'Mystery man' leaves Rs 11 lakh tip at US restaurant, netizens hail 'act of kindness'

In another act of generosity amid the coronavirus crisis, an unnamed customer in Londonderry, New Hampshire chose to leave an unbelievable tip at a restaurant battling economic losses. The ‘act of kindness’ came into notice after Michael Zarella, owner of Stumble Inn Bar & Grill shared a picture of the customer’s bill on Facebook.  Alongside, he expressed his gratitude writing "Stumble inn had a very generous customer. We thank you for your generosity."

'I assumed it was mistake' 

The picture features the anonymous customer’s receipt. While, the total bill amounts to only $37.93, the tip alongside the order totals to US$16,000, which equals over ₹ 11 lakh. Zarella admitted that when he first saw the bill on June 12, he assumed that it was a mistake. Speaking to NBC network, the entrepreneur said that he looked like a normal customer till he paid the whopping amount in the tip. According to Zarella, the money will be split between the eight bartenders, who also double as the servers at the outlet. A portion of the money will also be shared with kitchen workers.

The customer's act has also left hundreds of thousands of netizens in praise for him. "We've all made some wild choices after some patron but... Wow," wrote a user. "My grandfather always told me. If someone hands you money. You take it. Cause they wouldn’t if they couldn’t!!" added another. "Wonder if he's the same person who paid my mortgage last year ?," quipped a third. 

In a similar act,  a customer visiting Notchtop Bakery & Café in Colorado, US left a tip of $200 for each of its employees. The incident has created a stir on the internet after it was shared on the Facebook page of the cafe. Calling the unnamed customer as 'COVID bandit' the cafe took the opportunity to thank him for his "generous gift".

In the heartfelt post, Notchtop Bakery & Café shared two pictures. The first photograph featured its seven employees, all donning uniforms and masks, whereas the second picture depicted the bill. The details on the bill show that the customer's purchase made up for $20, however, he had added $1400 as a tip. The bill also features a special note penned by the customer.

Image: Michael Zarella/Facebook