JACKSON, Wyo. — It was better than Shake-a-Day for one server at The Bird this week who received a $5,000 tip on a $52 meal.

Buckrail: What’s a really good tip on 52 bucks?
Rob: I don’t know, $25.
Buckrail: What’s a really, really, ridiculous tip on $52?
Rob: 52 dollars.
Buckrail: What’s $5,000 on a 52-dollar bill?
Rob: Monday night.

Rob Pitts said he would have remembered the guy anyway, even if he didn’t leave him a 9,730% tip last Monday.

“He was a really engaging guy. Awesome right off the bat. First thing, he asked my name and introduced himself and the lady with him,” Pitts said. “He referred to me by name the rest of the meal. Just a genuine guy who treated me well.”

Pitts said he did not want to speculate who the man was, though clues from the ticket would indicate millionaire Jack Selby, a part-time Jackson Hole resident and former PayPal exec. Pitts said the man was dressed well in a Shooting Star polo and chewing on a golf tee.

The ticket included a #TipsforJesus hashtag. The same has been linked to one Selby is known to use, though not exclusively, at several restaurants around the country as far back as 2013. The tips are almost always an even five grand.

Other comments made by the anonymous big tipper included circling the server’s name and writing “The Best” next to it. “Bird is the Word” and “#Frontline @Teddy, @Will”—the restaurant’s owners—was also penned on the ticket.

“I don’t think his coming to The Bird [to do this] was a mistake,” Pitts said. “I think he knows The Bird. I think he knows it is a real place where longtime locals live and work and gather.”

The frontline workers reference was especially poignant to Pitts, whose wife, Maddie, works as a nurse.

Bird is the Word

Like shake-a-day, there is a protocol for handling a $5k windfall at The Bird. Servers pool their tips. Always. Period.

“We split it evenly,” Pitts said. “Not even a conversation. Serving at The Bird is a team sport.”

Pitts is quick to explain the culture at The Bird and how important it is to everyone that cooks, pours and serves there.

“Will, Teddy, Quirk, Jane—they’ve all done a good job of cultivating this inviting atmosphere that keeps regulars coming back,” he said. “We are really good at mirroring our guests’ emotions, or changing their attitude if they have a negative one. It’s a great atmosphere where I think people really connect with the servers.”

As Pitts walked the checkbook back to the servers’ station and opened it, he looked at the ticket.

“Huh, this is weird,” is what he remembers saying. It was probably more descriptive than that. Pitts showed it to the bartender and then let a senior server handle running the card.

When asked whether he is familiar with the #TipsforJesus hashtag, Pitts said, “I am now.”

An unforgettable night on the job? Probably, but not necessarily for the unexpected tip. For Pitts, serving at The Bird is about making a connection with the customer.

“That guy was just so engaging. He showed a genuine interest,” Pitts said. “You work harder for someone like that.”