‘2020 Donnie Challenge:’ Waitress receives $5,000 tip on a slow night

Eric Boch Jr. leaves $5,000 for waitress, challenging Donnie Wahlberg. (Facebook/Jennifer Navaria)

Inspired by stories of actor Donnie Wahlberg leaving big tips for servers, a wealthy local businessman left a very generous tip on a recent restaurant tab.

Server Jennifer Navaria posted on Facebook that she received a $5,000 tip Saturday at the Seaglass Restaurant in Salisbury from car dealership owner Ernie Boch Jr.

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She initially thought it was a $50 tip.

"I was, like, 'Oh, wait a minute,' so then I looked down again and I saw it was four digits, then a decimal point," Navaria said. "I said, 'You made my night,' but, really, he made my month."

According to his spokesperson, Boch was dining with a friend and noticed the restaurant did not have many customers.

Navaria's photo of the credit card receipt shows that Boch's meal cost $157.56. It also shows that Boch wrote a message to Wahlberg at the top of the ticket.

"Donnie, your move," Boch wrote.

Thank you Ernie Boch for your amazing generosity! You certainly made a job I really enjoy that much better 🤗 Let’s see...

Posted by Jennifer Navaria on Monday, February 3, 2020

Wahlberg recently left a $2,020 tip for a server at an IHOP restaurant, a number referencing the new year.

"The waiters and waitresses, they're such fine people. It really hit me and she was just so outstanding, I said, 'This is it! This is the 2020 Donnie challenge,'" Boch said.

"Who's making the next move? Who's it going to be? Who's going to help us out? It's got to be more than me -- I was more than Donnie -- (so) it's got to be more than me. Let's keep it going!"

"Thank you Ernie Boch for your amazing generosity!" Navaria wrote. "You certainly made a job I really enjoy that much better."

Navaria asked her Facebook friends to help share the photo of the receipt with Wahlberg.

“I hear about this happening to other people and I knew about that challenge, but who would have ever thought it would happen to you?” Navaria said.