Waitress still waiting on $4,000 tip as restaurant says it’s working to verify the amount

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new twist to the story of a Memphis waitress who said a customer tipped her more than $4,000 in February.

WHBQ-TV received an email sent by the owner of a Denny’s that claims the big tip was a mistake.

The email that owner Han Kim confirmed he wrote said the customer didn’t mean to tip the waitress that amount of money.

He said Denny's decided to cancel the purchase to protect the customer.

When WHBQ-TV spoke to Denny’s corporate office Monday, they said they are trying to find the guest and verify the tip amount.

“I’m just hurt that they would tell me something like this as a business and as being the owner to tell me that this is the only resolution is to look at if I’m wrong to ask for something I know I deserve,” waitress Shikira Edwards said Friday.

She said the restaurant never gave her the $4,000 tip a customer left last month.

Edwards said her manager told her she has to track down the customer herself to make sure it wasn’t an accident.

“And then you’re going to tell me that it’s my fault that I didn’t get the information on a customer when they left and tipped me. I don’t know who tipped me,” she said.

WHBQ-TV also got the text of an email from Han Kim, owner of the Winchester Road Denny’s.

He confirmed through text Monday that he sent the email to share his side of the story.

According to the email, the owner believes the customer made a mistake by entering a huge tip with their debit card.

Kim said the store manager wanted to protect the guest, so they contacted Denny’s headquarters and decided to cancel the transaction.

Kim said they also planned to contact the guest.

When WHBQ-TV asked Kim for a comment Monday he referred us to corporate.

“Unless and until they can verify that the customer didn’t really intend that tip then that money belongs to the employee,” he said.

University of Memphis law professor Steve Mulroy said the waitress can sue the company if she doesn’t get her money.

“The employer can't arbitrarily sort of change the rule about how you share the tips or who gets the tips because it’s a big check,” he said.

Edwards said she is considering legal action.

A Denny’s spokesperson said they are still trying to find the customer and verify the tip amount.

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