Callum Jones
A server has opened up about being left two $10,000 tips by a returning customer.
Tipping culture is never far away from headlines, with some diners refusing to tip.
But there are some more heartwarming stories out there, like when one loyal customer decided to tip a server at El Nuevo Mexico in Bastrop, Texas with extraordinary generosity - not once, but twice,
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El Nuevo Mexico is run by six siblings who 'take pride' in 'welcoming everybody' through their doors.
One of the six, Elvia Jaimes, told FOX 13 News: "It's all walks of life that come into your restaurant, and you don't know if they're having a bad day or a good day."
This sentiment extends to their staff too, as when Denise Ruiz first walked into the restaurant in search of a job eight years ago, she had no prior serving experience, but was still offered a job on the spot at the restaurant.
And little did she know at the time she'd go on to strike up a friendship with a regular customer named Robert.
During a visit in June last year, Robert not only covered the tab for everyone in the diner, but he also left a whopping $10,000 tip.
The owners decided to post something on social media some months later to acknowledge their appreciation for Robert.
Jaimes said: "Now that the year has ended, we just felt very grateful. We thought, let's share it, an act of kindness, just to show that there are still good people out there."
The following day in the heat of June, Robert returned to see Ruiz working on shift.
"I was like, ‘Where's your mom?’ and he was like, ‘Denise she passed away,’" Ruiz said. "And I started crying because I would serve them [both] breakfast on Sunday morning after church."
The pair had quickly formed a bond, as Robert discovered that the server's son was going through cancer treatment.
Robert left another $10,000 tip that day, so Ruiz could take her son on a trip somewhere once he had fully recovered.
"It made me cry because you see that no longer [is it] just a restaurant or customers - they’re family," she said.
Ruiz decided to share the money with her co-workers but still has plans to take a trip with her son.
She added: "You realize that there is a God when you see actions like that, that are not selfish with no motive and that’s beautiful in this world that’s so chaotic right now."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.