HONESDALE, Pa. — Stan's Café along Beach Lake Highway in Honesdale is known for its breakfast and lunch. That's what brought one group in over the weekend, along with a holiday surprise for their waitresses.
"That was done, and they gave us a card, and she said, 'Just open it right up.' So, Laura opened it, counted it all, and our jaws just dropped," said waitress Trinity Jachens.
Inside that card was $975, something owner Michelle Rembish says has never happened in her seven years of business.
"I was here to witness it, and they almost fell on the floor, they were so shocked. The looks on their faces. It was amazing and so beautiful to see. And they weren't asked to share it," said Rembish.
But the waitresses did share it anyway, splitting up the money between everyone who was working that day.
"It's too much money for one person!" said Jachens.
The party of 11 sat back in the corner of the café, and their bill was only about $120.
"They were business owners and all locals that chose to gift my staff, so I was so happy and so thankful that they decided to come here. They could have gone anywhere," said Rembish.
"Especially after the pandemic, everybody still seems not quite back on their feet, so it was unbelievable that somebody would be willing to give us that kind of money," said Jachens.
Even days later, this act of kindness is still the talk of the restaurant.
"It's amazing, you hear about that in the big news stories, but it is great that it happened. Wherever it happens, it's great," said Michael Kearsing of Hawley.
Staff say it was a great surprise just before Christmas.
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