NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Manhattan woman who stiffed the waiter who served her lunch owes him a lot more than a tip.
Karen Vinacour, 79, was having lunch at Patsy's Pizzeria in East Harlem on Saturday and instead of a 20 percent tip, she left a folded up envelope on the table.
Patsy's owner Adem Brija told 1010 WINS waiter Armando Markaj tried to chase her down but couldn't find her.
"He was walking back in with the envelope ... it was open and he noticed it said Citibank on it. He pulled it out and it happened to be a certified check just under $424,000," Brija said.
Markaj is also a medical student working his way through school. After an unsuccessful search, he called the Daily News and they tracked the woman down.
Vinacour had been going crazy looking for that check. She had just sold her apartment and the check was a downpayment for a new condo.
She told the Daily News she was so relieved when they called her.
When she returned to Patsy's on Wednesday to get her check, she told Brija was that she felt awful for not tipping Markaj.
She offered him a tip but he graciously declined.



