Post Malone Tips Single Mom Bartender $20K: ‘He Changed My Life’
Singer Post Malone gave a single mom an unexpected gift during her shift as a bartender on Christmas Eve.
Renee Brown, 36, told her story to the outlet Music Mayhem. The restaurant worker said she was sad to be scheduled to work during the holiday because it meant she couldn’t spend it with her 9-year-old daughter, Iliana. But her night took a turn when the “Sunflower” singer, whose real name is Austin Post, made a stop at The Railyard in Houston, Texas, during her shift.
“The day started off super slow, and I was just taking it as it was, trying to be in a good mood for others while dealing with not being able to spend Christmas Eve with my daughter,” Brown told the outlet. “We usually bake cookies and watch Christmas movies, and this was the first time I wasn’t able to do that.”
The small neighborhood kept getting busier, and then Post showed up with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer, Shaboozey.
“I initially didn’t realize he was there until one of my coworkers from my second job came inside and told me that Austin [Post Malone] was outside on the patio,” she said. “I thought he was kidding with me at first, then I kept seeing people go outside [and] I kept making drinks for like 30 minutes before curiosity got the best of me, and lo and behold, he was there.”
“I told all my regulars not to be weird and bug him as it’s a neighborhood dive bar, and I’m sure he picked a place like that to feel a sense of normalcy,” Brown continued, mentioning how the vibes shifted when the famous recording artists arrived. “It lifted the spirits of the entire bar. It was amazing to see everyone so happy and seeing how kind he was to all the people that spend their days with me on the regular.”
Brown said the biggest surprise at all came at the end of the night.
“Everyone that he was with was also so kind and inviting, we had a great night jamming to songs on the jukebox. Then came time for last call and to close. When Austin asked for his check, he didn’t have one because many regulars and his friends bought his beverages,” Brown said. She explained how Post was insistent that he be charged for something, which led to him leaving a tip.
“So he asked me to ring him up for a penny or anything, so I did. I continued my close and collected all my checks and started to enter my tips. Then I got to his. It was a tip for $20,000,” she told the outlet.
“I immediately broke down crying. It was a very emotional night already being away from home, being swamped behind the bar, trying to process that they were even there and then the tip on top,” she said.
Brown added, “I finally got a chance to stop cleaning and talk to him some more and thank him. I know I was crying and thanking him, but he has no idea exactly how much this meant to me.”
“I work two jobs and homeschool my daughter. I’m constantly exhausted. We’ve been without a car for two years. And recently moved after losing everything and starting over from scratch in August of 2024,” she said.
“This put me in a position to at least be able to get a way back and forth to work and pay up on rent and save a bit. I’m trying to save up to start a business, so I don’t have to continue working two jobs and be able to spend more time with my daughter. Things have been extremely difficult, and this was truly a blessing that I can’t fully put into words. The visit alone was absolutely amazing and something I could talk about and remember for the rest of my life.”
Brown concluded, “If this message reaches him, I know I told him that night how grateful I am, but I’d like to reiterate that he helped me in ways I can’t even begin to explain. My best friend [Matthew] and I have been huge fans of him for years, and it was amazing we got to meet him and experience that moment.”
The bartender also posted about her experience on Instagram right after it happened and included photos of herself with Post.
View this post on Instagram
“Going into work Christmas Eve, I was so sad I had to leave my baby girl to go to work. Oblivious that God would send me a Christmas miracle,” she wrote in the post caption. “This is hands down the most humble, personable celebrity I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. He changed my life on Christmas f***king Eve, and will forever be grateful. Thank you so much, Austin.”