An Alberta restaurant is trying to track down a customer who left a supersized tip on a take-out order on Wednesday.
After picking up a $39 meal from Bings in Stony Plain, Alta., the customer left $222.83 –- a tip of more than 500 per cent.
Bings has been a mainstay in Stony Plain for almost 50 years. Locals flock to the restaurant for its Chinese food. It promotes itself as "Chop Suey on the Prairies."
The restaurant has been passed down through three generations to current owner William Choy.
"My grandfather started it in 1970, my father purchased it from him and I purchased it from my father," Choy told CTV Edmonton.
Because of his deep roots in the community, Choy, who is also the town's mayor, has reached out on Facebook to find the customer who left the hefty tip.
Choy says it is the right thing to do, because there's a good chance that the 500 per cent tip was an accident. He adds it is possible the customer made a mistake when using a debit/credit card reader.
"I'm guessing they entered their PIN number in the tip line, or maybe they didn't and wanted to leave a huge tip for the kitchen," Choy wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
"Either way, I need to confirm with them so I can refund the money or thank them," he added.
Choy has also reached out to his point-of-sale provider for help.
"(I) want to see if they can actually trace it back … I know they won't give me any of their personal information, but maybe they can contact their bank," he said.
Gift or gaff, Choy isn't sure. And for now, the story behind tip remains a mystery.
With a report from CTV Edmonton's David Ewasuk
