'Tips for Jesus' donor leaves $11,000 to start off the New Year

PHOENIX (Christian Examiner) -- "Tips for Jesus" struck again in Phoenix just as the year was ending, leaving the biggest tip so far of $11,000 on two checks. The anonymous donor blessed one lucky bartender with the unexpected windfall, which he then shared with the waitstaff working at the restaurant.

The monetary blessing occurred at a restaurant called Crudo, where bartender Clint Spotelson was getting ready to close the bar.

"He comes strolling in," he told The Arizona Republic. "And he's really easy-going. He just had a few (glasses of) Pappy Van Winkle 23. Sat there with a friend and they just talked."

When the $331.40 bill came, the man left a tip of $1,000. But he didn't stop there.

"The first one he just filled out and left on the table," Spotleson said. "Then he was like, 'You know, I'll have another round,' Then the second one, he was like, 'Let's have fun with this one.' And he said to his friend, 'Put 10K on this one.' And she was like, 'OK.'"

Although Spotleson was shocked at the couple's generosity, he knew he couldn't keep the money all to himself. He gave some to the other bartender working that night, kitchen staff and a cocktail server. He plans to use the money to fix his car.

"Tips for Jesus" was also written on the receipt at a restaurant in San Francisco last week.

Staff at the Tacolicious Valencia Street diner said that a regular of the restaurant came in and left a $2,000 tip. The receipt was uploaded to the Tips for Jesus Instagram account, which has 86,000 followers.

"[The donor] comes in here all the time and he's amazing. Amazing to the staff," an employee told The San Francisco Gate.