Former President Donald Trump left a $500 tip at a cheesesteak sandwich shop in Philadelphia on Saturday while campaigning on the ...
Former President Donald Trump left a $500 tip at a cheesesteak sandwich shop in Philadelphia on Saturday while campaigning on the idea of getting rid of federal taxes on tips if re-elected to the White House.
Video posted to X by a communications aide showed Trump at Tony & Nick’s Steaks ahead of a rally at Temple University, surrounded by people and signing a receipt.
“I’m going to give you 500 bucks. You guys all split it up,” Trump said.
Someone shouted, “Great things happen in Philadelphia. Let’s go!” After a round of cheers, the crowd began chanting “Trump,” and the former president showed off the receipt.
Another clip showed Trump writing “Vote Trump” and “No Tax on Tips” with a black sharpie.
When he read aloud the message about tips, Trump received some cheers.
Nicky Lucidonio, owner of Tony and Nick’s Steaks, told Fox News that Trump’s visit came as a surprise after a woman came in and ordered about 200 sandwiches.
“It was just unbelievable,” Lucidonio said. “He was talking to people, you know, they’re asking questions. He’s answering them. He’s signing hats. He signed and everything.”
He added, “We’re all taking pictures with him. What a great man, you know. We’re all here rooting for him. You know, this November, we gotta get him in.”
The former president also promoted changing the tax code to exempt tip income from federal taxes on the stump.
“No taxes on tips,” Trump said at his rally. “Every time you leave a tip for the next five months, make sure to write on the receipt, ‘Vote Trump for no tax on tips!'”
Trump introduced the pitch to slash tips two weeks ago in Las Vegas.
“Those people that have jobs in restaurants or whatever the job may be, a tipping job, we’re not going after it for taxes anymore, that will be ended,” Trump said.
One of Trump’s staunched backers in Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), then posted to X to say that she “absolutely” loved the plan.
She shared a photo of a receipt that had a message written on it that said, “VOTE TRUMP! No tax on tips!!” and encouraged followers to write the same thing on their own receipts.
Greene later became a co-sponsor on a House GOP bill spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
The bill would “amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that tips shall not be subject to income or employment taxes.”
It takes inspiration and its name — the “Tax Free Tips Act” — from a legislative push by Ron Paul, a former congressman and candidate for president, to nix federal taxation on tips.
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