A customer surprised staff at their local restaurant by leaving a $2,500 (£2,100) tip with their meal to help them during the coronavirus lock-down.
Coaches Bar and Grill in Columbus, Ohio, shared a picture of the generous offering on social media.
“When the going gets tough, the tough stay loyal,” read the caption on the tweet.
The diner, whose meal had only come to $29.75, wrote on the receipt: “Please split this tab equally between (staff members) Tara, Nicky, Jum, Liz and Arrun.”
Their gesture came after Ohio ordered a mandatory shut-down of all bars and restaurants at 9pm.
“This loyal, amazing patron of Coaches on Bethel left the staff a $2,500 tip to help lighten the losses during this required closing of restaurants and bars in Ohio,” continued the restaurant’s Twitter post.
The owner later added: “My staff is family. This circumstance is going to be remembered for the gesture over what the money will cover. Pretty cool thing when you think about it.”
It’s not the first instance of a patron helping out a local eatery during what is an increasingly challenging time for the hospitality industry.
On Thursday, The Independent reported of a customer who left a $9,400 (£8,160) tip at his local restaurant in Texas to help it out during the coronavirus pandemic.
The unnamed man wrote on the receipt: “Pay your guys over the next few weeks.”
According to Louis Galvan, owner of Irma’s Southwest in Houston, the unexpected windfall was left by one of the restaurant’s regulars who has been eating there for 15 years.
“He came in and had a modest dinner of shrimp tacos and then left a $9,400 gratuity,” Galvan told Fox News.
“I think he came here just to [give the tip],” Galvan said. “He came down here specifically to do that and wish us the best of luck.”
Galvan said that everyone was “amazed” and that the restaurant plans to use the money as instructed.
