Yahoo Finance Stunned bar staff get $21,000 tip on $49 order
The owner and staff of a bar and grill have been left stunned after an anonymous diner left a US$16,000 ($21,085.40) tip on a US$38 ($48.75) meal.
A customer walked into the Stumble Inn Bar and Grill in Londonberry, New Hampshire on a busy Saturday 12 June and ordered two hotdogs with chilli and cheese, three drinks, and pickle chips.
When the diner departed, he left an incredible five-figure tip on the US$37.93 bill.
The generous customer, who chose to remain anonymous, reportedly said “don’t spend it all in one place” three times until a staff member flipped the bill over.
The customer said the staff worked hard and deserved it. There were eight bartenders working that day, according to Stumble Inn Bar and Grill’s owner, Michael Zarella, some of whom were looking after the customer, who sat alone at the outside patio area.
“He was enjoying himself,” Zarella said.
He initially told his staff not to get too excited in case the bank didn’t release the funds.
“It’s unbelievable. I just never in my life thought somebody would come in here and do that,” Zarella told Fox News.
“I didn’t even think it was going to be true until it cleared the bank, which was last Friday. I was like, ‘no way.’”
In total, the bar and grill has around 30 employees that work the kitchens and bars.
Zarella said he recently met the customer face-to-face to thank him for his generous move. The establishment was hard hit during the pandemic, and was forced to refuse dine-in customers, though was able to fulfil takeaway orders.
“I thanked him and asked if he was sure he wanted to do this. He said yes,” said Zarella.
He believes the customer is a local and has visited a few times before.
“I don't know anything about him, but I guess he likes it here.”
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