Pastor Refuses to Pay Tip Because She Gives to God

[Guest Anonymous]

We don't tip here except for excellent service, but we have a reasonable enough minimum wage. Wait staff would earn about $US9 an hour upwards.

However even as a foreigner I know that when I go to the US tipping is expected because they have a different system and these people rely on tips. You'd think Pastor Alois (what kind of name is that?) presumably being an American citizen would know and understand that.

It's a German/Czech name. Entirely unrelated to her restaurant behaviour, I would think.

[paganhomeschooler]

There has only been 1 time my husband and I haven't tipped. We usually tip at least 25%, and we'll leave more if the service is excellent. I was pregnant, and we went to Don Pablos for dinner. My favorite Mexican place was a half an hour away, and I get car sick when I'm pregnant, so we decided to stick closer to home. After waiting an insane amount of time, we were seated. (Which I know isn't the waitresses fault, and that wasn't a consideration.) Finally got our food. She asked if she could bring us anything else. I asked for taco sauce because every single Mexican restaurant I've ever gone to has had some kind of sauce. She told me, and I quote, "This ain't Taco Bell, honey," and walked away. She never came back to check on us or give us refills or anything after that, either. She got whatever coins were in my husband's pocket and a note to not be rude to customers if she wants a tip and we've never gone back.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Interestingly enough, from the table linked to on page 2 of this thread, Virginia restaurants don't have to pay anything if the amount of tips adds up to minimum wage. How insane.

That would be a 100% tip credit, yep. It's crazy.

[tropaka]

Another article but this one says she did pay the tip, but left the note

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/ ... g_tip.html

The customer who described herself on the receipt as a pastor shared appetizers with eight or nine friends on Jan. 25. The group was large enough that an automatic 18 per cent tip was added to the bill.

The customer paid the tip, but the snarky note prompted another waitress to post a photo of the receipt on the website Reddit. She was fired.

Applebee’s President Mike Archer said Friday that customers deserve privacy and the note violated the company’s social media policy.

Is it only the US and Canada that have servers' wages (of developed countries with reasonable labour laws)?

[fakepigtails73]

What a greedy, selfish douchebag!!

Uhm, Pastor: That server probably works harder in a day at the restaurant than you do in a week. And to think that she has to deal with tons of morons, you among them, every single day! Guess what, Elmer Gantry: wait staff in bars and restaurants earn less than the regular minimum wage per hour. They have to make the rest up with tips, or "gratuity service" when there is more than 5 or 6 persons at a table...And in some places they have to share their tips with the cooks and busboys, without adding the fact that they have to declare their tips to the govt. So, I'll tell you what the waitress likely didn't (or couldn't) wanna tell you when she read that: "FUCK YOU AND YOUR SACTIMONIOUS ASS!"

I worked as a waitress in a bar many many eaons ago and I absolutely loathed it. Bars and restaurant wait staff have my utter admiration and I always tip well. The only time I gave less is when I had despicable service, which I can count only on one hand. But I still gave something.

[tropaka]

Um, it appears that she paid the tip but left a note. Still an asshole, but not a cheap asshole, depending on which account is correct.

[Claddagh]

Who wants to bet that preacher is only sorry that she got caught?

I really feel for that waitress. I hope she can get another job soon.

I'm always polite and generous to the waitstaff at a resteraunt. They're getting paid bare bones and who knows what kind of a day they've had? Basic manners can get a person far if they use them correctly.

[fakepigtails73]

I could forgive her more if she was a European tourist, because in some countries over there the tip is included in the price.

My bf learned that in the Czech Republic last year. He ordered a beer at a bar, then he paid. He then gave some Kroners to the bartender. The bartender asked him what was that money for; bf replied that it was a tip, only for the bartender to reply that he is well paid by the bar owner, makes a great wage and that he's not a beggar in the street. :lol: :lol: Lesson learned.

It's a good thing to learn tipping manners before travel.

[Buzzard]

Stolen from facebook:

[valsa]

There has only been 1 time my husband and I haven't tipped. We usually tip at least 25%, and we'll leave more if the service is excellent. I was pregnant, and we went to Don Pablos for dinner. My favorite Mexican place was a half an hour away, and I get car sick when I'm pregnant, so we decided to stick closer to home. After waiting an insane amount of time, we were seated. (Which I know isn't the waitresses fault, and that wasn't a consideration.) Finally got our food. She asked if she could bring us anything else. I asked for taco sauce because every single Mexican restaurant I've ever gone to has had some kind of sauce. She told me, and I quote, "This ain't Taco Bell, honey," and walked away. She never came back to check on us or give us refills or anything after that, either. She got whatever coins were in my husband's pocket and a note to not be rude to customers if she wants a tip and we've never gone back.

I had something similar happen, though it as mostly service related and not so much rudeness. I went to a Denny's late at night when it was completely dead (maybe 6-7 groups in the entire place at the time, including my own) Took the waiter 13 minutes to fill our drink order, even though he was only serving 2 other tables. When he finally dropped off the drinks at our table, instead of taking our order at that time (which we were more than ready to give) he said "give me a minute", went to the table next to us (a larger party of drunk kids who came in after us), and made us wait the 8 minutes it took them to hem and haw through placing their order because they hadn't made up their minds yet. First and last time I didn't tip.

Being a server sucks so I always pay at least 20%, with 25% for outstanding service. Hell, a couple years ago at the same Dennys, our meal got comped due to a snaffu (I asked to be seated away from the smoking section so the hostess put us in the back, where we were the only customers seated, and I guess forgot to tell our waitress, so we didn't get our drink or place our order for almost 20 minutes so the manager comped the whole thing) and I ended up tipping the cost of the whole meal to the waitress because she really bent over backwards to give us excellent service after the mix up.

For someone who claims she's a pastor, the woman obviously doesn't understand anything about empathy or compassion. And add me to the list of people who won't be going to Applebees unless we give that waitress her job back and publically apologize to her.

[skrmom]

There has only been 1 time my husband and I haven't tipped. We usually tip at least 25%, and we'll leave more if the service is excellent. I was pregnant, and we went to Don Pablos for dinner. My favorite Mexican place was a half an hour away, and I get car sick when I'm pregnant, so we decided to stick closer to home. After waiting an insane amount of time, we were seated. (Which I know isn't the waitresses fault, and that wasn't a consideration.) Finally got our food. She asked if she could bring us anything else. I asked for taco sauce because every single Mexican restaurant I've ever gone to has had some kind of sauce. She told me, and I quote, "This ain't Taco Bell, honey," and walked away. She never came back to check on us or give us refills or anything after that, either. She got whatever coins were in my husband's pocket and a note to not be rude to customers if she wants a tip and we've never gone back.

I agree-she was very rude and I would not have tipped either. Several years ago, a friend and I went to a restaurant. She ordered the chef salad. The waiter said "Why can't you just get the salad bar? That way I don't have to make your salad" We both decided to 'get the salad bar", even though it was just the basics-no meats etc. We left a 2 cent tip,

[honeyinthesunshine]

She did pay the tip, it was included in the total on the receipt. That said, most restaurants I've worked in have a similar policy, basically, large parties are "gratted" a certain amount (between 15-20 percent). This is usually because when the hostess seats each server, she seats by the number of people per table, for example, if a 12 person party walks in, and they are in my section, the seating rotation will skip me a few times so that the other servers working have the same number of patrons and the same opportunity to make money. The automatic gratuity is added because if that 12 person table consists of cheap assholes, I don't walk away broke. It's quite simple, and it's generally mentioned on the menu, by the hostess, by the server etc., and if you're accustomed to eating out with large groups, you should be familiar with this policy.

Also worth noting, at most large chain restaurants, this isn't even the server's choice. The gratuity is added to ALL parties of 6 or more (or whatever their minimum is) and the server has nothing to do with it, the check is generated by the point of sale system (the number of people in the party is generally entered at the beginning), so it's not like the server is back there going "They look cheap, let's add 18%". She's not making that call.

If this idiot had such an issue with the included gratuity, she could have simply asked the server, who could have explained it, and if she still had an issue, she could have asked for the manager. What she didn't have to do was leave a douchey, passive aggressive note for someone making three dollars an hour.

Further, she wrote the woman a note. If I send you a letter, and do not explicitly state that it's contents are confidential, I can post it on a fucking billboard if I so choose. She thought that the server was beneath her, and that she had the right to say something nasty, and she got called out. She didn't like everyone knowing what an asshole she was, and she took out her butthurt on a stranger. The fact that Applebees capitulated and fired an employee is in itself fucking disgusting, and it teaches these people that it's okay to treat service industry workers like shit. I don't care if she's a pastor, or a lawyer or a fucking cowboy, she's an asshole first.

That said, she tithes ten percent of what to who? Unless God accepts checks, this is the same as me saying, I am Ariel and I pay 10 percent of my money to ME!!! So why should I pay you more?!? That's some winning logic there, ass clown.

As an aside, I was a bartender for 7 long years. I was lucky enough to work in places where I was supported by management in shaming folks like this woman, but in case anyone's wondering, yes, if you are an utter toolshed, I will fuck with your food/drink. If that bothers you, it is probably because you have acted like a douche in a restaurant setting, and if you can't clearly delineate what constitutes acceptable behavior in public, during an exchange as simple as cash for food, drink and service, please, stay home.

Edited to add: To the folks talking about not tipping, if you're getting terrible service, please do yourself a favor and say something. Sometimes poor service is the result of a misunderstanding, and most servers really want for you to be happy. If, conversely, a server is straight treating you like shit, ask for the manager, and calmly explain. The manager will almost certainly give you a discount, if not comp your meal entirely. Leaving a shitty tip may make you feel better, but ultimately, it just makes you look really cheap and petty, and the server really could give a shit once you leave. But they'll remember you, and rest assured, they'll tell other servers about you, and you will get shitty service every time you visit, even if you were in the right.

[tropaka]

ha ha, version of events no 3

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/02/01 ... -than-god/

Ironically, Ms. Bell left a $6 tip in cash not realizing her credit card had already been debited the 18% gratuity charged for parties of six or more, according to the New York Daily News.

“I’m not sure who ended up with that money at the end of the night,†Ms. Welch told the paper. “But you can’t really argue with what’s plainly written, and what was written was insulting.â€

It is unclear whether the online firestorm will hurt Applebee’s business, but at least one customer wrote on the Hire Chelsea Back page that he would “wait a few months†before eating there because firing the waitress was a “crock.†According to the protest page, Applebee’s posted its own photo of a customer-penned note thanking the St. Louis location for its “great food and excellent service†— but took it down because that note likewise included the person’s name.

The restaurant’s statement also shed light on Applebee’s social media policy, which prohibits employees from “writing about or displaying internal APPLEBEE’S happenings that might be considered to be a breach of privacy and confidentiality†without first consulting with vice president of operations.

Despite her dismissal over the breach, it appears Ms. Welch is winning the public relations battle: As of midday Friday, the Facebook page had more than 5,400 “likes†compared to the 4,400 gleaned by Applebee’s statement, which closed in saying: “This is a regrettable situation and we wish it had never happened.â€

National Post

[paganhomeschooler]

Edited to add: To the folks talking about not tipping, if you're getting terrible service, please do yourself a favor and say something. Sometimes poor service is the result of a misunderstanding, and most servers really want for you to be happy. If, conversely, a server is straight treating you like shit, ask for the manager, and calmly explain. The manager will almost certainly give you a discount, if not comp your meal entirely. Leaving a shitty tip may make you feel better, but ultimately, it just makes you look really cheap and petty, and the server really could give a shit once you leave. But they'll remember you, and rest assured, they'll tell other servers about you, and you will get shitty service every time you visit, even if you were in the right.

As I said, she never came back! She didn't offer to refill our drinks. She didn't ask us if we needed anything else. She didn't ask us how the food was cooked, nothing. We couldn't even ask her for the manager because she was not there. And, I don't see how "This ain't Taco Bell, honey" is a misunderstanding. That is called being rude and disrespectful to a person who is paying you.

Sorry, being rude is being rude. If I know I rely on someone's impression of me being a good server, I'm not going to be rude to them. I also don't have to worry about further service because we won't go back. That was 8 or 9 years ago, and we've not only not gone back but told anyone who would listen how rude they were. Mexican restaurants are a dime a dozen around here. There are ones with much better food, much better prices, and servers who are polite and helpful. We patronize them and tip them well.

And I shudder to think you had mangers who permitted you to tamper with customer's food/drink. That is unsanitary and unprofessional, not to mention a major health code violation. I used to work in food service as well, and no matter how rude a customer was, that NEVER would have been tolerated in the restaurants where I worked! Not serving someone who is being a douche is one thing. Spitting in or whatever else you did to their food is just plain disgusting and rude.

[ceg045]

Not that it matters if it's national corporate policy, because it's hypocritical all the way around, but to clarify one thing: the location that posted the complimentary receipt notes is not the same one caught up in the current drama. I live probably 5-10 minutes from the latter; the former is out in the county.

[clarinetpower]

She says she left a tip in cash, but how would we know? Besides, this isn't the server's fault. The 18% is added automatically by the computer when the party is large. That is also stated in black and white on every menu. I've worked in a lot of restaurants, and it's always been the same. If you don't like it, sit at 5 different booths. That was corporate policy, too, and there was no need for her behavior.

I would love to see her get a job as a server for a year, so she can see what she did. No matter how good you are, you always encounter jerks that treat you like sub human. But now in the internet age, they won't always get away with it.

If I managed a restaurant, I'd hire the fired server.

[VooDooChild]

As an aside, I was a bartender for 7 long years. I was lucky enough to work in places where I was supported by management in shaming folks like this woman, but in case anyone's wondering, yes, if you are an utter toolshed, I will fuck with your food/drink. If that bothers you, it is probably because you have acted like a douche in a restaurant setting, and if you can't clearly delineate what constitutes acceptable behavior in public, during an exchange as simple as cash for food, drink and service, please, stay home.

Retaliation is not acceptable behavior either. By your logic I could key the car of somebody who tailgated me because the "acted like a douche". I've done nothing but work in the food industry. No matter how much of an asshat a customer is I would never have fucked with their food or drink. Why? Because it's wrong. It's food that somebody is paying for. Don't fuck with it.

[cjsmom]

Hmm, I'm surprised. In Canada, minimum wage laws apply to all occupations - our servers make minimum wage plus tips.

In BC, wait staff earn less than minimum wage.

I served through college, and while I heard a lot of really fun things from fundie-lites trying to win my soul, never saw anything close to as low as this.

[loveandwar]

This story makes me so mad. I hope they hire the waitress back.

I know someone who did something like this, except he left a really rude comment on the receipt and then joked about it right before our group left the restaurant. I felt bad for the waiter, so I added another $5 to my tip. I'm surprised our receipts never ended up on Reddit...

[razingruth]

WOW! This is really timely. I had something similar happen last week and I blogged about it.

This "pastor" is just upset that her ridiculousness was put out there for all to see. She simply never anticipated that the server would out her tackiness. Leaving tracts or passive-aggressive notes for your server only makes you look like an ass. If you didn't like the service, say something. If you have a problem with how your bill was calculated, tell us. If we can do something about it, and you're not acting like an entitled jerk, then we will most likely find a way to keep you happy.

Large parties are HARDER TO WORK- that's why there's a tip worked in. Frankly, until I waitressed, I never thought about the extra work large parties create.

Want your food all together? Generally, if you're a large party, I have to pull someone else off their tables or pull a kitchen crew member to help me serve, otherwise, the plates get served at different times and someone could be finished by the time I get to the last service.

Want you food hot? I have to make sure the kitchen realizes that you're a big party and to plan your meals to come out accordingly.

Want what you ordered given to you? Multiple people means multiple plates of food and I've yet to see a large group that stays in the same chairs I took their orders in! LOL! It's like musical chairs. But, woe to me if I give you the wrong plate. Eeeeeep. I realize it would be way too much trouble for people like this woman to just politely hand their food to their neighbor (with whom they likely played musical chairs), but you know...screaming "THIS ISN'T WHAT I ORDERED" and looking at me like I'm on fire works too. :roll:

Large parties = more time at that table. That social hour turns into two hours and I've lost that many more times to sit more people and earn more money. For those who don't get what I'm saying,...

If there's a party of 20 sitting in my section for two hours, then I am serving a party of twenty for two hours and getting 20 peoples' worth of tips (hopefully). In that same two hours, I could've had 60 people (in smaller parties) and collect 60 peoples' tips.

Want your drinks filled four times? Larger parties keep you hopping with their constant need for refills and such.

Basically, I see it like this: if you have a large party, then get it catered or pay the gratuity. Don't stiff the waitress. It's happened to me so many times I've lost count.

Sorry for the rant.

signed,

Ruth- your waitress.

[ems]

Read a rehash of the story on a blog sent via a friend. Actually the blog overall is interesting - written by a gay Christian man.

gcnjustin.tumblr.com/post/41872636013/i-give-god-10-why-do-you-get-18

I read this on the Huffington Post. This guy is awesome! (The blogger, NOT the "pastor.")

[gardenvarietycitizen]

This story makes me so mad. I hope they hire the waitress back.

I know someone who did something like this, except he left a really rude comment on the receipt and then joked about it right before our group left the restaurant. I felt bad for the waiter, so I added another $5 to my tip. I'm surprised our receipts never ended up on Reddit...

I've done this too (minus the written comments though, thankfully) - had a libertarian jackass roommate who would go on and on about not tipping and leave nothing and laugh, I could not bear it and would just tip his part. We did not have such a good relationship afterwards.

I'm too lazy to do much math, particularly after a few beers, so my baseline at anywhere I run a bill has always been, divide by ten (easy), double it, then round UP to whatever the most convenient number to leave is. If the bill is under $10 (I'm cheap) I'll generally leave at least $2. Alternatively if I'm just going to the counter to order beers at the pub that is kind enough to let my nerdly self sit there and read books in the corner (certainly not helping the image of the place no doubt!), I just pay an extra dollar per beer.

I will say though I do prefer places that don't require tipping, but alas, the US is not that way.

[ems]

I agree, the pastor is an idiot. And she will probably not ask Applebee's to relent and hire the server back since she only called Applebee's to complain about what happened, not to apologize to the server. It'll be interesting to see if the pastor's church fires her or not.

However, the server erred as well. She embarrassed a customer publicly. How can she expect to keep her job, as someone who provides customer service, if she is known to publicly embarrass customers she doesn't like? I think she should have blurred out the signature and the merchant ID # on the photo of the check before posting it on reddit. Then she would still have a job. (It's not that I disagree with what she did- in fact, I applaud it. But have some sense, cover your ass and make sure nothing can be traced back to you if you're going to post something on reddit.)

I feel like she just should have gotten a warning about not posting any customer-identifying information online...from what I've read, she didn't blur it out b/c she didn't think it was legible. So...thoughtless, but I don't think she was trying to "out" the pastor as an asshole (which pastor was) personally; she just didn't think it through. So between firing this server and bitching about Obamacare....booo Applebees.

[Miggy]

When I first read the article I took the Pastor's side - why should she have to pay an 18% tip? That is huge! (I didn't like the bit comparing it to tithing.) Now, after reading this whole thread, I am feeling a huge amount of pity/sympathy for anyone working in the US as a waitor or waitress. How do any of you survive? My fifteen year old works at a cafe and makes $14/hour. (This is well above minimum wage for his age but the boss likes to look after his staff.) They have a small jar on the counter for tips but the staff made a decision (I stress here that it was the staff together and not the bosses) to donate all tips to charity. My husband worked for MacDonalds when we were first married and he was paid $18/hour. How can anyone survive on $2.01/hour or just on tips? I will remember to be generous should I ever visit the US.

[Scribber]

The thing about this that REALLY gets me?? She signed it "Pastor" :clap: I mean really?!?! Is that little bit of info really necessary?? (Heck, the pastor at my church doesn't even like people to call him "Pastor" because he says he wants us to see him as an equal and not as though he is above us...)

When I first read the article I took the Pastor's side - why should she have to pay an 18% tip? That is huge! (I didn't like the bit comparing it to tithing.) Now, after reading this whole thread, I am feeling a huge amount of pity/sympathy for anyone working in the US as a waitor or waitress. How do any of you survive? My fifteen year old works at a cafe and makes $14/hour. (This is well above minimum wage for his age but the boss likes to look after his staff.) They have a small jar on the counter for tips but the staff made a decision (I stress here that it was the staff together and not the bosses) to donate all tips to charity. My husband worked for MacDonalds when we were first married and he was paid $18/hour. How can anyone survive on $2.01/hour or just on tips? I will remember to be generous should I ever visit the US.

18% is huge?? Really??

I've always been under the impression that an "average" service gets a 15% tip - and I often try to tip 20-25% if the service is good.

That said - you fifteen year old makes $14/hour!??! My husband is 30 and makes "about" that when his salary is broken down - granted he works 70 hours a week...