Last week's excitement surrounding the $10,000 tip an Applebee's patron left for bartender Cindy Kienow is starting to cool down a bit.
The guest appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show fell through, but the longtime Applebee's employee still is holding out hope that she'll make an appearance on "The Late Show" with David Letterman or the "Oprah Winfrey Show."
And most importantly, the Hutchinson celebrity who has enjoyed a brief seat in the international spotlight received a check from Applebee's franchise owner JS Stevens on Tuesday for approximately $6,300 - once the government took its share, about 37 percent, of Kienow's good fortune.
But she's enjoyed the cameras and the interviews and good-natured kidding from friends, Kienow said, and she's glad to return to work as normal.
Well, almost normal.
"I've had a lot of fun," Kienow said. "A lot of customers are like, 'I can't afford to sit at the bar anymore.' It's been really crazy."
Aside from the phone calls and interviews, she's received a couple of letters from "fans" who want her autograph. A few customers have pulled her aside to talk with her about the now-famous tip.
Kienow said some regular customers have sat at the bar and congratulated her on the tip. Others she knows speculate that she must have known the big tipper a little better than she's let on.
"I hate to say it, but I really don't know him," Kienow said. "You become friends with your customers, but friends like you know what they eat and drink and talk with them. ... I think he just appreciated the fact that I took the time to talk with him."
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