When she walked into work Thursday at a San Antonio, Tex., Cracker Barrel, Rachel Barney wasn’t expecting to have a news-worthy day.
What she didn’t know was that a local couple had been collecting money so they could surprise a single parent working as a server with a $1,300 tip. After calling local restaurants to find a candidate, they chose Barney, the mother of a 14-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son.
Her managers asked her to serve a large party that included the couple Kevin Nies and his wife. Their bill came out to $270, a fraction of the tip they left for Barney.
“It was humbling to be the person that you read about on the news,” said the server, according to KSAT 12. She could hardly believe what was happening.
Barney can be seen holding back tears as Nies presents her with the tip in a Facebook video.
“This is for you to give your kids a great Christmas,” he said.
Nies said he had seen a similar story on the news and was inspired to give generous tips too. He and his wife reached out to people they know to collect funds for their big tip projects.
“Knowing that you made a difference in their life, even just for that one day, it really fills your heart with joy, and just it’s contagious. It really makes you want to just go help other people,” Nies said.
Since he posted about the project on social media, about 20 others have said they too have been inspired to give.
“That’s all I want people to do. Just pay it forward. We have a lot of evil going on in the world right now,” he said.
Nies said he doesn’t care how Barney spends the money and that he knows it will go toward something they need. Barney plans to take her children on an out-of-town trip, something she otherwise likely couldn’t afford.
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