Waitress strikes it big with random $1,300 tip

YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — A big tip is making a big difference. A Pennsylvania waitress was the lucky recipient of a $1,300 tip with the money coming at just the right time.

In just four days, the video had been shared almost 2.5 million times on both TikTok and Facebook; a genuine gift with a genuine response with a deeper meaning is worth more than money can count.

“This is $1,300. No, I can’t take it. I can’t take it,” said Ashley Barrett in a video taken of when Jamie Carmen gave her a huge tip.

A scene of generosity felt around the world.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was so much money. I just felt wrong taking it,” Barrett told our sister station WHP at the Stonybrook Family Restaurant in York.

Her natural emotional reaction has touched so many lives.

“It was random, and now that it's over, I'm glad it ended up being her,” Carmen said.

Before Saturday, Barrett and Carmen never laid eyes on one another. Now, the pair are connected forever. A random $1,300 tip to the Stonybrook Family Restaurant server is making the world feel all the feels.

“I hope that everyone can feel the way I felt when I received that generous gift,” said Barrett.

It was a genuine happiness that she expressed when I gave her the money, and to me, that means everything,” said Carmen.

Inspired by the fun of giving, Carmen gathered money from a group of friends to donate to a server. Barrett was at the right place — at the right time.

“I’m not rich by any means. It takes a village,” Carmen said.

“It's nice. It feels so good. Yes, peace of mind,” Barrett said who is a soon-to-be mom-of-two. With a baby due in June, a 2-and-half-year-old in tow and wrist surgery on the way, the timing is impeccable.

“It's a big relief, knowing that everything will be OK,” said Barrett.

With so much interest, Carmen wants to keep the generosity train moving forward. He is already planning a surprise for a working single mother Saturday.