$4,000 worth of tips were given out Saturday morning by a group called Breakast Santas. A bunch of friends who came together last year to help people during the memorial day tornado outbreak.
The large lumps sum wasn’t by accident. The focus this year were restaurants affected by the pandemic.
“This year is very different for all of us and we know that it’s very different for these workers. The service workers that are now facing schedule changes and shifts that don’t have people in them” said Brian Sharp of Breakfast Santas.
The groups first stop was Legacy Restaurant Pancake House. Legacy didn’t just take a hit because of the pandemic. Road construction earlier this year impacted the amount of people coming in too.
“One day it’ll pick up between 11:00 and 1:00 and some days it won’t. So, we go day to day.” said Millie Morris, waitress and cashier at Lagacy.
“We definitely appreciate it. Our families definitely appreciate it. We need all the help we can get right now.” said Crystal Frantz another waitress at Legacy.
Legacy was just one stop on their day of giving. NewsCenter7′s Ronnell Hunt met up with the group later in the day for their second surprise.
416 Diner in the Oregon District was next.
For 416 Diner, another couple from Breakfast Santas surprised their waiter Christopher May.
416 Diner is May’s first job, as he finishes up his senior year of high school. He told NewsCenter7 the additional money would help take the strain off of his parents.
“Looking for the money for college is always kind of on my mind. So it’s definitely going to help.” said May.
Breakfast Santas volunteers told me it warms their hearts to be able to give.
“It means more to us than we ever could do for a waitress or hostess or anything like that. So it’s really important that we share” said Jack Giambrone, Breakfast Santas volunteer.
By sharing the spirit of giving, the group hopes others continue that same spirit into the holidays and into 2021.
“I’m going to try my best to pass along that generosity the best way I can and I think everybody should to.” said May
Cox Media Group