Donnie Wahlberg Leaves $2K Tip At NC Waffle House

CHARLOTTE, NC – Donnie Wahlberg loves Waffle House. What's more, he loves giving money to Waffle House staff. The New Kids on the Block singer and "Blue Bloods" star left an eye-popping tip for employees of the chain in Charlotte, NC ahead of his group's concert Thursday.

Wahlberg tipped $2,000 on an $82.60 bill – that's 2,421 percent for those without calculators – and treated the staff to front row seats and backstage passes to the Total Package show, co-headlined by New Kids on the Block, Paula Abdul and Boyz II Men.

"My mom waited tables, and my dad tended bars-- for years!" Wahlberg wrote on Instagram. "So, when I walk into a #WaffleHouse, and the staff treats me like a king, you better believe I treat them like queens!"

Waffle House is no stranger to the star's generosity. In late June, Wahlberg dropped by the restaurant in Edgewood, MD and left the overnight staff a $500 tip.

"There were two servers and a cook, and he left a $500 tip for the three of them to split," a Waffle House employee told People Magazine. She went on to say he was "apparently really awesome."

Wahlberg's affinity for the breakfast chain is well-documented. He frequently posts pictures and videos of his Waffle House meals to social media and hung out with staff at the restaurant on Facebook live Wednesday night.

Photo by Klinkh, licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.