A waitress in Texas received a Christmas present in advance: a $ 2,000 tip.
However, Emily Bauer, a mother of two, hasn't received a penny yet because, she says, the manager of the restaurant where she works says the tip limit is $ 500.
"I can't take it though, thank you. Thank you for having such a big heart ... How did you know I needed it?" Bauer told local television station KENS 5, who is still searching for the customer who left the tip.
[A man ordered a beer and tipped $ 3,000 at a restaurant about to close due to the pandemic]
Bauer was overworked Sunday because she had multiple tables to serve at the Red Seafood and Bar restaurant in San Antonio when she received the large tip despite the man canceling her order.
Hispanic immigrant and waiter receives surprising tip of more than a thousand dollars
Dec. 18, 201901: 39
The generous customer, who was dining with someone else, asked to "cancel everything but asked me to give him the bill," Bauer said.
"I apologized, 'I'm sorry, I'm being slow,' and he said 'I understand.'
He also mentioned that he owned restaurants and knew how difficult it was to be a waiter, ”explained the woman, who did not notice the tip until the man left the premises.
“I said to myself, 'wait' and when I opened - the receipt - I started crying.
Like oh my god!
My children!
I'm going to spend it all on my children, ”recalled Bauer, whose children are 2 years and 5 months.
"I was like 'oh my god.'
I've never had a Christmas where I was able to spend money on them, "he added.
Along with the $ 2,000 gratitude on the receipt was a message that read, "Merry Christmas! Keep working hard!"
Given the refusal, his colleagues suggested that the manager give him four payments of 500 dollars, but Bauer says he refused.
"I don't think it's our responsibility as a server to say, 'oh, you can't tip me that much, sorry. Oh no, there's a limit, sorry.' If that's the case, there should be signs posted in restaurants or in the receipt to say there is a limit of 500 dollars, ”complained Bauer.
But when he went to claim his tip, he came across an unexpected response from his employer: the tip limit at the restaurant cannot be more than $ 500. He added that his manager informed him that the man who tipped him called the restaurant. to say that he was disappointed that he could not receive the money, but did not write down his information so the waitress could contact him.
[A woman criticizes a Latino barista for forcing her to wear a mask. The young man has received nearly $ 100,000 in tips]
Bauer posted a photo of the receipt on his Facebook account and just hopes the customer sees his words of gratitude.
The manager has not yet commented on the case.
