He Ordered One Beer, Left Massive Tip

A man wandered into Cleveland's Nighttown jazz club over the weekend and ordered just one beer—a purchase that WKYC notes would usually warrant a buck or two for a tip. This customer left a whole lot more, though: $3,000, and it was no drunken mistake. In a Facebook post, owner Brendan Ring says the man came in right before they closed on Sunday, ordered a $6.50 Stella, then asked for the check, which came to $7.02 with tax. He then handed Ring the receipt, told him to split the tip among the four working waitstaff workers, and left. When Ring glanced at the receipt, he saw the man had left three too many zeros on the tip amount, or perhaps forgotten a decimal—or so he thought.

Ring ran after the man, who assured him there was no error and that $3,000 was what he wanted to give. News 5 Cleveland adds context, noting that, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, Ring decided to voluntarily shut down Nighttown until the spring, with Sunday as its last night open. The customer apparently wanted to show his appreciation and support for the venue. "[He said] 'we will see you when you reopen!'" Ring writes. "Unbelievable but symbolic of the kind of quality folks we have [known] at Nighttown all these years." He adds he would've put up the generous benefactor's name, but "I think he wouldn't want that." (More uplifting news stories.)