiving a share. The issue was brought up with management to address the negativity.
She was taken aback when the management’s response was to terminate her employment.
As she reminisced, she remembered the words of her manager that stuck with her. “To calm the situation and move forward, it would be best for me not to return,” the owner had said about the publicity and attention the incident was still receiving. Those words remained etched in her memory.
Boyd didn’t hold back from expressing her thoughts on Facebook after being fired. She claimed that the management instructed her to remove the post and even warned her of potential legal consequences. Although Boyd complied and deleted the post, she still took the matter seriously and sought legal advice, as she mentioned to the outlet.
