A waitress in Salisbury, Massachusetts, was shocked to receive a generous four-figure tip from a diner at her cafe.

Jennifer Navaria, who works at Seaglass restaurant, waited on a table of four on Saturday night. The server told local station FOX 23 that she chatted with the guests before giving them their bill for $157 ($A232).

When Ms Navaria later picked up the check, she initially thought they had left a $50 ($A75) tip.

“But then when I went to the bottom (with the total), it was four digits, then a decimal point. So that’s when I knew it was not $50,” said Ms Navaria, who realised the customers had left her with a $5000 ($A7420) tip.

“I was shaking. And it was, like, really unbelievable,” she said.

The bill was signed by reported billionaire and local car dealership owner Ernie Boch Jr, according to FOX 23.

When interviewed by WFXT, Mr Boch explained he was inspired by the newly viral 2020 Tip Challenge, which was popularised by Donnie Wahlberg on New Year’s Day.

“Donnie, your move,” Boch wrote on the receipt, a photo on Twitter shows.

“Waiters and waitresses, they’re such fine people,” Boch said of the challenge. “It really hit me and I wanted to do it.”

Going forward, Mr Boch hopes others (with the means to do so) will continue the challenge, and stated that the next tip has “got to be more than me”.

“I was more than Donnie; it’s got to be more than me. Let’s keep it going.”

Ms Navaria said she thanked Mr Boch personally on Facebook before sharing her story on the social media platform, where more than 100 people left comments congratulating the server on the incredible tip.

This article originally appeared on Fox News and has been republished with permission