Restaurant sued customer over huge $3,000 tip he left on $13 meal

A Pennsylvania restaurant launched a civil lawsuit against one of its customers after he withdrew a $3,000 tip he left for one of its waitresses, unfortunately souring and undoing an incredible act of generosity.

Everyone at Alfredo’s Cafe in Scranton was left in shock in June 2022 when customer Eric Smith ordered a stromboli and left a massive tip.

While tipping culture in the US is known for being a generous affair, the $3,000 (around £2,300) he left was considerably above the average one might pay on a $13.25 meal.

His server that night, Mariana Lambert, couldn’t believe Smith’s generosity at the time and became emotional.

"It really meant a lot to me because everyone's going through stuff,” Lambert said during an interview with US news station WNEP-TV. “It really touched my heart. I still can't believe it. I'm still in shock."

"We ran his card, everything went through properly and you know, they took his ID, and took pictures of everything... they waited a little bit to make sure it was legit, and went through and then ended up being real," Lambert recounted in the interview, which took place two years ago.

Alfredo’s Cafe in Scranton (ABC)

To ensure there hadn’t been a mistake, Matt Martini of Alfredo’s Cafe got in touch with Smith to confirm the figure and collect further ID from him.

Smith had left a comment saying ‘Tips for Jesus’ on the receipt.

Reported in the news as early as 2014, 'Tips for Jesus' became a trend which saw rich diners leaving massive, life-changing tips for bar and restaurant staff.

Smith then explained to Martini that his tip, and comment, had been inspired by the ‘Tips for Jesus’ social media trend, and Lambert’s hospitality had inspired him to get involved.

However, despite Martini’s due diligence, three weeks later Alfredo’s Cafe was shocked to receive a letter from Smith that disputed the charge.

The customer left a huge tip (ABC)

Zachary Jacobson, another staff member at Alfredo’s at the time, said: "We thought somebody was actually trying to do a good thing. And then now we are, what, three months later? Not even, and there's nothing. There's nothing to show for it at this point."

As Lambert had already received the $3,000 tip, Alfredo’s Cafe had to repay Smith itself, leaving the restaurant out of pocket.

Having tried to discuss the matter with Smith over Facebook, they eventually decided to file a civil lawsuit against him.

Jacobson said of the matter: "Unfortunately, we had to file charges through the magistrate's office because now we're just out of this money at this point. And he told us to sue him. So that's what we're going to end up doing, I guess."

Scranton residents rallied around Alfredo’s Cafe with a GoFundMe page to provide support, but the restaurant declined the offered cash and so the fundraiser was closed.

As of March 2025, there don’t appear to be any updates on Alfredo’s Cafe’s alleged lawsuit against Eric Smith.

Alfredo's has been contacted for comment.