'You Earned It': Server At Norwalk Restaurant Receives $1,000 Tip

NORWALK, CT — When Michelle Rodrigues, a 24-year-old server, began her lunch shift Tuesday at RHK Seafood Boil and Bar in Norwalk, she had no idea she would leave the restaurant that day $1,000 richer.

Yet as she cashed out a $503 lunch check for a table of four adults and six kids that afternoon, Rodrigues said she was stunned by what she found: a very generous $1,000 tip.

"I was shocked. ... I was like, 'I can't believe it,'" Rodrigues said.

Certain there had to be a mistake, Rodrigues chased after the customers to inform them of the likely misplaced zero on their bill. Surprisingly, the man who paid the check told her RHK was the best restaurant he had been to in years and Rodrigues had earned the substantial tip.

"They were so nice," Rodrigues said. "They were amazing."

A junior in college studying biomedical science online at Brazil's Universidade Veiga de Almeida, Rodrigues plans to use the generous tip to pay for at least four months of her tuition.

According to a spokesperson for the restaurant, the family ordered entrees such as lobster rolls, burgers, chicken nuggets and seafood boils with crab legs and shrimp, as well as calamari, mozzarella sticks, french fries and other starters and sides.

Out of respect for the customer's privacy, the restaurant only noted that the man who paid the bill was in town from Los Angeles visiting family.

Though born in New York, Rodrigues moved to Brazil with her family when she was 4 years old. Due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, she moved to Norwalk eight months ago to look for work and continue her studies online.

Rodrigues has worked for about two months at RHK, a new addition to the South Norwalk dining scene that opened on North Water Street this summer. It is also her first job as a server.

"I like it so much," Rodrigues said. "I think the environment [at RHK] makes me feel so comfortable, so that I can do my best job ... they're like a family to me. They are so good, and that makes me want to go there even more."

She also feels equally comfortable around the restaurant's customers and enjoys interacting with them.

"The customers that go there, they're amazing," Rodrigues said. "I've never had a bad customer."

Owner Ockhyeon Byeon noted the restaurant strives to offer customers both a quality menu and a wonderful experience.

"One of the tenets of RHK is giving our guests great food and great service," Byeon said in a statement. "As Michelle said, I guess they really did like the food and service."

While she is certainly grateful for the generous tip, Rodrigues said the experience has mostly given her hope at a time when things have not always been easy due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

"It's been all bad news for such a long time," Rodrigues said. "This gives me hope that there's still kind people in the world and we're still going to turn this around again."