Couple Leaves $9,400 Tip in Houston Restaurant to Help Staff Get by Amid Coronavirus Shutdown

These difficult times are also the opportunity for many people to show their best side by helping others according to each one’s possibilities, setting an example for all humanity.

On March 16, 2020, the coronavirus outbreak forced Houston’s bars, clubs, and restaurants to close and only provide drive-through service to prevent the spread of covid-19, an order that became effective the following morning.

A very considered couple, with the means to give others a hand in these difficult times on which work will be scarce, decided to stop by one of their favorite local restaurants before the new measure was introduced.

Choosing to remain anonymous, the couple had an early dinner at Irma’s Southwest, a popular Mexican food restaurant in downtown Houston, and left a very generous tip to help the establishment keep paying its staff.

Even though the bill from their meal was only $90, the loyal customers left a $9,400 tip, with a note explaining that the sum was intended to help fund the business so they don’t need to cut off their employees.

“Hold to pay your guys over the next two week,” the tipster, whom, according to the restaurant’s owners Irma and Louis Galvin, is a regular customer who has chosen to protect his/her privacy, wrote in the receipt. As ABC News quoted Mr. Galvin with saying:

"Our staff was truly amazed and in awe of the gesture. It was so unexpected and I know it will be a big help for our employees."

“It doesn’t surprise me. They are generous people, they always have been,” one of the restaurant’s employees said about the altruistic couple in an interview with ABC13 Houston.

“We had to let our staff know that we may be off work for the next fifteen to thirty days, depending on how long that is, but the gift we got today should help solve the problem,” Mr. Galvin added in the same feature with the local news outlet.

WAYS TO HELP

If others want to help struggling restaurant owners and staff members worried about their jobs, now that the economy is rapidly slowing down for the sake of social distancing, there are other ways to help.

For example, one can purchase as many gift cards as one can in such restaurants to relieve them with much-needed cash in times of slow business that one can use later when businesses are working regularly once again.

“Virtual tip jars” are another option that has recently become available to provide financial support for restaurant workers across the country. With this tool, you too can help keep your favorite businesses going through this contingency.

We at AmoMama do our best to give you the most updated news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, but the situation is constantly changing. We encourage readers to refer to the online updates from CDC, WHO, or Local Health Departments to stay updated. Take care!