Customers give waiter $5,000 to buy a car

Greg Rubar, a waiter at D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe in Rice Village, says he's still rattled by the incident. Greg Rubar, a waiter at D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe in Rice Village, says he's still rattled by the incident. Photo: Michael Paulsen Photo: Michael Paulsen Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Customers give waiter $5,000 to buy a car 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Greg Rubar still can't believe his good fortune. But there it is, staring at him plain as day: 50 crisp $100 bills.

The tidy wad of cash was given to Rubar on Saturday as he began his shift at D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe in Rice Village, where he's been a waiter for 16 years. It was a gift from a couple Rubar has waited on for about eight years.

"He said, 'I'm not going to be giving you a tip for awhile. Take this money. Go buy yourself a car,' " Rubar said Tuesday, recalling the $5,000 his customer pressed on him.

Why a car? The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, knew that Rubar had been without transportation for weeks since his car was flooded in standing water off a freeway exit after a thunderstorm several weeks ago. Since then Rubar and his companion, Terri Elsik, who also works at the restaurant, have had to take taxis and rely on the kindness of owners Nash D'Amico and Brina D'Amico Donaldson who have loaned them a catering truck when not in use.

"Nobody ever gives me anything," said Rubar, adding that he hesitated taking the money. "They just wanted to help me out. They're nice people."

Very nice, said D'Amico: "What this tells me is that there are people out there willing to help people."

D'Amico said he got to the restaurant about 30 minutes after the couple had already left (he knows them but wouldn't name them because "they're both real humble and they wouldn't want to come forward"). He said Rubar tried to give the money back, but "they wouldn't hear of it."

The gift - technically not a tip since it was not attached to a bill - underscores the relationship his servers have with his customers, D'Amico said. "We have customers who care about us and have a relationship beyond 'May I take your order please?' "

Rubar said he's still rattled by the incident. "The next time I see them I want to offer to pay it back. To me, it would be more of a gift if it was a loan," he said.

But if the do-gooders refuse, he said he's going to put all the money to the purpose they intended.

"I'm going to get the best car I can get for the money."

greg.morago@chron.com