Southern California

Temecula Waitress Receives $200 Tip on Christmas Day

The mother-to-be received a big gift from customers who wanted her to have a "Merry Christmas."

A waitress at a Southern California TGI Fridays restaurant received a big gift during her Christmas Day shift — a $200 tip.

Breann Minton has been waiting tables at Temecula's TGI Fridays for eight years, and Christmas Day was no exception. 

With her worries piling up about how to pay the bills, the expectant mother worked the holiday. But, a couple's single act of kindness turned the table in her favor. 

When they were finished with their meal, the pair handed her their $50 bill with a $200 tip. The receipt also contained a special message: "Merry Christmas. Thank you!!" 

Minton said she was instantly brought to tears. 

"I was crying too hard to say 'excuse me, ma'am.' When she heard me, I finally turned around and she hugged me and I hugged her and she started crying," Minton said. 

With a second baby girl on the way, $200 goes a long way for Minton, her fiancé and her little girl. 

"It helped out tremendously," Minton's fiancé Garrett Heintschel told NBC4. 

The waitress said that in the short conversation she had with the couple, they told her their kids are all grown and they just wanted her to have a "Merry Christmas." 

"I hope they understand how truly appreciative we are," Minton said while choking back tears. 

Contact Us