Total takings! A Reporoa cafe's amazing gift to loved worker

Barista Issah Thompson serving up coffee on the big day. Photo / Supplied

Most workers get a fuel voucher or a bottle of wine to thank them at Christmas, however, the bosses of one Reporoa barista have gone above and beyond.

Issah Thompson, barista at Awaken Cafe, inside Reporoa Valley Traders, is being treated to a whole day of cafe earnings for her Christmas treat.

Shop owner Bruce Vermeulen posted on a local noticeboard to let the community know that their beloved worker would take the cafe's takings from today.

That was not just profit, but the entire earnings from the day.

He encouraged people to come down and get their lunch or a coffee to say thank you.

Vermeulen said most years his workers would get a voucher or a gift basket, but this year he thought he would do something "a little different".

Reporoa Valley Traders owner Bruce Vermeulen. Photo / File

The rural cafe had loads of regulars and he thought it was a good way to allow them to be a part of thanking her, he said.

"She is a really bubbly, lovely lady... everyone loves her!"

Ever since the cafe opened this morning, it has been busy. He said businesses had even come in to buy full staff lunches to boost Thompson's reward.

One small thing Vermeulen forgot to do was tell Thompson that this was happening and she stumbled upon the news on Facebook.

"I'm speechless," she wrote.

Thompson had been working in the cafe for just over a year, however, Vermeulen and his wife had owned the Reporoa shop for 31 years and were well-known in the small community.

Vermeulen estimated that today's earnings could double her weekly wages, he said.

"She pretty much runs the cafe... she deserves it."