Generous diner leaves £1,000 tip on £79 dinner

Published 12th Jan 2017

By Tara McLaughlin

How much do you enjoy your Saturday night vindaloos? Enough to leave a £1,000 tip? That's exactly what a County Armagh restaurant got from a happy customer last week.

The Indian Tree in Portadown got more than they billed for on Tuesday evening with their £79 bill from a regular customer.

The patron, who didn’t want to be named, discreetly told the chef Shabbir Satter, nicknamed Babu, he wanted to thank him for the wonderful food but “didn’t want him to make a scene.”

Owner Luna Ekush said he's known to the restaurant.

“He’s been a very loyal customer for a long time, him and many other customers in the area are very loyal to Babu and they go everywhere Babu goes.”

And it seems the busy chef has a fan club.

“He’s originally a local Portadown guy but for his business and family he moved abroad and he comes to visit here every few months. Whenever he does he calls Babu from the airport to find out where he is and then he comes to have his meal here first. He’s a very good customer indeed,” she added.

Mrs Ekush said the staff will all benefit from the donation.

“Babu’s the brand here, he’s gifted it to all of us at the restaurant so we will share it out among our 6 staff in total," she added.

The mystery man sent the restaurant an email asking them to accept his donation: