Server Gets $2k Tip, Won’t See 1 Cent Because Restaurant “Can’t Process a Tip That Big”

A server at a Texas restaurant and bar received a $2,000 tip as an early Christmas gift from a customer, but she can't get a single cent of it, because her employer said they can't process a tip bigger than $500.

Emily Bauer says she'd been a server for about two weeks when a couple sitting in her section was sympathetic towards her during a big rush of customers.

“I kept apologizing. 'I’m sorry. I’m being slow.' He was just like, 'I understand.' He also mentioned he owned restaurants. So he knew how hard it was to be a server,” Bauer told KENS-TV. “He actually didn’t want the rest of his order. He was like, 'just cancel everything. Cancel everything and give me the ticket.' So, I said okay. I gave him the ticket.”

When she looked at the ticket, she couldn't believe her eyes. The man left a $2000 tip.

But Bauer's bosses said she won't be getting a penny from the tip. They told her the system at the restaurant won't process a tip higher than $500. Other servers at the restaurant suggested they give her four installments of $500, but they refused.

“I don’t think it’s our responsibility as a server to say, 'oh, you can’t tip me that much, I’m sorry. Oh no, there’s a limit, I’m sorry.' If that’s the case, there should be signs posted on the restaurants or the receipt to say there’s a limit of $500,” Bauer said. “Everybody I’ve talked to has been like, 'I’ve never heard of that before.' If it’s left to you and signed by that person, then you should be able to get it.”

Bauer said her manager was contacted by the man who left the tip, and he was just as disappointed that she couldn't take it. Bauer said she wants to reach out to the tipper, but her boss didn't take down the man's information, so she posted the ticket on Facebook in hopes of getting ahold of the man.

“Even though I can’t receive it, thank you. Thank you for having such a big heart. This world is filled with messed up people. It’s like, how did he know I needed that?” Bauer said.

Naturally, the restaurant responded in the comment section of the original article, placing the blame on Emily and the tipper for the poor image of the restaurant.

Read more at MSN