Waiting tables can sometimes be a thankless slog, especially if diners choose to go light on the tip. But a waiter at a Houston restaurant is reaping the rewards of years of good service after a pair of loyal customers left him with a $5,000 tip for a bill that had only totaled $26.95.

But this wasn’t someone making a decimal error — or even some well-heeled NFL star showing his gratitude.

Instead, the couple — regular eaters at the restaurant who wish to remain anonymous — had heard that the waiter had been left car-less by recent thunderstorms. So they decided to help him out with the huge cash tip.

On Saturday, the couple were eating at the restaurant when they called the waiter over, handed him the wad of bills and told him, “Go by yourself a car.”

No word on whether or not the waiter shared the tip with the rest of that night’s servers.

Houston waiter gets $5,000 tip at D’Amico’s in Rice Village [29-95.com]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.