Florida Couple Rewarded Hardworking Restaurant Staff With a Night of Surprises

Most restaurant staff would consider Tuesday to be one of the more uneventful days of the week for business, but for a restaurant in Naples, Florida, it was one few working that night will likely forget.

For Carlos Perez — a 35-year-old waiter at the Italian restaurant Pazzo! who, according to WBBH-TV, had switched shifts to work for a coworker — it started with a couple ordering an expensive bottle of wine, the Naples Daily News reported. From there, the couple asked if he could, with a $20 bill in hand, ask the chef to make a dish that was not listed on the menu.

Carlos Perez received a $1,500 tip from a couple who recognized how hard working he was. But they recognized his coworkers as well. (Image source: WBBH-TV)

But the special requests weren't over.

From there, the couple asked what was the line cooks favorite beer. Perez told the Daily News he knew they preferred Modelo, but that wasn't served at the restaurant. So they picked the closest match: Corona.

“He said, ‘Put two cases on my bill for the kitchen staff and service,’” Perez told the newspaper. “We’re talking about 48 beers. That’s $240 in beers just for the staff.”

At last, the couple had a final question for Perez.

“He said, ‘This is the last and final question if you can get this right: What do you do for yourself?’ ” Perez told the Daily News.

Working two jobs, Perez said he doesn't have too much time for fun activities.

But the man countered, "What would you do if you had some money?"

That Perez could answer. His car, a 2004 Honda Civic, was in need of repair.

“He said, ‘Don’t worry about it, Carlos. You’re going to fix your car tomorrow. I’m going to get you a $1,500 tip,’” Perez said.

Perez told the newspaper that he tried to refuse, but they insisted.

“The woman looked at me. She grabbed my hand and said, ‘You deserve this; don’t think twice about it,’ ” Perez said.

The tip was 200 percent of the bill, according to WBBH.

Watch WBBH's report about the generous evening:

In the end, Perez accepted and said he felt this gesture "confirmed that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, and the way I’m doing it is obviously appreciated."

The Daily News reported that the couple had worked in the restaurant industry in the past and expressed their understanding through their generosity.