Couple leaves waitress large tip, offers to pay off student loans

WAIKIKI, HI - A young waitress says she still can't believe it, after receiving the tip of a lifetime from a generous couple.  

Cayla Chandara says she's heard of other stories like this, but never thought it would happen to her. When it did, it left her speechless.

Cayla has been pulling double duty as a waitress at the cheesecake factory and Noi Thai Cuisine in Waikiki.

 She was waiting on a couple of visitors from Australia at Noi Thai, and says they hit it off. The three of them ended up chatting with them quite a bit.

"They asked me where I was from and I told them I moved here for school but I was kinda in a little bit of debt and I couldn't go back to school because I couldn't afford it and the cost of living here," Cayla explained.  

After a good meal and even better conversation, the man and woman paid their $200 tab and left.

Cayla was shocked to see they left a tip for four hundred dollars.

"I just thought it was so generous of them, I never get tipped that big. I had to say thank you. During dinner they told me where they were staying so I ran there after work to see if they'd still be there," Cayla said.

Cayla was able to send a thank you note, desserts and flowers to the visitors at their hotel, but the next day they gave her even more.

 The couple came back to the restaurant and offered to help pay off her student loans and debt.

Cayla says that is more than $10,000.

"I was like no way, you dot have to do that for me, I just wanted to say thank you. I still don't feel like it's real, I wanna run around in the streets," Cayla said.

The couple wanted to remain anonymous but told Cayla the best way to thank them is by being her best possible self.

"I wanna make them proud, I will take this opportunity with an open heart and be a better person that I can be every day," Cayla added.

Cayla says she plans to study liberal arts and business when she returns to school.