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.
Really kind gesture, Gloria, or her doppelganger?
since she's out Blowing money maybe she should buy Mindy and the kids some groceries, seems like that would be the right thing to do instead of paying for everyones meals for people she don't know she should think of the person who made this WIN possible for her in the first place.
Wow I wish something like this
could happen here in the Bahamas. Good deeds though lady, if i was there id be celebrating like this 
lol.
How SWEET!!!!!
When I was growing up I would hear people saying "How happy the people in China would be to get a meal like that", now they're saying it about the people in Florida.
why do people react to this news very differently than the other news where another recent Powerball winner who promised to pay rent for everybody in his block?
Kind gesture from whomever senior woman it was!
Next, I wonder if this food benefactor [or other inspired wealthy person(s)] will go to a food kitchen, where moneyless people dine when they can't afford to treat themselves to a meal out?
Most of you could never be satisfied...Regardless,Is there any joy or love in your life.
I think it was a lovely gesture!!! Good for her!
I am not sure why the reactions are different. Hopefully someone will clue us in. I remember I was one of the few on here who was defending Pedro Quezada'ss nice gesture. Lots of guys were predicting he would be broke within 2 years.
A very kind gesture. I cannot understand how anyone could say she is flaunting her money around. She even tried to deny she was the PB winner.
Maringo:
With Pedro, it was far more open ended and vague. This PB winner had a set group where she could just pay for the meals on her way out the door and she made no promises in advance.
I thought he promised to pay rent for only that month
if that was the case then saying he would be broke within a couple of years was an exaggeration.
Anyways I am happy the person in Florida fed these people and tipped the waiters. Very generous, very kind.
I also defended Pedro's right to pay peoples rent if he wanted to, but I think this woman is just trying to clear up her conscience for ripping off Mindy and her daughter.
Is "Euro-American" the same as calling me white?
Of course it is.
It is the same as you guys referring to other ethnic groups as: African/afro-American, Native American, Mexican American, Asian-American..etc
Yeah Ronnie316 I remember we were in the same side in the Pedro argument.
But about Gloria, do you really believe that she ripped off Mindy & her daughter? According to the story, if its to be believed, Mindy was given the chance to get served in her rightful position but she declined. Put this in another way, supposing she ended up getting the winning ticket after declining to take her rightful place and letting Gloria the first position, would she (Mindy) have ripped off the person standing in line behind her?
Oh ok, I see your logic. Are you racist against whites?
Wow,
And you live in America? I don't see it as bigotry, but rather someone with enough testicles to tell it like it is..
I'm racist against racist.
She would have been the rightful winner either way.......
Im sure the old lady knew she would put anyone on the spot who claimed their rightful place in line over an elderly woman....... She "worked" the line to get position and no doubt her is very good at doing it that way.
Thank you! :)
Yes I live in America and I am glad you don't see it as bigotry because it wasn't..lol, just sick of people sugarcoating the truth.
You're welcome : )
I know Mindy said she does not mind that Gloria got the winning ticket and I think its awesome. Personally it would burn me a lot to think of the things I would be able to do had I not been nice. Being *itchy can be rewarding. Its a lesson that Mindy will not forget very soon lol
I am moving to florida, and following this little old lady whenever she goes to Red Lobster.
Some people take "doing the right thing" to the point of doing the wrong thing. She was purposely taken advantage of by an unscrupulous old woman, and I'm sure that Mindy's family will never let her forget it.
I think she should mail out gift certificates upon request.
When it comes to my entitlement mentality Im a socialist all the way LB.
You are well within your rights to be a racist.
so she is now a liar saying shes not the power ball winner and cheat from cutting Mindy off in line.
is there anything the ole woman won't do?
at her request she sure is trying to keep her privacy
Welcome to Lottery post
Yup, and you have an odd case of cretinism if you believe that.
What's different? We see a mix of congratulations, snide comments, silliness, and off-topic rants, etc. This is LP!
But there is one important difference:
One paid, the other only pledged.
The story for Gloria is after it was already paid and done, for a finite set of all patrons in the restaurant at the time. Like true charity, you only find out afterwards.
For Pedro's story, it was a pledge to pay, on an open ended "month or two" for his entire block. I don't know that block, if there are residential/commercial, how many owner/renter, high rises, etc. Very hard to judge. Any confirmation it was done yet?
People said just how Pedro would be broke within a few years. Nobody said the same thing about Gloria in this thread. Perhaps her old age is a factor but there may be other factors I don't know.
I'd again say, different situations:
Gloria paid only a small $2600 tab for meals in 1 restaurant at 1 specific time.
Pedro has an open ended plege to pay for an entire city block for a month or two, without knowing all the financial details of each building or unit beforehand. Some might see this as irresponsible with money and their emotions took over from there. Could be millions? I don't know. Who knows the size of the block and what kind of units this pledge would cover? See what i mean.
I see your point.
Anyone who has ever bought the 'bar' a round could definitely see where this lady was coming from.
Genuine good feeling I'd say.
Exactly what I was referred to earlier in the post.
Oh Boner, you're making me hungry! I love the Red Lobster. I only go when they have those specials that they advertise on TV. Yup, take me with you!
Must be a really slow news day when Gloria sightings are the hot topic.
I would have done the same thing if I had won that money,paid the tab of the 180 diners, $2,600. The manager of Buddy Friday's Stephanie Reaves said that the lady looked like the one on tv,but said later that the lady wasn't the one who won,but fit the description. My question is"How did the lady pay-by cash or check? I don't think the manager is telling the truth. If the lady paid by check she would have said "We got her check and it's not Gloria Mackenzie. And if the lady paid by cash, she is a very stupid person.
I JUST WONDER. I AM 46 SHE 84, YOU THINK IT COULD WORK?????
May this person had done the same thing before but no one thought it was news until after stories about the old lady winning the lottery became news.
I've saw a person pick up the tab for a family that was a little short on cash at McDonald one time, a gracious thank-you was heard and it was over with, no news story or anything.
PUBLICITY!!! The best advertisement, is the one that cost you zero money. Not many people have heard of this little diner before all this. Brilliant move by the managers/owners.
i've been out to plant city, reminds me of the movie The Hills Have Eyes minus the radiation and radiated people. I believe they have a couple of farms out there as well.
The busboys and dishwashers got screwed on this deal.
She should do the right thing now and buy them each a house.
I wouldn't think she is stupid because someone may very well share her checking information to the world. If she was with her entourage:), cash was sufficient.
Her generosity of paying for meals has reached the sky.
There's you Blushing Bride to be
You are young enough to be her grandson.
I have read somewhere that it was NOT Gloria that did this, but a lady that resembled her.
maybe she's a cougar
Wow! Really? I guess for some people no matter what you do it's just never enough.
Well, because that happens more times than you realize as I've witnessed it too.
And paying for someone's meal at McDonald's is a whole lot different than buying meals for an entire restaurant. How often have you heard or seen that happen? A round of drinks, perhaps. Meals? No. $2600 vs $50. HUGE difference.
Which restaurants take checks any more? Aren't we out of the 1950's?
And why would it be stupid to pay with cash, especially if she wanted to keep her identity private and this neither a tax write off nor tax deductible? Considering that not too long ago it was found out that there was a credit card ring that used restaurant waiters to steal credit card info and charge up accounts, what exactly is "very stupid" about paying a bill in cash? This I want to hear. Who knew all these years of paying a bill in cash made me an idiot.
Right, because it was the fault of the 84 year old, half blind old woman that Mindy not only left a huge space in the line but was turned around and not paying attention. And it was also this old woman's fault that Mindy insisted she stay and go ahead with her transaction. Perhaps we should say, when you go in a line, you not only keep up with it, but you pay attention to it and you won't lose out on money. Even though, she would ot have won anyway.
Well, maybe it was a very good thing Gloria won. Because God knows Mindy wouldn't have given away free meals to everyone without calling the 6 o'clock news first so we could all bask in her generosity and selflessness.
Amen. I agree! Mindy is a big whiner.
She's so generous to do that. I wonder what stimulates her to treat the people with free meal. If she's indeed the lottery winner $2600 is nothing to her. However if I'm in her shoes I'd do other things with that money.