A customer left a $1,400 tip at the Notchtop Bakery & Café in Estes Park in Colorado on Wednesday, January 20.
- When David received his $20.04 bill, he asked how many people were working that day.
- On his receipt, the customer wrote: “COVID sucks! $200 for each employee today!”
- Nailya Khametvalieva, the owner of the cafe, shared that this gesture brought tears to everyone’s eyes.
7 employees at the Notchtop Bakery & Café received a $200 tip from a customer.
The customer, identified only as “David”, visited the cafe on Wednesday, January 20. Nailya Khametvalieva, the owner of the venue, told CNN that the man ordered “some eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits and gravy.” When David had asked for his $20.04 bill, he had also asked his server how many employees were working that day. Understanding that there were seven employees, he left a $1,400 tip alongside his $20 bill. On the receipt, the customer drew a smiley face and wrote: “COVID sucks! $200.00 for each employee today!”
Speaking to CNN, Khametvalieva shared:
That brought truly tears to all the servers [and] cooks — you know, nobody ever thinks of cooks — the cooks were just so surprised and shocked. We were all shocked. We did thank him, but I felt like we didn’t do it enough. […] I wanted to thank everybody who actually feel for small businesses and people have been so grateful and kind and nice. They have a big heart, especially David.
The employees thanked David, the “Covid Bandit” on the Facebook page of the Notchtop Bakery & Café.
Jayme Johnson, one of the cafe’s employees spoke to KMGH, explaining that the money would help her family tremendously.
It’s $200 to me, but it’s also $200 for my husband. It’s also $200 for my daughters, for things that we needed to make it.
During these difficult and unprecedented times, people like David inspire us and fill us with hope.
