What does the average customer tip on a meal? 15%? 20%? As it turns out, a lot more than that. Sometimes they also give advice … or football tickets! Below, some of our Taste of Groupon Awards finalists share stories about their best restaurant tips—money, advice, and otherwise.

“The best tip that I have received came from a guest I wasn't serving [on this particular day]. They wanted to tip me as well as their server, and told me it was because I was the reason that they come back. They had booked a party with me for their first visit and now hold their annual Christmas party at SeaLegs every year!”

 – Allison Hintz, Server at SeaLegs Wine Bar in Huntington Beach, CA

“I had this lady being very rude to me one night, and a regular at the bar just told me to take a deep breath and to not worry about it because I am an amazing person.”

 – Lorna Renea Mckaig, Bartender at The Terminal Brewhouse in Chattanooga, TN

“The best advice that I've ever received was from my little sister. I was preparing for a very important dinner. I was paired with a very famous chef and he was preparing two courses of the dinner and I had to prepare three courses. I was completely freaking out and lost! I had no idea what to make. Then she told me to 'Just be me!' 'Cook Reva Style.' And that's when the magic happened, and I created a memorable and fantastic menu.”

– Reva Constantine, Executive Chef at Great Lakes Culinary Center in Southfield, MI

“$100 and Patriots tickets.”

– Jimmie "Angry Inch" Morgan, Management at Lucky 13 in Salt Lake City, UT

“The best advice I’ve had comes from a regular of mine who is in his mid-eighties. He has lived a very full life and often reminds me that I 'have the world in front of me! You only get to go around the track once, so make sure it’s memorable.' It seems like a typical quote you’d see while scrolling down your Facebook feed, but when you hear it from someone at that age who has lived an incredibly unique life, it means a lot.”

– Chris Reale, Bartender at Grace Restaurant in Fort Worth, TX

“‘Keep your chin up, even if it's dirty.’ Advice given to me from an elderly German nun.”

– Brandon Edward Phillips, Bar Director at The Duck Inn in Chicago, IL