ESTES PARK, Colorado (CNN) – After a great breakfast at a Colorado restaurant, a generous customer left a $ 1,400 tip for employees and a message that said “COVID sucks!”
Notchtop Bakery & Cafe owner Nailya Khametvalieva says the patron, whom she only identified as David, went to Estes Park on Wednesday to eat some eggs, bacon, sausages, biscuits and sauce.
When it came time to pay the $ 20.04 check, David asked the server how many people were working that day.
He ended up leaving the $ 1,400 tip with instructions to give each of the seven employees $ 200.
“This brought real tears to all the servers [and] cooks – you know, nobody ever thinks of cooks – cooks were so surprised and shocked. We were all shocked, “said Khametvalieva.” We thank him, but I felt that we did not do enough. “
She said David lives in the area, but it is only the second time he has been to the restaurant.
Gloria Fuentes waited for David the two times he appeared and told CNN affiliate KMGH that she couldn’t believe it when she saw the account.
“I was like, ‘My God, am I dreaming or what’s going on?'” Fuentes told KMGH.
Another server told KMGH that the money would be a great help to his family.
“It’s $ 200 for me, but it’s also $ 200 for my husband. It’s also $ 200 for my daughters, for things we needed to do that,” said Jayme Johnson.
Khametvalieva has never closed the restaurant he has run for almost 10 years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but said business is difficult. Last year’s forest fires also added to the challenge.
She said she managed to give hours to all of her employees and also got a PPP loan.
Estes Park is about 70 miles from Denver, and Khametvalieva says he gets a lot of business in the summer with tourists from outside the state.
She said that many of these customers bought gift cards to support the restaurant because they were unable to attend in person.
“I wanted to thank everyone who really feels for small businesses and people have been so grateful, kind and loving. They have a big heart, especially David, ”she said.
The-CNN-Wire ™ and © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner company. All rights reserved.