A Waffle House waitress has gotten her $1,000 Mothers' Day tip, after the restaurant's credit card gratuity policy originally prevented her from obtaining the contribution.
According to The News and Observer, the location returned the $1,500 to the good samaritan who lent it to mother of two, and seven year veteran waitress Shaina Brown. The man had enjoyed a texas bacon patty melt in the wee morning hours of Mother's Day.
"I'm going to bless you tonight," the man told Brown according to The Charlotte Observer. He then penciled in the amount, and told her to give $500 to another woman he saw in need at the restaurant. The individual then left the eating establishment in a cab and wished Brown well. "You have a good spirit," he said.
While receiving money back is always a good thing, Brown told The Observer, she feels like she was defeated.
"I feel like they stole from me," Brown said. "They did exactly what they teach us not to do."
According to The News Observer, the company gives big tips back to customers as a normal procedure. Employees also request bountiful contributors give the same amount in cash or by check. This helps employees assist with instances when customers want to question the amount they gave, or request a refund.
Several Waffle House customers expressed their views about the incident in the comments section of the company's Facebook page.
"Waffle House made a mistake on this one, and they could have reversed their policy, but instead they're sticking to in," Steven Williams said in a post. "No doubt to protect their bottom line at the expense of their employees. Sure, this nice tipper is still sending her a check. But they should not have to do that. Seems penny-wise, pound foolish to me."
"Speaking from a waitress point of view I don't think it was right to take her tip away. As a waitress for many years I personally would not have taken such a large tip without knowing the person, but if they insisted and told me they wanted to do a good dead for someone then I guess I would have taken it, but I personally don't Waffle House had the right," Sherry Galloway said in another post.
