Customer At Phoenix Restaurant Leaves Server $900 Tip
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — With her baby due next month, Sarah Clark has been putting in as many hours as she could at a Mediterranean restaurant, Pita Jungle, in Phoenix.
After giving birth, she will have to go on maternity leave and not be able to make any money. Besides, her fiance is scheduled to have surgery on his knee on this week.
"Me being on maternity leave and him being out of work, we're not going to be making any income," the server, bartender and manager told KPHO's Derek Stahl.
On Tuesday, Christmas came early for Clark when a customer picked up a takeout order and left her a $900 tip. That generous customer bought $61.30 worth of food.
"So this is really going to help us with covering rent and other bills," the expectant mother said. "I couldn't believe what I was looking at at first because it's such a high amount. Nine-hundred dollars is a lot of money. And it took a while for it to set in. Once it did, I cried for a little while."
She said she has previously seen that customer, a woman, who is also pregnant. They had chatted a few times.
"I had talked to her in the past about my fiancé being injured and him being out of work. It was just a really amazing token of generosity," Clark said.
The generosity was written right on the receipt: "This is God's money - he gave it to us so we could give it to you. God bless."
"I didn't have the chance to look at the receipt anyways until after she had left. I saw it, and I broke down," Clark recalled. "Thank you so so much. I don't know if she really understands how much this is going to help us."
Clark said she has worked at Pita Jungle for seven years and has never met a customer that generous.
Her daughter is due on Jan. 8.