ESTES PARK, Colorado (CNN) – After a great breakfast at a Colorado restaurant, a generous customer left employees a $ 1,400 tip and a message saying “COVID Sucks!”
Notchtop Bakery & Cafe owner Nailya Khametvalieva says the owner, whom she only identified as David, entered her Estes Park restaurant on Wednesday to look for eggs, bacon, sausages and cookies and gravy.
When it came time to pay the $ 20.04 check, David asked his 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 really brought tears to all the servers [and] cooks – you know, no one ever thinks about cooks – the cooks were so surprised and shocked. “We were all shocked,” Khametvalieva said. “We thanked him, but I felt we didn’t do enough.”
He said David lives in the area, but it was his second time visiting the restaurant.
Gloria Fuentes waited for David the two times she came in and told KMGH, a CNN affiliate, that she couldn’t believe it when she saw the bill.
“It was like‘ Oh my God, am I dreaming or what? “Sources told KMGH.
Another KMGH server knew that the money would be a big 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 get it,” Jayme Johnson said.
Khametvalieva never closed the restaurant he runs for nearly ten years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but said the business has been tough. Last year’s wildfires also added to the challenge.
He said he has been able to give hours to all his employees and has also obtained a PPP loan.
Estes Park is about 70 miles from Denver and Khametvalieva says it has a lot of tourist business out of state in the summer.
He said many of these customers have bought gift cards to support the restaurant as they have not been able to come in person.
“I wanted to thank everyone who really feels for small businesses and the people have been very grateful, kind and nice. They have a big heart, especially David,” he said.
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