At EJ's Cafe in Naples, 15 friends gather to catch up over some morning scramble and cups of tea.
Waitress Iris Lomas is used to serving large groups like this.
"We have really kind, giving locals who do take care of us during off-season, which is nice," said Lomas.
Even so, transitioning to work in the off-season is tough.
"Our shifts do go down," said Lomas. "Rent is crazy, you know? I'm in the process of moving from Estero to Naples. The fact that Estero rent is equal to the Naples rent is crazy."
Fortunately, those 15 friends went to EJ's for more than just breakfast.
"I love the camaraderie," said Mikki Williams. "But the ultimate is what happens when we surprise the server."
And for Iris, this typical Monday morning shift became one she'll never forget.
"We know being a server is hard. It's hard, right?" said Williams. "Yes," said Lomas.
Williams then handed Lomas an unexpected tip of $1000, which was on top of the group's 20% gratuity tip.
"I'm not sure what to do with it right now," said Lomas. "I'm so grateful."
From October to May, Mikki and her breakfast club go to different restaurants and make sure to make an impact.
"We've had a homeless woman working as a waitress from St. Matthew's House, we've had a young boy who was an immigrant, we've had a young gal who was getting divorced, and one of our best, we've had a first-time pregnant woman at Christmas time," said Williams.
For this breakfast club, the real meal is connection, and the real tip is hope.
"I don't know of a better feeling, I really don't," said Williams.
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