MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin waitress got a Christmas morning surprise from a customer — a $1,000 tip.
Callie Blue, 29, was waiting tables at Gus’s Diner in Sun Prairie, just outside Madison, at 6 a.m. Sunday when she started chatting with one of the few customers in the restaurant at that hour, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. He left her a $1,000 tip.
The customer was Michael Johnson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County. He told the newspaper he was looking for people in need as part of the club’s Pay It Forward campaign. Two donors had given about $5,000 for tip money.
He said his Christmas Day schedule was booked with families he planned to help starting at 7:30 a.m. so he searched the internet for restaurants open at 6 a.m. and learned about Gus’s Diner. He also had gotten an email about Blue and wanted to measure her customer service skills and demeanor.
He was impressed enough to pull $1,000 from the $5,000 tip money. He said about 12 servers got big tips but Blue got the biggest one because it was Christmas morning and she was the last recipient.
Blue called the tip amazing and said she’ll use it to help feed her four horses.