Restaurant patrons leave waitress $1,200 tip

<p>A Middlesex County waitress got the surprise of her life when she found out customers left her an enormous tip.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 24, 2017, 2:23 AM

Updated 2,648 days ago

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Restaurant patrons leave waitress $1,200 tip
A Middlesex County waitress got the surprise of her life when she found out customers left her an enormous tip.
Brianna Siegel is a server at Bar Louie in Woodbridge. She says that although waiting tables isn’t always easy, she always keeps an upbeat attitude.
“I’ve been in the food industry all my life…it’s my favorite thing to do,” Siegel says.
Siegel’s friendly demeanor didn’t go unnoticed Tuesday evening when she served a couple at the restaurant that she’s never served before.
“I was talking to them, they were really nice people. We were laughing,” she says.
After the meal, the couple paid their $20 tab and then handed Siegel an envelope. They told her not to open it until she got home. Siegel placed the envelope in her apron and kept working. When she finally opened it at home, she says that she nearly fell to her knees.
“I looked and I saw a check written out in my name for $1,200…I just keep asking myself why me?” she says.
The restaurant's general manager says it couldn't have happened to a better person.
“She’s always willing to come in. Always willing to help out. She’s a great worker for us,” says Brent Ruhkamp.
The couple also included a note with their check that said in part “Whenever it gets hard know God got you.”
Siegel says that she has deposited the check and plans to put the money toward nursing school and a new car.  News 12 New Jersey attempted to reach out to the generous couple, but did not hear back.