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The ‘$100 Diner Challenge’ Is Trending & It’s a Great Way to Give Back During the Holidays

If you’ve ever heard of the $100 Diner Challenge but have no idea what to make of it, you’ve come to the right place.

We recently came across the now-viral trend, which is a creative way to spread cheer during the holidays. So, what does it entail? Here’s everything you need to know about the $100 Diner Challenge.

100 dollar diner challenge
Joe Raedle/Newsmakers/Getty Images

1. What Is The $100 Diner Challenge?

Basically, the challenge involves getting a group of friends together during the holidays for dinner (which is sometimes easier said than done). You may immediately picture your friend group picking a pricey restaurant, loading up on wine and pretending to not give a care in the world when the waitress presents the $1,000 bill.

However, the idea of the $100 Diner Challenge is to do the exact opposite. Instead of making a steakhouse reservation, the group meets up at a local diner. At the end of the meal, each person pays their share and leaves an additional $100 bill, resulting in a massive tip for the waitress and restaurant staff.

2. Why Do The $100 Diner Challenge?

The purpose is to surprise deserving employees, who are extra busy during the holiday season. Since the group would have likely spent the same amount at a fancy restaurant, it’s supposed to be a feel-good situation for everyone involved.

3. Who's Doing It?

The $100 Diner Challenge has been filling our social media feeds as of late. While some people are just catching onto the trend, others have been doing it for years. Take Maneesh Goyal, for example, who recently assembled 35 friends in New York City for his fourth annual diner challenge. Together, they presented the waitress, Eva, with a $3,500 tip, and her reaction (shown in the Instagram post above) says it all.

“Eva started crying, as did many of us. It was pure joy. I mentioned when I presented them with the tip that we are just a group of friends—new and old—who were coming together during the holidays to spread a little joy…and we were so thrilled to have met both of them this morning,” he wrote on Instagram. “It’s the simplest of ideas, really…but one with such impact. If you like this idea, please steal it (as I did from my friends Dudley & Lizzy Morton in Denver.) It really was a picture-perfect holiday miracle.”

PureWow also spoke with Aly Weisman, who experienced the $100 Diner Challenge firsthand and described the impact it had on the entire group.

“It was a great way to come together with friends new and old to celebrate the holiday spirit and contribute in a direct way,” she said. “Seeing the smiling faces of the waitstaff after they received the tip was really heartwarming and the best way to kick off the holiday season. It’s also a good reminder of how small acts of generosity can have a big impact.”

We’re totally stealing this idea.



greta

Senior Editor

Greta Heggeness is a California-based editor at PureWow and has been writing about entertainment since 2015. She covers everything from awards shows to exclusive celebrity...