Michelle Kaiser, owner of The Omaha Bakery told Newsweek that the staff receives tips that range between 20 and 30 percent of the overall order, but this was the largest tip they’ve received. Although she’s operated another location of The Omaha Bakery since 2009, the Bellevue location only just opened about five weeks ago.
“It means a lot,” Kaiser said. “We’re all struggling.”
She explained it has been difficult for her to hire people, and some people on her staff rely on tips to pay for rent, college and medical treatments when necessary. Nicholas, the tipper whose last name was not made public, told Fox 42 that he wanted to give people who are going through a difficult time a chance to get back on their feet. Kaiser noted he simply wanted to do something nice and did not do it for the recognition.
“I met Nicholas, and what he said was he got exceptional service and noticed there was a younger generation of people working hard,” Kaiser said. “He wanted to reward them and give them something that reminded them that they were seen.”
Kaiser said staff initially thought the tip was a mistake. She had just left for the day late that afternoon and received a text from one of her employees who informed her of the $2,000 tip.
Thinking he may have meant to leave $2 or, if they were lucky $20, Kaiser managed to track Nicholas down to make sure he meant to leave the large tip. He called the bakery and spoke with the manager, confirming he in fact wanted to leave $2,000 for the employees.
Preston Rath, the employee who rang up the order, told Newsweek that most customers add their tip and hit “done” on their tablet, but Nicholas turned it back around for Rath to see the tip amount. When he saw a $2,000 tip displayed on the screen, Rath said he was “stunned.” He asked Nicholas if he intended to leave that tip. Rath said Nicholas told him that if he didn’t hit “done” on the tablet, he would do it himself.
Since the tip, Rath said Nicholas has been a regular customer at the bakery.
That money was split up to go toward the hourly employees at the Bellevue bakery location, and each person received just under $200.
“All of us have been affected by the pandemic. I know with the tip being split up among all of us, we can pay for Christmas gifts or pay rent,” Rath said. “It’s a warm feeling that there are people out there like that.”
Small businesses have been particularly hit hard throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. CNBC reported that, according to an American Express survey, 78 percent of small businesses are relying on holiday sales to keep their doors open in 2022.
Just last year, the outlet reported, about 33 percent more businesses closed than in a normal year.
Kaiser said she and her management staff worked on getting two steps ahead of the pandemic. Before mask mandates went into effect, she said the staff was already wearing them. They constantly followed the hygiene guidelines and there was not an outbreak at the bakeries, so they did not need to close down at any point.
However, much of the bakery’s business centers around celebration cakes for weddings and graduations. When those events were canceled, The Omaha Bakery faced a major decline in sales.
Sales have since picked up, but both Kaiser and Rath said Nicholas sent an important message.
“Nicholas talked about how in these tough times, you don’t have to give a $2,000 tip, but being kind to someone can take someone’s day to the lowest of lows to a complete high,” Rath said.
