A Waffle House server in North Carolina was shocked by a $1,000 tip from an anonymous country music star.
The server, Shirell "Honey" Lackey, wrote about the surprising interaction in a Facebook post shared in late July. Lackey wrote that she thought "long and hard" about whether or not to share the story out of respect for the singer's privacy, but decided to "just keep his name out of it."
"A country music star just came in the restaurant and tipped me $1,000 gave me two tickets to his next show and got my address to send the baby diapers clothes etc. (plus hugged me... twice) because I had to have her at work with me for 15 hours today," Lackey wrote, alongside a photo of the receipt.
The image showed a $1,000 tip on a bill of just $11.99. Lackey said that the singer's bus driver had overheard her and another coworker talking about how she sometimes brings her young daughter to work when other childcare options aren't available. The bus driver relayed the story to the singer, who approached Lackey personally.
"He came to me and said that in a society where nobody wants to work he had to respect the hustle of someone who is willing to do whatever it took no matter what to support their child and I started crying," Lackey wrote. "I was almost in shock to receive such an amazing gift."
Related
"I've heard what goes around comes around and I've always tried to help others but not to get anything in return, only (because) it's the right thing, what we as humans (are) supposed to do for one another but tonight it came full circle and I was truly blessed to know that there (are) still amazing people in the world," Lackey continued. "Good honest selfless people!!! I most definitely met one (tonight)!"
Lackey ended her post with a plea for people to not try to guess the name of the tipper, again citing her desire to protect his privacy.
Lackey did not respond to a request for comment from TODAY Food. In a comment on the post, she said that she would put half the money in her daughter's saving account.
Related:
