Generous Individuals Are Stepping up This Holiday — Ohio Customer Leaves $5,600 Tip to Staff

A generous anonymous customer at an Ohio restaurant left a $5,600 tip for the whole staff ahead of Christmas. He might not be Santa, but it was indeed a great gesture of kindness.

On December 12, a customer who decided to remain anonymous went to the Souk Mediterranean Kitchen in Toledo, Ohio, and surprised the staff with a very generous gesture.

When the guest, referred to only as “Billy,” finished eating at the restaurant, he left a massive tip of $5,600. Billy asked to split the money among every member of the staff.

BILLY’S KIND TIP

After dividing the tip into 28 equal parts, each staff member received $200. Chef Moussa Salloukh, the restaurant’s owner, wrote on Facebook that this was not an ordinary December.

Salloukh explained that most Decembers, his employees work extra and guests tip “generously,” so it is a month when they earn more money and buy gifts, pay the bills, and save.

Billy was not the only generous customer from Ohio in 2020.

However, COVID-19 made things difficult for everybody – including his staff – in 2020, which is why Billy’s “heartfelt generosity” was “deeply needed and very appreciated.” Salloukh added:

“Thank You Billy, for your generous spirit and for making a difference in the lives of people I care a lot about this holiday season.”

Salloukh also said that there were “a lot of tears” that day, adding that your staff becomes your family when you own a restaurant, so everyone cares about each other.

The restauranteur said that, due to the pandemic, some of his workers were unable to afford a Christmas tree or presents for their family. However, Billy’s tip “made that possible.”

WATCHING THEM FROM ABOVE

Many of Salloukh’s workers felt as if someone was watching them from above, and Billy’s big-hearted tip gave everyone “a lot of hope.” It is important to point out that Salloukh’s restaurant opened in October 2019.

Just like many other business owners, he struggled a lot to keep things running during the pandemic. Fortunately, Souk Mediterranean Kitchen was not one of the 100,000 restaurants that closed in 2020.

Billy was not the only generous customer from Ohio in 2020. In early-December, another anonymous person left a $3,000 tip for the whole wait staff of Nighttown, a Cleveland restaurant.

Brendan Ring, Nighttown’s owner, said that four people were working that day, so each of them got $750 from the tip. These people definitely helped restore our faith in humanity. Danny Trejo did it, too, by donating food during the holidays.