Social media influencer shocks waiter with $472 tip in Venmo Challenge

ByMiguel Amaya Localish logo
Friday, October 2, 2020
Social media influencer shocks waiter with $472
Social media influencer shocks waiter with $472Krista Stucchio is using her social media platform to collect donations and surprise servers with huge tips

EDGEWATER, New Jersey -- Krista Stucchio, a New Jersey photographer and food blogger, is using her social media platform for a great cause.

Stucchio's Instagram page @hashtagfoodpic, created in 2013 to document what she was cooking in college, is now being used by Stucchio to collect donations and surprise servers with huge tips.

"My Venmo Challenge was something I discovered on TikTok. I decided to ask my followers to Venmo me whatever they could so that I could surprise a server with a big tip, never expecting it to be this successful," said Stucchio.

Stucchio's call for generosity has brought her social media followers together in a time of great need for employees in the restaurant and service industry.

Related: New Jersey teen transforms wooden pallets into yard signs to help families in need

"I feel like it is very personal to me, to be able to give back to servers because I know so many myself and I have been one myself, so I know it's much appreciated," said Stucchio.

Her first call for donations, a few weeks back, was announced on her Instagram stories.

In 8 hours, she collected $153 in donations, which was added to the tip her group was already giving the server.

The latest surprise took place at The Yacht Club in Edgewater, New Jersey, where Stucchio surprised her server Raquel Rodriguez with a tip of $472.

"Tips is what puts money in our pockets so that truly means a lot. I make that amount in three days, it takes a while, so it means a lot," said Rodriguez.

Related: Long Island non-profit provides El Salvador youth soccer league with donations to keep them scoring

Stucchio hopes that by publicizing her Venmo challenge she can inspire others to join the movement and help out the service industry as much as they can.

"A lot of the times they don't get treated right or don't get tipped well, so being able to over tip is a great feeling," Stucchio said.

----------

Contact Community Journalist Miguel Amaya

Submit a tip to Miguel

Follow Miguel on Facebook

Follow @Miguelabc7NY on Twitter

Follow @Miguelabc7NY on Instagram