A generous tip left at Alfredo’s Pizza Cafe in Pennsylvania turned into a contentious issue. A customer, Eric Smith, visited the Scranton location, famously referenced in the TV show “The Office,” for lunch in 2022. Smith ordered a stromboli, which came to a bill of $13. To the astonishment of everyone, he left a $3,000 tip for server Mariana Lambert.
Smith’s act was inspired by the “Tips For Jesus” social media trend, which began in 2013, encouraging people to give large tips in the name of God. This trend gained notoriety when someone began documenting generous tips over $1,000 on social media to encourage others.
Initially, the staff at Alfredo’s thought there might have been a mistake with such a large tip. They confirmed with Smith that it was intentional. The gesture was especially meaningful as the restaurant industry was still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 closures. Lambert expressed her gratitude, saying to WNEP 16 News, “It really meant a lot to me because everyone’s going through stuff… It really touched my heart. I still can’t believe it. I’m still in shock.”
However, the joy was short-lived. About three months later, the restaurant received a notice disputing the charge for the tip. Manager Zachary Jacobson informed WNEP that Alfredo’s had already paid out the tip to Lambert, leaving them without the funds to refund it. They attempted to contact Smith via Facebook to resolve the issue, but he ceased responding.
“We thought somebody was actually trying to do a good thing,” Jacobson lamented. With no other recourse, the restaurant decided to take legal action to validate the $3,000 tip. They initially went through the magistrate’s office but were advised to sue, which they did. At the time of the report, there was no further update on the lawsuit.
Jacobson believed they had sufficient evidence to win the case but was disheartened by the ordeal, which had turned a potentially positive event into a negative experience.