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American Morning

Man Who Gave Waitress a Car as Tip

Aired February 26, 2004 - 08:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Doug Brown owns a mortgage company in Houston, Texas. Not only a successful businessman, he's a pretty big tipper. A really big tipper. Franchesca Renderos, a 22-year-old waitress, made such an impression on Brown during a recent business dinner, after closing a deal with clients, he settled up with his server -- bought her a new car.
Franchesca Renderos and Doug Brown are with us now outside the P.F. Chang's Restaurant in Houston, Texas.

How are you guys doing?

What a week this has been, huh?

And good morning.

FRANCHESCA RENDEROS, WAITRESS WHO RECEIVED A CAR AS A TIP: Hi. How are you?

Good morning.

DOUG BROWN, BOUGHT WAITRESS A CAR AS A TIP: Good morning.

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine.

Doug, what made such an impression on you with this young lady?

BROWN: Oh, I think it was more of a performance. She was having a lot of fun, working hard, and I was trying to close a deal. And she, you know, obviously wanted to get her tips for the night, make some money and move the tables along. And she looked at me and said, "I'm going to need to take your order." And I was right in the middle of a sales pitch about our building company and mortgage company. And I looked at the group and I looked at her and I thought, you know, I'm going to have a pretty good night tonight, so I thought I'd offer her for, you know, a wonderful tip.

I was thinking something maybe a little less dramatic, but...

HEMMER: You know what, though? Fifteen grand is a long way from 15 percent.

BROWN: Yes, it is.

HEMMER: Franchesca, were you being extra sweet that night?

RENDEROS: Hey, I was trying my best. HEMMER: Yes? It paid off, didn't it?

BROWN: Yes. Yes, it did.

HEMMER: Take me to the conversation when you asked her about what kind of tip she wanted.

Franchesca, what did you say?

RENDEROS: Well, I pretty much, he was like, well, if you could have something by tomorrow, what would it be? And I was like, hey, I'll take a new car.

BROWN: No, I think it was, "I need a new car."

RENDEROS: Or I need a new car. You're right.

BROWN: Like you have now.

HEMMER: Doug, what came over you?

BROWN: I don't know. You know, there's that point in life where you just either jump off the ridge or you don't, and I, you know, I jumped right in and it was a fun event and she seemed like the perfect person to win such a wonderful opportunity so.

HEMMER: Well, listen, Fran, I know you're in nursing school. You're 22 years young and you needed this one.

Tell us how it helps you out.

RENDEROS: Well, it actually helps me out a lot. The recent car that I had, I had just had an accident, actually, and these were working well. So now I have a brand new car, which is working just fine.

HEMMER: Yes. I heard one of your comments. You said it only has four miles on it when you first hopped inside of it, too.

RENDEROS: That's right.

HEMMER: Hey, Doug, a question for you finally here.

Where are you eating next?

BROWN: Where am I eating next? Well, of course, P.F. Chang's.

HEMMER: Well, there's a plug. I would say, well, we're going to be there, then, because maybe we'll wait on you and then maybe we'll get lucky.

Hey, listen, thanks.

BROWN: Yes, you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) offer.

HEMMER: What's that? Sorry? BROWN: We're giving that offer often.

HEMMER: Doug Brown and Franchesca Renderos, thanks for bringing us a good story out of Texas this morning.

BROWN: Great to be here.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 26, 2004 - 08:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Doug Brown owns a mortgage company in Houston, Texas. Not only a successful businessman, he's a pretty big tipper. A really big tipper. Franchesca Renderos, a 22-year-old waitress, made such an impression on Brown during a recent business dinner, after closing a deal with clients, he settled up with his server -- bought her a new car.
Franchesca Renderos and Doug Brown are with us now outside the P.F. Chang's Restaurant in Houston, Texas.

How are you guys doing?

What a week this has been, huh?

And good morning.

FRANCHESCA RENDEROS, WAITRESS WHO RECEIVED A CAR AS A TIP: Hi. How are you?

Good morning.

DOUG BROWN, BOUGHT WAITRESS A CAR AS A TIP: Good morning.

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine.

Doug, what made such an impression on you with this young lady?

BROWN: Oh, I think it was more of a performance. She was having a lot of fun, working hard, and I was trying to close a deal. And she, you know, obviously wanted to get her tips for the night, make some money and move the tables along. And she looked at me and said, "I'm going to need to take your order." And I was right in the middle of a sales pitch about our building company and mortgage company. And I looked at the group and I looked at her and I thought, you know, I'm going to have a pretty good night tonight, so I thought I'd offer her for, you know, a wonderful tip.

I was thinking something maybe a little less dramatic, but...

HEMMER: You know what, though? Fifteen grand is a long way from 15 percent.

BROWN: Yes, it is.

HEMMER: Franchesca, were you being extra sweet that night?

RENDEROS: Hey, I was trying my best. HEMMER: Yes? It paid off, didn't it?

BROWN: Yes. Yes, it did.

HEMMER: Take me to the conversation when you asked her about what kind of tip she wanted.

Franchesca, what did you say?

RENDEROS: Well, I pretty much, he was like, well, if you could have something by tomorrow, what would it be? And I was like, hey, I'll take a new car.

BROWN: No, I think it was, "I need a new car."

RENDEROS: Or I need a new car. You're right.

BROWN: Like you have now.

HEMMER: Doug, what came over you?

BROWN: I don't know. You know, there's that point in life where you just either jump off the ridge or you don't, and I, you know, I jumped right in and it was a fun event and she seemed like the perfect person to win such a wonderful opportunity so.

HEMMER: Well, listen, Fran, I know you're in nursing school. You're 22 years young and you needed this one.

Tell us how it helps you out.

RENDEROS: Well, it actually helps me out a lot. The recent car that I had, I had just had an accident, actually, and these were working well. So now I have a brand new car, which is working just fine.

HEMMER: Yes. I heard one of your comments. You said it only has four miles on it when you first hopped inside of it, too.

RENDEROS: That's right.

HEMMER: Hey, Doug, a question for you finally here.

Where are you eating next?

BROWN: Where am I eating next? Well, of course, P.F. Chang's.

HEMMER: Well, there's a plug. I would say, well, we're going to be there, then, because maybe we'll wait on you and then maybe we'll get lucky.

Hey, listen, thanks.

BROWN: Yes, you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) offer.

HEMMER: What's that? Sorry? BROWN: We're giving that offer often.

HEMMER: Doug Brown and Franchesca Renderos, thanks for bringing us a good story out of Texas this morning.

BROWN: Great to be here.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com