On Sunday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered all restaurants and bars in the state to close at 9pm that night with only carry out or take out options available. This left a lot of Ohio food service workers in a panic as they still have bills to pay yet their livelihood was a temporarily casualty to the coronavirus pandemic. Right before Coaches Bar and Grill closed, a patron left a very generous tip for the staff.
At the time of writing, Ohio is one of ten states that have ordered restaurants and bars closed, or to offer takeout or delivery only. The other states enforcing closures are New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, California, Washington, Michigan, and, most recently, Maryland.
Ohio Patron Leaves $2500 Tip Amid Coronavirus Closures
DeWine previously cancelled mass gatherings of 100 people or more but left restaurants and bars open. Over the weekend, people fled to these establishments creating mass concern with the Ohio Department of Health that this was allowing coronavirus to spread faster and would cause the hospitals to be overburdened.
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We will be issuing an order closing all bars and restaurants in #Ohio beginning at 9:00 tonight.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 15, 2020
While many people understood the importance of this decision, it still has left workers scrambling. So, a $2,500 last minute tip on a $30 bill from a patron certainly provided much needed relief to five staff at Coaches Bar and Grill. The patron hopes this generous tip will help with staff livelihood as coronavirus spreads and the nation locks down.
When the going gets tough, the tough stay loyal. This loyal, amazing patron of Coaches on Bethel left the staff a $2500 tip to help lighten the losses during this required closing of Restaurants & Bars in Ohio. @OnCoaches @nbc4i @GovMikeDeWine @wsyx6 @DinoTrip @10TVBot pic.twitter.com/scTpMJo0N1
— Coaches on Bethel (@OnCoaches) March 16, 2020
From 10TV.com:
“(There were) tears, tears of joy,” said owner Benny Leonard. “An unbelievable act of kindness on a pretty weird day.”
The tip totaled $2,500. And the customer wrote that it should be split among the staff members, naming them on the note.
“We’ve got unprecedented times going on, we’ve got people fighting over toilet paper and so on and so forth, and to have a guy show up and care enough about people that give him a beer and a hamburger once in a while, that means a lot,” Leonard said. “It’s humanity at its best.”
Columbus Bar and Grill will remain open to provide carryout and deliveries, but the wait staff will be greatly impacted by the executive order to shutter sit down restaurants and bars.
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Community Unity During Coronavirus Epidemic
As the country bans together, but separately, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, many hope that we will see more helpers like the man who left this generous tip. These five staff members each got $500 when they were at a very low point and uncertain about how they would make money during this public health crisis.
It will be stories of encouragement and unity that we need to seek out in these coming days.
Help your neighbors if you are able. Check on the elderly to make sure they have what they need so they don’t have to venture out.
We can do this. We must do this!