The owner of a restaurant west of Edmonton is trying to track down a customer at the centre of a mystery – who paid for his tab, and left a massive tip.
Bing’s No. 1 Restaurant in Stony Plain is a true family business; it’s been around for five decades.
“Family owned, my grandfather started it in 1970, my father purchased it from him, and I purchased it from my father,” Owner William Choy said.
William Choy, who is also mayor, says about 95 percent of his patrons are locals, people he recognizes – which makes transaction earlier in the week a mystery.
Choy said the customer spent less than $40, and left a 500 percent tip.
“They left a tip for $223.83,” Choy said.
A photo of the transaction receipt was posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page, in an attempt to find out if it was on purpose, or a mistake.
Meanwhile, the mystery was the main topic with Bing’s regulars Friday. Dwight Lutz said he remembers the incident, but couldn’t see the customer.
“I was facing the wrong way, so I remember there was something going on there,” Lutz said.
Another customer told CTV News he remembered seeing the customer come in, and said he noticed the man had problems with the debit machine.
Yet another customer is considering the big-hearted route, Eveline Kaybidge said it might be the latest in a string of generous tips.
“Maybe it’s a pay it forward kind of thing,” Kaybidge said. “People do that these days, people just give a big tip and they run off and they don’t say who they were.”
Choy said he thinks there’s a good chance the customer entered his PIN number instead of a tip by accident – in addition to taking the story to social media, he’s also reached out to his transaction machine provider.
“To see if they can trace it back, I know they won’t give me any of their personal information, but maybe they can contact their bank,” Choy said.
With files from David Ewasuk
