By Chris King • Published: 13 Dec 2021 • 21:27
Ryan Brandt, a 30-something waitress at the Arkansas establishment, the Oven and Tap in Bentonville, is at the centre of a massive storm. This comes after she received a tip from a customer of £3,300 ($4,400). The tipper had asked for the money to be shared specifically between Ryan and another waitress.
The incident occurred on December 2, when a local property company owner, and regular customer, Grant Wise, turned up at what is his wife’s favourite restaurant with around 40 guests, for a night out.
Mr Wise had apparently called in advance to inform the restaurant of his plan to tip just one or two members of staff, and that his tip was not to be shared among everybody else. His idea was that each of his guests contributed £75 ($100), and they would hand it to staff members hard hit by the pandemic.
At the end of the evening, his group chose Ryan, and another waitress who had been serving them. Shortly after the money had been presented to Ryan, (the other staff member had already gone home), the restaurant manager demanded she hand over the tip, for it to be shared among all the staff.
This had never been the case before with tips in her time working there, she commented. Speaking to Fox 59, Ryan told them, “I was told that I was going to be giving my cash over to my shift manager, and I would be taking home 20 per cent”.
Mr Wise recorded the moment they handed the large tip over in his mobile, and was heard saying in the footage, “I’m so sorry to interrupt everyone’s dinner, this will only take 60 seconds. We have a table full of absolutely amazing people from all over the country who have travelled here, and tonight we’re hosting a £75 ($100) Dinner Club”, as he faced a startled Ryan.
“Everyone at this table has contributed or tipped £75 for you and for the other waitress, who unfortunately had to go home because she’s not feeling well. And then we put it out to our social media channels, and then we actually had a bit more money sent in, so we are tipping a total of £3,300 for you to split with the other girl who took care of us”, adds Mr Wise.
A few days later, Mr Wise heard that the restaurant had sacked Ryan. They claimed she had violated their rules by informing Mr Wise about their tip policy. Upon hearing the news, Mr Wise returned to the restaurant to demand the return of his tip, which he intended to pass on to Ryan. The owner reportedly refused to speak to him.
Taking to social media, Mr Wise posted, “I’m so saddened to hear that the girl we tipped the other night at our £75 Dinner Club has been fired from her job. I don’t fully understand why this would happen to what seems like such a sweet and kind-hearted woman”.
He continued, “Nonetheless, I’m committed to showing her that there are great people in the world that will do good when they can”. He subsequently set up a GoFundMe page to try and raise money for the sacked waitress. This page has so far raised £6,580 ($8,698).
When asked by Fox 59, an Oven and Tap spokesperson told them, “After dining, this large group of guests requested that their gratuity be given to two particular servers. We fully honoured their request. Out of respect for our highly valued team members, we do not discuss the details surrounding the termination of an employee”, as reported by mirror.co.uk.
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Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com
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