Did a powerball winner pick up the tab for an entire restaurant full of people, including a generous tip for all the servers? That’s the fun rumor being floated this week about 84-year-old Gloria MacKenzie, the Zephyrhills, Florida woman who recently won a cool $590 million in the Powerball jackpot.
The 84-year-old Florida powerball winner opted not to wait for the entire $590 million payout, which would have been paid as an annuity over 30 years. Instead, she asked for the smaller lump sum payment of $370 million.
It should still be enough to pay for a golden retirement.
And yes, when she picked up her check, she made a statement thanking the stranger who let her cut in line to purchase the winning Quick Pick ticket.
Florida resident Mindy Crandell soon came forward to confess that she was the woman who let MacKenzie cut ahead of her. She claimed to have no regrets.
The newest rumor may or may not be true. Patrons of a restaurant called BuddyFreddy’s in Plant City are reporting that a mystery woman picked up the $2,600 tab for the almost 200 people eating in there around 4 PM on Sunday afternoon.
According to the restaurant manager Stephanie Reaves, the powerball winner lookalike picked up more than the tab. She also tipped each of five servers $50 apiece.
Reaves told The Tampa Bay Times that everyone stood and cheered.
And everyone was convinced that the generous older woman must be the lottery winner.
However, according to Reaves, the mystery woman denied it. Apparently she didn’t offer a reason for her spontaneous gesture.
Hmm.
We’ll never know, but it’s fun to speculate. Will the mystery lady ever pick up another check for an entire restaurant?
And was it the powerball lottery winner who picked up the tab?
[money on fire photo by jokerpro via Shutterstock ]