Ellen DeGeneres Gives Waitress Sarah Hoidahl $10K Tip

Ellen DeGeneres offered 22-year-old waitress Sarah Hoidahl a $10,000 tip, after inviting her on her talk show to commend her generosity towards furloughed National Guard employees.

A single mother and waitress at a New Hampshire Ruby Tuesday, Hoidahl decided to cover the bill of two female National Guard employees who had been furloughed due to the government shutdown. After paying for their $27.50 tab, Hoidahl left a note for the government workers.

“Thanks to the government shutdown, the people like you that protect this country are not getting paid,” the note read. “However, I still am. Lunch is on me! Thanks for serving, ladies! Have a good day!”

The two National Guard employees later posted the note on Facebook, which somehow got back to DeGeneres and her staff. Once she had Hoidahl on her show, DeGeneres jokingly offered to repay her for the restaurant tab before giving Hoidahl her real gifts – a new 50” flatscreen to replace her broken TV and a $10,000 “tip.”

– Chelsea Regan

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