Struggling Waiter Doesn’t Know How He Will Pay for College - Then a Famous Customer’s Tip Leaves Him Speechless

Anyone who has ever worked in the service industry knows that you live and die by your tips. This is why it's so important for customers to reward good service.

While it's customary to tip up to 20% of the bill, one restaurant-goer decided to show his appreciation to his server with a chart-topping 650% tip — to the tune of a staggering $5,000.

One “Exceptionally Lucky” Shift for a Nebraska Waiter

Singer-songwriter Jason Derulo is known for his smash hits and dynamic performances, but recently he's made headlines for an incredibly generous act of kindness.

During a recent trip to Omaha, Nebraska, Derulo and his family dined at Charleston’s Restaurant, known for being "casual" and "upbeat."

The party of 18, accompanied by security, racked up a bill of $795.99. Generally, this would warrant about a $160 tip. However, Derulo, impressed by the "really awesome" service tipped the unsuspecting waiter nearly 30 times that amount.

The waiter, Jordan Schaffer, was floored. Overwhelmed by the unexpected generosity, he took to social media to share the news.

In a TikTok video that has gone viral with over 300K views and 48K likes, Jordan thanks the musician and reveals that his generous act of kindness just paid for his semester of college.

Jason Derulo’s $5,000 Tip Goes Viral on TikTok

The clip opens with a shot of Derulo, presumably signing off on the bill, and a voiceover saying: "Jason Derulo tipped me $5,000 at Charlestons Restaurant in Omaha."

The camera pans to Jordan as he tells Derulo, "Wow, my heart's beating really fast." Derulo responds, "You guys are really awesome, man."

It then cuts to Jordan, giving a heartfelt shout-out to the pop star.

"Hey Jason, thank you. You just paid for a semester at my college."

Jordan Schaffer

He continues, "I can't say thank you enough so, you know, I hope your family has a wonderful time in Omaha and I hope you see us again."

It ends with a close-up shot of the receipt and Jordan just shaking his head in disbelief.

Derulo showed up in the comments to respond, writing: “You seem like a great person. Thank you for taking such great care of our fam. Keep spreading the love bro.”

He also re-shared Jordan's TikTok to his own social media accounts, captioning it: "Blessed to be a blessing."

Jason Derulo’s Tip Couldn’t Have Come at a Better Time

Jordan ended up splitting the tip with his coworker, but he made certain to put his half to good use.

According to an interview with Fox & Friends, Jordan had just been hit with a $50 late fee for his college tuition a week earlier. He was scrambling to come up with the money and didn't know how he was going to swing it. And then in walked Jason Derulo. Thanks to Derulo's tip, Jordan was able to pay off the entire semester.

Not only did Jordan take home thousands of dollars that day, but he also came away from the experience with a valuable lesson. "I just learned that it doesn't matter who you're serving… if you give them the right kind of service, it might end up touching them in a way that you weren't expecting," he said.

And, to top it all off, he has a "crazy story" that he plans on telling for the rest of his life.