Do you have a favorite restaurant? A place you go where they all know your name? One New York man had a spot he liked to go to for a good meal – and he left over $100,000 worth of tips in appreciation.
Robert Ellsworth, the world’s wealthiest Asian-art collector, recently passed away at the age of 85. He left behind a fortune estimated to be worth $200 million and an apartment filled with rare artifacts. Due to his expertise in Ming dynasty furniture, Ellsworth was known as “The King of Ming.”
He was also known as one of Donohue’s Steak House’s most dedicated customers. When he passed away, he left $50,000 each to his two favorite waitresses, even though he never knew their full names.
A Bite of New York History
Donohue’s Steak House has been a fixture on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for decades. Located on Lexington Avenue near East 64th, this steakhouse has been serving up great lunches and dinners for New Yorkers of all stripes including Bruce Springsteen, Matt Lauer, Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Tom Hanks.
Ellsworth ate about seven out of every eight meals at the steakhouse. He’d show up for lunch and order the $8.95 grilled cheese with bacon. Then he’d return later with friends for a sirloin steak dinner.
The Steak House staff knew “Bob” – as he preferred to be called – well and they thought highly of him. ABC News reports that he tipped 20% on every meal with additional staff-wide tips for Christmas.
Making a Difference
Maureen Donohue-Peters, 53, was one of two women to receive a gigantic tip after Ellsworth’s passing. As she told The New York Post, “I was shocked. I just couldn’t believe it. I didn’t expect anything.” Her 28-year-old niece, Maureen Barrie, also received $50,000.
While Ellsworth knew the first names of everyone at the restaurant, he apparently didn’t know their last names. His will specified the money be given to “Maureen at Donohue’s” and “Maureen-at-Donohue’s Niece Maureen.”
Full Stomachs, Full Hearts
While the money is certainly a great gesture and will make a positive dent into the lives of the two women, Ellsworth’s gift isn’t what makes him a hero.
Instead, all of the customers as well as the entire staff of Donohue’s Steak House are the real heroes in this story. Here’s a restaurant where the patrons feel so comfortable they consider the place home – even if they’re rich enough to eat at any restaurant on the planet.
Creating a sense of community with your neighbors, no matter how rich or poor they are, is what makes a real hero. While we’re happy for the financial windfall which befell the two women, we have to agree with Donohue-Peters when she said, “You know, I’d much rather have him here than the money.”
Here’s to you, Bob, and the wonderful community down at Donohue’s – thanks for helping make your corner of the world a better place.
