$5,600 Tip Left for Restaurant Employees: 'Be the Reason Someone Believes in the Goodness'
During the holidays, people work really hard to put magic in the air. Twinkling lights, homemade delicacies and connections with friends and family all bring joy to the darkest months of the year.
This year, the amount of magic we need is greater than ever — and some dedicated people are stepping up to the plate and accepting the challenge.
One of them is “Billy,” a man who wished to remain anonymous while blessing the staff of Souk Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar in Toledo, Ohio, on Dec. 12.
The generous gentleman came into the restaurant, had a meal and then left a tip so big that each staff member would be able to go home $200 richer.
The boost in morale was enormous, especially for chef and owner Moussa Salloukh.
“The restaurant was a tribute to my mother and everything was going great until March, when we were forced to shut down,” Salloukh told CNN. “Financially there was a huge impact, but we did just about everything to survive.
“Then all of a sudden this gentleman comes in and gives us a $5,600 tip for all our employees. ‘Thank you’ isn’t enough.”
The restaurant posted the story on Facebook, where it has racked up hundreds of shares and comments.
“This really happened,” the post read, illustrated with a photo of a carefully anonymized receipt. “Last night one of our guests left a $5,600 tip to be given to all of our staff, whether they were working that shift or not. It meant each of our 28 staff members received a $200 tip. What an amazing gesture of kindness to my employees.”
“This is not an ordinary December,” the post went on. “Normally this is a month when our employees work extra and guests tip generously. December is a month for them to earn money to buy family gifts, put a bit into savings and take care of bills or repairs that have been lingering.
“With Covid restrictions and guidelines, that was not going to happen for them this year. So this heartfelt generosity was deeply needed and very appreciated.
“The words ‘Thank You’ seem inadequate for this gift… but Thank You Billy, for your generous spirit and for making a difference in the lives of people I care a lot about this holiday season.”
Salloukh said “Billy” was the reason many of his employees would now be able to afford presents or Christmas trees. The monetary act of kindness was deeply appreciated by all.
“There was a lot of tears, I’m tearing up now talking about it,” Salloukh said. “Your restaurant staff becomes your family and everyone cares about each other. I’ve been staying out of the kitchen to give employees hours to get through and put gifts under the tree for their kids, so this was so huge for us.
“A lot of them felt like someone was looking and watching down on them. It gave us a lot of hope, it was just a beautiful thing to do for 28 strangers you don’t even know.”
One woman who commented on the restaurant’s post said her own son was a recipient and it brought him great joy.
“My son works there and he was on cloud nine when he came home!” she wrote. “This means the world to the staff. Heroes do exist!”
Hopefully, “Billy” knows how much his kindness was appreciated. As Salloukh wrote, “Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people.”
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