Some Favor Delivery Jerk Stole the Tip Jar From Terry Black’s BBQ

It appears that a Favor delivery driver stole a tip jar from Terry Black’s Barbecue yesterday, and the barbecue joint is looking for any information to help catch the person.

The incident was caught on tape. While the cashier was wrapping up sides for the order, the Favor employee can be seen picking up the jar and placing it into the cooler provided by the personal delivery service. The Terry Black team realized the jar was missing before the end of the day and looked at the security tapes. Owner Mike Black estimates that the tip jar could have held anything between $50 to $200 because it was the restaurant’s busiest register on a busy day.

Black confirmed with Favor that the person was indeed one of the company’s employees through camera footage and credit card confirmation. Black asked Favor to share the employee’s information so he could pass it on to the Austin Police Department for the case. “They wouldn’t do it,” Black said, and the company responded that the police could reach out to Favor instead. Black is asking for any help in identifying the person.

Favor responded to Terry Black’s call for help, writing: "We do believe we have located the individual as we communicated on the phone, please have APD contact us," last night at 9:18 p.m.

“I’m curious to see how Favor handles the situation,” Black told Eater. “One employee’s wrongdoing doesn’t define Favor as a company, but how Favor’s upper management responds to this situation does. If one of my employees were to do something of this nature on the block, I know I would right the wrong.”

Eater reached out to Favor for further comment. Watch this space for updates.

Update, June 13, 4:10 p.m.: Favor shared the following statement in response to the incident:

The Runner's actions were completely unacceptable and do not reflect the values of Favor or the Runner community. While Runners operate at their own will, as independent contractors, we have zero tolerance for theft and immediately deactivated this particular Runner from our platform. We are actively working with APD to fully support their investigation and Terry Black's to do everything we can to make right by their staff.

Update, June 14: Black told Eater that Favor's management came into the restaurant, had a meal ("tipped well," he noted), and gifted the restaurant cupcakes. Favor did give the Austin Police department the accused Favor runner’s information (who is no longer active in the company), but there is no word on whethere charges were made.

• Terry Black’s BBQ [Twitter]
• All Coverage of Terry Black’s BBQ [EATX]