One waitress got a much needed and very unexpected Christmas gift...a $1,000 tip from a customer.
Callie Blue was waiting tables at Gus's Diner in Sun Prairie, just outside Madison, at 6 a.m. Sunday when she started chatting with one of the few customers in the restaurant at that hour.
He left her a $1,000 tip. The customer was Michael Johnson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs who told the local newspaper he was looking for people in need as part of the club's Pay It Forward campaign. Two donors had given about $5,000 for tip money.
He searched the internet for restaurants open at 6 a.m. and learned about Gus's Diner. He also had gotten an email about Blue and wanted to measure her customer service skills and demeanor.
He was impressed enough to pull $1,000 from the $5,000 tip money. He said about 12 servers got big tips but Blue got the biggest one because it was Christmas morning and she was the last recipient.
Blue called the tip amazing and said she'll use it to help feed her four horses.