It may have been a case of mistaken identity or a rare form of lottery fever.
Either way, close to 200 people got treated to dinner Sunday at Buddy Freddy's in Plant City, Florida, by someone who appeared to be Gloria C. MacKenzie, the 84-year-old Zephyrhills woman who stepped forward last week to claim the largest single jackpot in American lottery history.
Whether it was MacKenzie is unknown, but that hasn't stopped speculation at the restaurant near the Thonotosassa Road exit of Interstate 4.
"It sure looked like her," manager Stephanie Reaves said. "She looked like the woman on TV."
Reaves said she was accompanied by another woman and a younger man. They ate, left around 4 p.m. and then the woman returned, offering to buy meals for 180 diners.
The tab: close to $2,600. She even gave $50 to each of the five servers.
"Everybody got up and applauded and started hugging her," Reaves said. "In my 35 years in the restaurant industry, I've never seen anything like it."
But when asked later, "She said she wasn't the one who won, but she sure fit the description."
Wow that was super nice...I would have probably did it too but I would have done it on my way out....that way everyone would have been looking around whipsering and wondering "who was that who paid for our meal?"
wow..there goes low profile. Nice gesture though!!
That was very nice of her, wtg.
Wow, that is very nice. Enjoy yourself Ms. Mackenzie!!! I want to go to Buddy Freddy's too in Plant City, FL.
And the lovely staff at Buddy Freddy's! Invest/save that $50.00!
oooo so sweet
Now that is America!
Very nice gesture. How about doing it every day for at least 90 days?.
Oh God here we go again. Can't wait to read comments about how it's not enough and she should have tipped more.
Does this mean she owes "groceries for life" to all who ate there that night?
do they have chicken like popeyes
That was very nice of her to tip that much and to pay for everyone's meal.
Breakfast buffet for $5.99. That's a pretty good deal for all you can eat. I think I'm getting hungry.
The best buffets I've ever had were in Las Vegas. The good ones cost a lot more than $5.99. There was prime rib, shrimp, sushi, scallops, crepes (savory and sweet), and lots of yummy stuff.