R6,000 tips — Let’s spread hope

Good Samaritans are spreading hope by leaving massive tips for restaurant staff as the hospitality industry works to recover from lockdown closures.

This past week, employees at Simply Asia in Durbanville, Western Cape, were stunned after a customer left a massive tip.

“One of our loyal customers left a R500 tip for each staff member on duty. A total of R6,000. We are grateful for the generous contribution made to the store and staff during these difficult times,” the company said.

It said the anonymous tipper had asked the waitress how many people were on duty during the Friday dinner rush and instructed that the bumper tip should be divided among them. 

To mark Mandela Day, which urges acts of selflessness, Xpertek Contact director Gavin Fletcher gifted DC Coffee Co in Fourways, Johannesburg, a tip of R6,700 after ordering two cups of coffee.

The company’s Chris Cochrane said they named their “pay it forward campaign” for local restaurants “Just keep moving forward”.

“We called it this because we feel that through these challenging times, if we keep persevering and spreading hope, we can get through anything.

“We focused on the restaurant industry as it has been severely hit since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we did not want to see our community restaurants shut down due to the crippling lockdown restrictions,” he said.

“The gift was to show we’re not alone, people care for us and believe in what we’re doing and, most importantly, help lessen the blow the lockdowns has had on a business like ourselves in the hospitality industry,” DC Coffee Co said about the gesture.

“The act of kindness was a massive gift to us but also a call to action for other businesses to do what they can to pay it forward towards other hospitality businesses struggling as a result of the lockdowns. This is make or break for so many, and our hearts hurt daily to see fellow businesses and friends taking the financial knocks that affect the livelihoods of so many.”

Cochrane said the campaign has to date raised more than R50,000 for local restaurants.

How the campaign works and how you and your business can get involved:

• You pick the restaurant.
• Donate what you can.
• Post a picture of your receipt on social media with the hashtag #payitforward.
• Tag another three (can be more or less) businesses to challenge.

Xpertek Contact said it had received tremendous support from Hammond Pole Attorneys, Skyfii and BBD.

“This effort verifies the power of community and how a little goes a long way,” Fletcher said.

“As a nation we continue to show resilience through the most difficult times. That resilience always starts with a glimmer of hope, and that is what the aim of this campaign is all about: hope.” 

TimesLIVE