‘Runescape’ Player Tips Pizza Guy 5,500 Percent Gratuity For Three-Topping Pie
Those who play the video game Runescape will often go on long binges where they have gaming sessions of hours and even days. That’s exactly what a man from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was doing when he ordered a pizza to be delivered to his house. It was then that he wanted to just do something good, so he tipped very nicely.
Actually, it was a tip unlike any the pizza delivery guy had ever seen.
Polygon reported that the tip was actually about 5,500 percent gratuity for the large three-topping pizza pie that was delivered. When all was said and done, gamer Joey DeGrandis gave a tip of $1,230 to the pizza guy.
DeGrandis is a big-time Runescape player, and he streams his sessions for people to watch. On some days, he will have about 300 people watch him play the game and provide commentary on the online service called Twitch.
In December, DeGrandis gained his 3,000th follower, and he was finally able to do something he had wanted to do for a long time. He had an 18-hour gaming session on Runescape and ended up raising $1,230, which is exactly the tip he gave the pizza delivery guy.
“I’ve been streaming for a few months and it’s something I’ve been enjoying. I always wanted to do something like that, I just never had the means to.”
According to MLive, the tip for the pizza delivery guy was what DeGrandis was working up to the entire time.
“Once I started streaming to a decent amount of viewers, I finally had the means to do it.”
It was then that he called Jet’s Pizza and actually told the manager what he was going to do, and asked him to send a driver who needed the help. DeGrandis respects the work of pizza delivery people, and wanted to give one the credit they deserve.
Charle McCormick ended up being the lucky recipient, and the video of DeGrandis handing him the check for $630 went viral.
As it was shared more and more, the tip jumped up to $1,230 total as more viewers donated to McCormick’s cause. DeGrandis doesn’t want attention or credit for his actions, but he knows he did the right thing.
“It really resonated throughout the entire community. We could not have asked for a better candidate for the whole thing. Every time I see him, he seems like the happiest guy in the world. It does seem like it truly changed his life.”
As McCormick’s story really started to pour out, it was revealed that his mother had passed away back in September. Due to that tragedy, the family had decided they weren’t going to truly celebrate Christmas in 2014.
Upon receiving the generous offer from the Runescape fan, McCormick knew that things needed to change. The family wanted to make Christmas count. DeGrandis was even happier when he found that out.
“I knew whoever did show up it would make at least their entire month, maybe the year, but I had no idea it would have that much of an impact.”
The Runescape player who helped out a pizza delivery guy with a huge tip was not a publicity stunt or something seeking attention. It was just something that DeGrandis wanted to do, and he’s planning on doing another similar type project in the future.
[Image via Ann Arbor News]