Stranger Tells Server 'Peace Be With You,' Leaves $1,000 Tip

Server Brendan Motill spent 10 minutes talking to the customer—if even that. They chit-chatted about life, the man’s recent move to the area, even taxes. Business that day was slow for the newbie at Smokey Barque, 20 Kansas St. in downtown Frankfort.

Motill delivered the order and later dropped off his check, at a total of $20.31. The man—whose name Motill did not know—handed over his credit card for payment and joked, “I hope it goes through!”

Then Motill saw it—a $1,000 tip.

“He left me the tip, and by the time I got it, he was gone,” he said. “Very humble. Left before I could even thank him.

“I was speechless.”

Along with the hefty tip, the customer left a note:

Brendan,

Thanks for your kind service! You’re doing a great job as a server. I don’t know what your hopes and dreams are in this life, but I hope this tip helps.

My hope is that people were more peaceful to each other. The world can be so negative, I commit random acts of kindness to let others know there can be another way.

Peace be with you brother!

Motill called to another server to check if he could believe what he was seeing.

“It was really emotional,” he said. “I had to take a second and calm down.”

The Tinley Park resident and graduate of Tinley Park High School plans to use the money for college and his pursuit of a career in accounting.

“...it really is going to help me with my dreams,” he said.