Diners surprise Waffle House server with $800 in tips as part of 'Shock and Claus' movement

The day for a group of diners started out with a regular meal at a Waffle House restaurant in Woodlawn, Ohio. But what happened as each of the diners sitting at the table began to pay their bills was anything but typical -- and yet, true to the season of giving.

As Tabatha Adams and her group of five friends approached the counter to pay, each member of the group gave the server, Mikia, a $100 tip.

In video shared by Adams, Mikia, a single mother of five, could be seen going from surprised to overcome with emotion.

"Y'all trying to make me cry," Mikia said as she realized what was going on. "Thank you guys for the blessing, every single last one of y'all."

In the end, Mikia received $600 total from the group. Later, two additional diners joined in the holiday fun and gave her $100 each as well.

"It's not like I have a million dollars and can just give away money," Adams told ABC News affiliate WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio. "So, as one person, you really can't do a lot -- but you're gonna find your people. ... I hope more people can do it."

Adams said that when she and her friends visited the Waffle House to eat, they always noticed Mikia working hard. Adams helped organize the local Waffle House effort called "Shock and Claus," a social media movement that Adams explained on her Facebook page.

"We meet for breakfast, you must bring a $100 Bill, we eat and pay the bill and the rest is a tip. So if 10 go, that is a $1,000 and the bill is $150, the tip is $850. We trust the Universe to take us to the right person to be blessed. I think with your broadcasting capabilities you could start a firestorm of people being blessed. I recommend the total dives where the average tip is $5 or so," she said in her post on Dec. 20.

Simon Amor told WCPO-TV that he'd been looking forward to participating in the Waffle House surprise all week.

"I think it's contagious," Amor said. "Giving is contagious. ... When she looked at me and her eyes were tearing up, it took everything not to kind of get choked up at that moment."

"What a perfect time at Christmas to really give back," said Alan Whisman who was also part of the tip-giving group. "I just really prayed before I came...that it would be a blessing for her."