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See What This Alleged Man of God Wrote on a Tip Receipt That Has a Lot of People Upset

Jan. 30, 2013 1:40pm Becket Adams

Here are two questions: First, if you disagree with a restaurant’s tipping policy, should you take it out on the server? Second, even if you disagree on the amount being asked, should you really bring tithing into the discussion?

That appears to have happened at a St. Louis-area restaurant recently.

Reddit user “GateFlan,” who claims to be a server, posted the following photo on Tuesday showing how an alleged “pastor” reacted to the restaurant’s automatic gratuity policy, adding, “My mistake sir, I’m sure Jesus will pay for my rent and groceries”:

Alleged Pastor Doesnt Think he Should Have to Tip His Waitress 18 Percent Because He Already Tips God 10

Courtesy Huffington Post

The server claims the party’s bill was greater than $200 and that the man tried to have it broken up so as to avoid paying the automatic gratuity.

“Parties up to eight at my work may tip whatever they’d like,” explains the server, “but larger parties receive an automatic gratuity. It’s in the computer, it’s not something I do.”

Moreover, as the server points out, the restaurant’s menus clearly state that an automatic gratuity is included on parties of eight or more (most restaurants are required to conspicuously post this).

When the group’s attempt to get out of paying the gratuity didn’t work, the “pastor” decided to lay down some “theological” passive-aggressiveness.

“I give God 10% — why do you get 18?” the customer wrote on the receipt, signing it “Pastor [redacted].”

“They had no problem with my service, and told me I was great,” the server said. “They just didn’t want to pay when the time came.”

After the photo went viral, angry Reddit users went searching for the “pastor.”

“At least one pastor was forced to issue a response denying responsibility, and the server herself has asked fellow Redditors to stop posting personal information of random people ‘who don’t deserve a Reddit mob banging down their Internet door,’” Gawker’s Neetzan Zimmerman notes.

Also, the usual disclaimer applies: This story could be a hoax.

Remember: In February, 2012, a blogger concocted some cock-and-bull story about a greedy “one percenter” who wrote “get a real job” on his receipt. It never happened and the story was created to stir up anti-Wall Street sentiment. Similarly, the above photo could be a fake designed to stoke some sort of anti-Christian sentiment (keep in mind, the photo went viral after it appeared in Reddit’s Atheism page).

Still, if the “pastor” story is indeed true, and he used his faith as an excuse to stiff his waitress, there are plenty who will be — and are — upset (even those not a fan of compulsory gratuities can say it makes the man’s faith look bad).

“We understand why someone might be upset about an automatic gratuity,” Chris Morran writes for The Consumerist. “But we can’t recall any religious texts that claim the best way to combat an unpleasant situation is to leave a passive-aggressive note while simultaneously penalizing someone who did not create the problem.”

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter.

This article has been updated.

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Comments (352)

TotallyNotATroll
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:01pm
Whether or not you disagree with the pastors logic, I have no opinion. I was raised and did used to believe at least that ‘tips’ were things you gave to people who had done exceptional service, and how much you gave wasn’t necessarily mathematically computed but given from the heart and again, depended on how good the service was. This modern idea of mandatory tipping is ridiculous, and the fact that restaurants are allowed to pay their employees less and count tips as wages is more so, completely going against the original point of tipping.

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- Gold Coin & Economic News
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:09pm
  Why is it that people who don’t give a rip about God, who try to remove Him from every public venue and who just outright hate him, get all bent out of shape when a pastor does something they think is unbecoming of a Christian, as if they even have a clue how Christians should act? Liberals can USE Christians all they want for bad examples and for their own purposes, but they never really want to follow God or know the truth.
  http://www.isthatbaloney.com/senator-dianne-feinstein-opens-gun-ban-press-conference-with-prayer/
  
  Report this comment
- The Jewish Avenger
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:16pm
  I hate hate HATE it when its FORCED . I always pay 20-30% as a tip. If exceptitional, 50%. But if its “required” then I pay it and thats it, and yes, its offensive to me.
  
  So this “Pastor” is more a hero as far as how I feel about FORCED gratuity.
  
  Please think about that… You HAVE to pay 18% because you appreciate it?
  
  gratuity [grəˈtjuːɪtɪ]
  n pl -ties
  1. (Business / Commerce) a gift or reward, usually of money, for services rendered; tip
  2. something given without claim or obligation
  
  I always feel like when its FORCED its 2. But instead something given its “something required without claim or obligation”
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:22pm
  Mandatory tipping is a tax placed by the business. I try not to frequent those places that restrict my freedoms.
  
  Report this comment
- RDavis49
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:31pm
  I 100,000% agree with you and Olive Garden is one of the worst that promote that very thing, billed tips. I refuse to patronize them ever again because of that very reason. After a large party of about 30 people, my wife and I had already agreed that we would tip the servers with a very generous tip for the good service they had provided. But, whether I’m right or wrong in what I done, when I saw that a mandatory gratuity tip had been added to my check, which was far less than what we had intended to give anyways, I went ahead (in protest) and paid the lesser. When I got home I wrote the headquarters customer service and politely expressed my feelings on the matter. They basically replied and said, “tough shipt, it’s our policy to bill you a tip. If you don’t like it ask the server to remove it”.. WRONG ANSWER OLIVE GARDEN… So, not only has their policy cheated their server of at least triple the billed tip amount, it has cost Olive Garden many customer all in one greedy stroke. I may be only a drop in the bucket, customer wise, to them, but I have many friends, relatives and business associates that have now sworn off Olive Garden for that very same reason. You are right, the TIP is an ADDITIONAL compliment of ones appreciation for good services rendered. Mandatory or billed tipping is just another liberal socialist/communist democrat idea run amuck and I’ll have no part of it. I’m so sorry for the servers who’s company cost them better tips.
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:40pm
  18% is a good tip, the server should have been happy with that
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:51pm
  Don’t call it a tip then, call it a service fee. “Parties of X or greater number is subject to Y% service fee, gratuity not required”. This reflects the extra work the staff must put into taking care of a single large party of people.
  
  Report this comment
- charliesouth
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 3:07pm
  “Why is it that people who don’t give a rip about God, who try to remove Him from every public venue and who just outright hate him, get all bent out of shape when a pastor does something they think is unbecoming of a Christian, as if they even have a clue how Christians should act? Liberals can USE Christians all they want for bad examples and for their own purposes, but they never really want to follow God or know the truth.”
  
  Are you a joke? We get bent out of shape when people “of faith” try to use their religion as a way to political inhibit others (ie gay marriage). If you want us to abide by your rules, you damn well better abide by them yourselves. “…as if they even have a clue how Christians should act?” You smug punk, I was born and raised Catholic, and with enough common sense to recognize hypocrisy when I see it.
  
  Report this comment
- SWING HARD
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 3:26pm
  Who really gives a FF about this?
  
  Report this comment
- KyleD
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 3:35pm
  I completely agree with you on this. The world has gone tip crazy. It seems everywhere you go tips are popping up as a mandatory practice and it’s becoming ridiculous. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t eat out anymore. Restaurants are already pretty expensive, add on the tips and it’s just not worth it, especially given the fact that most of the time I can make better quality food at home.
  
  As for the whole “I give God 10%” thing…that’s just idiotic and if I didn’t know some crazy nuts who actually say and believe stuff like that I’d think this was just made up by some liberal atheist.
  
  Report this comment
- MDGrim
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:16pm
  This is an obvious fake. Examination of the handwriting by even people with limited knowledge of such things can Identify the upstroke (the small trails left when the pen is lifted but the hand is still in motion) on the “I give God..” text leads up and to the right. while the upstroke on the numbers written “34.93″ trail at all. The compact overly rounded text in the “…God…” sentence looks inconsistent with the longer more sweeping writing in the numbers on the amount line. The “0″ as written on the additional tip line has the start and stop points significantly overlap while the “0″ in the “10%” in the “…God…” statement do not even converge let alone overlaping.. the inconsistency is obvious. Aside from that, does anyone know any pastor anywhere who signs anything with a Prefix of Pastor? If the do, do they write Pastor centered and tilting upwards _above_ their name?
  
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- biohazard23
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:18pm
  Maybe the “pastor” was really Mr. Pink?
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-qV9wVGb38
  
  Report this comment
- grimmster
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:24pm
  If you believe this actually happened,i have swamp land in the gobi desert to sell you…….
  
  Report this comment
- Angel_light
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:25pm
  The Jewish Avenger- I feel the exact same way. thank you, I couldn’t have said it better myself!
  
  Report this comment
- ArchaicSEAL
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:28pm
  Firstly, as Christians we are called to give… not complain. The fact that this “pastor” complains like a whiny little bich just goes to show how far Christianity in America has fallen. We aren’t supposed to make others feel bad, we aren’t supposed to degrade other people, we are called to lift up and to take any kind of punishment that this world may throw at us and just shrug our shoulders and move along without causing a war. The sad aspect that this “teacher” has control of the minds of his congregation is, sadly, ridiculous… But then again Americans, for the most part, right or left, are out right ridiculous.
  
  Secondly, on a more capitalistic view, restaurants charging any % flat tip is ridiculous as well. For all we know the service sucked badly, the server was not attentive to the “guests” and that in and of itself precludes anyone from having to give a tip. One should tip based on the level of the service offered. Whether your party is 2 people or 50. Also, if you go into a restaurant with a large party and see that gratuity is included by default on large parties then you have the CHOICE to stay or go. If you don’t like it, go to another restaurant without it, if you stay, then deal with the policy of the business. I personally choose the few restaurants that do not have this policy, because I tip WELL if the server busted his or her @ss. And I will tip but very little if I feel ignored.
  
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- FoundingPrinciples
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:35pm
  And when exactly did the standard tipping rate go up? I remember when a standard tip was 10%, then it went up to 15%, now it’s 20%. How does that figure? The rate should never go up, regardless of the rate of inflation. 10% should be the going rate. If you receive exceptional service and want to give more, then feel free, but we shouldn’t feel obligated to give 20%. But that’s just me.
  
  Report this comment
- tomtheballoonguy
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:36pm
  You may not like it, but here is how the restaurant industry works.
  
  Your server is required to pay a % of your bill to the federal government in taxes.
  
  If its a nice restaurant, they will at least have a bartender and a buss-person, both of which are paid by the server based on the total of your bill.
  
  If the server wants the job, they have to pay these fees.
  
  In a nicer restaurant, there might also be a host, steward, wine steward, salad steward… All of whom are are paid by the server, not based on how much you tip, but on the total sales that server made for the night.
  
  If a large party comes in to a nice restaurant, the server could be out of pocket a hundred dollars or more regardless of whether you tip or not.
  
  For that reason, many servers would not take the financial ricks of serving a large party, unless there is an automatic gratuity.
  
  Servers are stiffed all the time, but they are the only ones in the restaurant who don’t get paid when this happens.
  
  If you don’t want to tip, the go to a restaurant that isn’t structured that way… like McDonald’s.
  
  Report this comment
- BlackCrow
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:36pm
  Thank the IRS. A restaurant is required to report a percentage of a severs receipts for income tax regardless of how much that server actually receives in tips. So now you have someone making less than minimum wage forced to pay taxes on income they may or may not receive. I know how long I would work under those kind of rules. A counter person at McDonalds does better than the waiter at an upscale restaurant. “You want fries with that?”
  
  As for the mandatory 18% on a 200 dollar tab? I’ve been close to that for an anniversary diner at a nice but not “five star” eatery. I would have been just as POd had I had gotten that on my tab but I would have demanded to see the manager and informed them what I thought o their policy, the IRS and paid cash for as close to the billed amount as possible. Then if they want to call the police, I’ll see you in court. I’d rather pay a lawyer than be forced to pay a gratuity.
  
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- thetwilightzone
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:57pm
  I agree with you TOTALLYNOTATROLL. A tip is suppose to be something extra for excellent service not part of the server’s wage. It should be totally up to the person leaving the tip as to how much they want to leave.
  
  Report this comment
- cleverphraseillustratingmyallegiance
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 5:01pm
  is it so difficult to just say cheap b*****d?
  
  Report this comment
- JRook
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 5:20pm
  @Gold Coin & Economic News While I know this might cause you some degree of ideological hardship you might want to consider that some Christians are actually Liberals and some conservatives are not born again Christians. As far as this pastor is concerned he nothing more than a cheapskate.
  
  Report this comment
- Ballot_Box_Revolution
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 6:10pm
  That was a dumb move on his part. You are giving religion a bad name….
  
  However I do have a problem with automatic gratuity. They know they are going to get it, so they dont work as hard. Went to chevys to eat with a party of 7. 6+ gets automatically charged gratuity. Mind you we have ate many times there, and have had the same servers over and over. One of them always seemed like a slacker but kept drinks full and made asked if we needed anything now and then. We got that server with the party of 7 and his true colors shined. it was one of the worse services ever had.
  
  Report this comment
- mattwakulik
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 6:49pm
  Well, I do understand where you are coming from And you are correct to a point. But here in this case it is different And here is why, this was a “party” of people who were dining at this establishment And in most cases at any restaurant it is standard practice to charge an auromatic gratuity. I have worked in the service industry for 17 yrs And this is very common. And An %18 is actually lower than the more popular auto gratuity %20. They do this because waiting on ten people is alot more difficult than waitin on 3 or 4 people. We actually need to get all the facts in this particular case And find out how many people were in this dining party
  
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- orkydorky
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 7:18pm
  A tip should not be mandatory at any time. It’s a complimentary gift that says “you went beyond the norm to give me excellent service”. Sometimes those services are not great and the servers don’t deserve anything extra but a boot in the behind. So those restaurants adding tips automatically can do without my business.
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 7:19pm
  I always ask if the restaurant includes the tip before I go in or make a reservation. They usually only do it with big party’s because that’s when the wait staff usually gets hosed. I have only one time left no tip but I told the waiter and the manager why before I left. But I first asked if he was in training which he wasn’t. I have worked in the industry so I know “never” to be rude to wait staff as lots of things can be hidden in food. This waiter was the worst, rude, basically dropping the plates on the table and never to be seen again…amazingly they looked shocked when I told them he would not get a tip….I was cursed at and told never to return….no problemo….on the other hand I gave a good waitress a 20 % tip for the worst meal ever eaten. She was a good waiter and when I asked her to go into the kitchen and ask the cook if my meal came out of the dumpster she did…..awesome.
  
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- busterpuddles
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 7:19pm
  TOTALLYNOTATROLL is absolutely right. Gratuity is a gift, not part of the bill itself. You can’t force someone to say thank you. You can’t force someone to send compliments to the chef. The patron is doing the restaurant a favor by frequenting the establishment and spreading the word of how good it was to other people. On average, I’m a heavy tipper already. Once, even up to 50%. If you force charge me a gratuity, I’m not paying it and I’m not coming back.
  
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- busterpuddles
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 7:33pm
  CHARLISOUTH, I was also raised Catholic and catholics that stick to the rules don’t believe in gay marriage because The Bible calls it an abomination. Just ask the Pope.
  
  Report this comment
- puravida56
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 7:35pm
  @ tomthebaloon guy- thanks for saying that. I worked in restaurants in college and would get so mad when I had to claim more income on taxes than I actually made because I was stiffed by a big party that was angry over something outside of my control.
  
  Report this comment
- ChiefGeorge
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 8:04pm
  I agree that mandatory or automatic tipping is expected these days. As long as the service was good and that it should be anyways as they do get paid outside the tips and the business if it wants to stay in business should do a good service regardless of tips. Problem is, they’ve tied tips and wages together and now its become expected part of their arrangement but they forgot one problem, we are the customer. We tip if we like and not tip if we no likey service.
  
  Report this comment
- qualityrkc
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 8:29pm
  Archaic gets it! Wish more christians did…
  
  Report this comment
- jteagle
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 10:08pm
  Rdavis… maybe you should eat at a better restaurant than frigging olive garden. May as well go to McDonald’s. Same food quality.
  
  Report this comment
- SgtB
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 10:53pm
  I think that we are one of the few nations that allows this kind of crap to go on. Almost nowhere else are servers expecting a tip for their simple and easy job of drink serving and plate delivery. I have no sympathy for these limp-wristed plate jockeys when most of them get better paid than I do. And might I add that I work in the commercial electric field and run the very real risk of electrocution and if I don’t do my job right the building can catch fire and kill dozens of people! When was the last time a waitress had to ensure that her customers didn’t burn alive upon receiving their order?
  
  Tipping should only be for those of us who excel at our vocations and whose excellence is observed and appreciated by willing customers of our labor. Restaurants need to just add in the cost of min. wage food servers to the menu price and deal with it. I get it though, then they would have to pay far more in FICA taxes and unemployment. But screw them, every other business already deals with it.
  
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- Helaman
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 11:25pm
  I no longer support businesses who pay their employees less than minimum wage and use the tips as part of their wages. And what is even sadder is that the US Government is responsible for this by requiring tips to be counted as income.
  
  I tip because of good service, I do not donate to their mandated payroll contributions.
  
  I remember many years ago of a guy in Florida who hijacked a school bus because the IRS stated he owed money from tips he never received. How wrong is that?
  
  Report this comment
- JohnofOregon
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 12:01am
  This never happened. I have heard this story over the years…before the Internet.
  
  Report this comment
- charliesouth
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 12:31am
  BUSTERPUDDLES I said I was born and raised,doesn’t mean I still am, just exuding the point that I have an inkling on how Christians should behave. Speaking of which, the only time homosexuality is mentioned as an “abomination” in the bible is in Leviticus, which also states growing two different crops in the same field, wearing cloths of mixed materials, and getting tattoos are all punishable by death…yet Christians conveniently choose the one that society has told us is “icky” without actually questioning how evil it really is.
  
  Report this comment
- Phattdad144
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 6:02am
  It seems to me the point is that because he is a Christian he is expected to give the shirt off his back at a non-Christians demand. Tips are voluntary. So a business that demands it should not be visited.
  
  Report this comment
- old white guy
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 8:51am
  if i go into a place that has mandatory tipping i turn around and leave. if the restaurant cannot pay their staff adequately from the revenue they generate then it is time to close. tips are for service and the customer gets to decide how much not the restaurant.
  
  Report this comment
- RobbieTLHughie
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 10:46am
  The Blaze – We hate giving poor people more money than they deserve. Want more money? Bootstraps. Thanks, goodnight.
  
  Report this comment
- Annarie
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 8:52pm
  I too have ended up giving less because of automatic gratuity, but here’s the deal: It is not the server’s fault and they do work for pennies unless they are tipped. Most of them I have been served by earned at least 20%. If they don’t deserve a tip, I still tip…just not a lot. I am a Christian and I just think it’s the right thing to do….pay for service. Doesn’t that pastor get paid for services rendered…and I’m sure more than $2.10 an hour. Maybe he doesn’t always earn his pay but he still gets it. It is about what Jesus would do. Poor manners and stinginess are still just poor manners and stinginess no matter who you are.
  
  Report this comment
txblaze
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:01pm
Sigh. I remember the good ole days when a tip meant the server did a great job serving us. Now it’s a must-do.

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- RANGER1965
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:14pm
  This whole situation was created by the IRS. Allowing the Restaurant to pay them less and the difference is made up with tips.
  
  Here is the simple solution. Everyone gets paid a normal competitive wage. The server that actually get’s the tip takes 20% off the top. The remaining 80% is pooled and shared with the staff for that shift.
  The 20% bonus encourages the servers to be awesome, the entire working staff benefits from the tips on that shift, so it encourages them to be good too.
  
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- hatchetjob
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:17pm
  Luckily, I don’t eat out anymore. They can stuff their tip.
  
  Report this comment
- boomboom
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:27pm
  Tips are a choice…like being a cheap-skate is a choice.
  
  It’s Still a choice.
  
  Report this comment
- checkingbothsides
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 5:49pm
  Ranger, I actually agree with all that – but is it the server’s fault that the system is set up that way? Should they be happy about making 3 dollars an hour or less so we can feel good about not bowing to government subservience? P.S.-You’re arguing for a minimum wage.
  
  Report this comment
- Marli
  Posted on February 12, 2013 at 8:50pm
  BoomBoom , it all boils down to that.
  
  Report this comment
floridaborn
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:01pm
I have been in restaurants that include the gratuity that had terrible service, and the management will not consider lowering it if you complain. I disagree with that practice altogether and will not frequent that restaurant again.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:19pm
  It will be much easier with Obamacare. A lot of restaurant & thus servers will be shaken out rightly or wrongly. It will be much easier to give bad businesses a friendly shove by no repeat business.
  
  Report this comment
ustake2
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:59pm
A real “pastor”? Hmm, “This story could be a hoax.” “stoke anti-Christian sentiment” – yes. Would this be a “cheerful giver” as is in 2 Corinthians – no.

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- hatchetjob
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:19pm
  A cheerful giver is one thing, but 18% is a joke, Christian or not.
  
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- chips1
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:21pm
  It’s possible that the person wasn’t a real pastor. Where was Jackson or Sharpton?
  
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- brigott
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 6:16pm
  CHIPS1, you may be right about the individual not being a real pastor – there are thousands of fakes out there.
  
  But do you really think Jackson or Sharpton tithe 10%?
  
  I don’t.
  
  Report this comment
- VanceUppercut
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:02pm
  @ustake2
  
  Yes, once again, everything that doesn’t fit your view is a hoax. Anyhow, I remember a while back when there was a story about a group of black women who refused to tip the required gratuity, and were then physically prevented from leaving while the police were called, and eventually were forced to pay under threat of arrest, I don’t remember too many people coming to their defense. I believe the general line was, “If that as the policy, and they didn’t like it, they shouldn’t have eaten there.” Oh, hypocrisy.
  
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Agent P
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:58pm
I am not a handwriting expert but it looks to me like the “0″ on the Adtl Tip box was not made by the same person who wrote the note. If I had been to a meal with my pastor, and he insisted on paying his own bill, I would at least pay the gratuity for him. Just a thought….

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term limits for congress
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:58pm
The picture shows $34, but the story says over $200. Which is it?

Remove all ribs from the menu. Charge for extra lemons. Meal complaints will get your NEXT meal free – not this meal. Play old/traditional country music. No blender drinks. Serve all liquor in shot glasses and allow the customer to add it to the drink.

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- RavenGlenn
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:05pm
  Read the story. The claim is that the party was over-sized and had the check broken up into individual portions. The mandatory tip doesn’t magically go away because you have a party of 20 but break it down into single payments.
  
  Report this comment
onetoomany
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:58pm
The tip is marked out but looks like 6 or 8 dollars and some cents. That is not 18% of over $200.00 where are they getting the bill was over $200, it clearly says $34.93? He should tip regardless, and he didn’t leave anything. I heard a story about how waitresses hate the after church crowd going to restaurants after church on Sundays because they are notoriously bad tippers. That is why they always look for a buffet type so they don’t have to tip!

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- walnutportconservative
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:10pm
  Baloney!
  Never heard that one before.
  
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- JULIKINS209
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:10pm
  I disagree,
  A tip means the service was appreciated and was above and beyond what is their normal duty. When did it become the norm that we HAVE to pay a tip? I tip according to my service. A lot of the times I give a generous tip. Sometimes I give none. It all depends on the service. I don’t feel obligated to leave a tip when my service has been below par and neither should anyone else.
  
  Report this comment
- busygirl
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:31pm
  I don’t know about the buffet thing, but I worked in the restaurant industry for years and experienced the lower tips after services in person so I can speak from experience. Even members of the church I attended more often than not failed to leave any tip at all, and once I even got a note that said I should have been at church instead of working anyway. And no, I wasn’t bad at my job. Fortunately I was actually GREAT at my job and the other shifts I worked made up for the Sunday and Wednesday nights I was scheduled.
  
  Report this comment
- bumfuzeled
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:08pm
  You are correct, the only group of people that are worse (demanding and no tipping) are the folks of the Obama/Colin Powell persuasion. They not only stiff on the tip but often complain about the service to get their meal free or get a free dessert. I would not even eat at a restaurant if I was of color because the wait staff assume you won’t tip and often “alter” your order. I have never done that but have seen it on many occasions.
  
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- JH0861
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:25pm
  18% of $34.93 is $6.29
  I have to say that as someone who has worked in restaurants as a server and bartender the reason grats are put on large groups is to prevent the server from getting completely screwed by a customer. I’ve seen situations where a server had wait on 20+ people who were taking up their entire section for a couple hours buying hundreds of dollars worth of food and drinks and then give a $5.00 tip. Something people may not know is that servers have to tip out bussers and bartenders and if you give them no tip or an extremely small tip the can actually lose money.
  
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- OniKaze
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:33pm
  @onetoomany
  
  I not only have heard of that, I also know it from experience. Back in the day, I was a server for about 2 months, until I realized that I lived in a city of cheapskates.. I would ask the other servers if I was doing a bad job, or if I was a jerk and just didn’t know it (which I am, just not while working, it’s not professional), and they told me that they were making even less in tips than I was….
  
  It always happened with the late Sunday morning Crowd, or Wednesday evening crowd… (typically worked twice as hard, and made half as much) I just chalked it up to the Church folks gave all they could spare as their 10% tithing, and couldn’t afford to be nice to me and God at the same time… Which looking back, may be where I started associating religious folks with generally being hypocrites (I know it’s not all of you.. Just alot of you..).
  
  After about 2 months, I had had it trying to “make a living” off of service gratuity and settle for a stable source of income… Best decision I have ever made… I have not had a problem paying any of my bills since, now that I know how much I will make, and when I will get it…
  
  That is the risk you take being a server.. Love it or leave it…
  
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Ramv36
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:58pm
As a St Louisian, I’d like to know the restaurant so I can be sure not to go there.

Automatic gratuity is a misnomer that I do not agree with or approve of. We are a meritocracy, not an auto-tipocracy!

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- checkingbothsides
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 6:05pm
  As a fellow St.Louisan, I don’t want you to go out to eat period. These people NEED their tips to make a wage that’s not laughabl. And the reason they do automatic gratuity on large parties is to keep the server from being screwed over by a huge group.
  
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IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:58pm
The way the economy is going and the price of food has gone up both in grocery stores and eating out, they are lucky to be getting 10%. It wasn’t the patrons that had upped the percentage. That is economics if we don’t have the money, we can’t pay or we are in debt as we can’t write a check as it would be returned. ahhh Capitalism.

If this story is true were the patrons told they would have to pay that in tips beforehand?

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jungle J
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:57pm
I am glad I don’t know this rat preacher.

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- CulperGang
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:15pm
  The preacher is right it is vile to force someone to be “gratefull.” It is not about being cheap. It is about some ingrates who DEMAND that YOU appreciate their work. Suppose you don’t like how they did their job??????? why should anybody pay them anyway….besides theirpaycheck??
  Many jobs don’t have “Tip on demand.” Pastors right. I was in a huge group. They gave us indivdual checks , with the prewritten gratuity. I did exactly what the pastor did. And wrote…..
  “You should appreciate the fact that you have customers. They don’t have to appreciate that you put the food on the table.” Bye.
  
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- whatthecrazy
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:34pm
  Im glad you don’t either.
  
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- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 7:26pm
  Mr or Ma CULPERGANG,
  
  This is what you must know:
  
  You give humans a bad name.
  
  It is so.
  
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RoDogg
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:56pm
I think we should really try to tick off some waiters and start leaving a 1099 with their tip since they are complaining about something most hide from the IRS!!!

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- chips1
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:31pm
  They just raised the minimum wage to take the place of mandatory tips. People that do outstanding service should be shown that they are recognized for being above average.
  
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beardedjesse
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:56pm
Reddit is a haven for people that hate religion, Christianity & any thought of putting a God ahead of the human being. The website has a history of slamming Christians especially. I wouldn’t even give this article any credit since this was probably completely made up by the typical angry, hipster Reddit Atheist. Next week when something other than hating Christians & being an Atheist isn’t popular anymore, they will gravitate towards some other hobby.

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The Jewish Avenger
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:56pm
Interesting that the Pastor was added later…

Sounds like a leftist promoting another hate crim… oops!

….I mean another politically correct rally for tolerance…

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TumbleBumble
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:56pm
Hmmm. Claims that ‘pastor’ asked for separate checks to get out of paying mandatory gratuity. Also claims that adding the 18% is done by computer and she has no control of it. Then why, when separate checks were issued, did the 18% mandatory gratuity show up on the receipt? Does the computer have the ability to know this person sat at a table with seven other people?

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- RavenGlenn
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:06pm
  Umm…yes. It does. When you have all of the meals in the system on one table then use the same system to divide the check up, it doesn’t magically forget that the table was of X amount of people in size.
  
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- hatchetjob
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:26pm
  Just like in the casino’s where the house always wins.
  
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DimmuBorgir
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:54pm
Hmmmm, Reddit user… anti-christian theme… another “tip”

I’m going to go ahead and say this is fake, just like the others.

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- JediKnight
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:01pm
  I pretty much take everything that comes out of Reddit with a grain of salt until it’s confirmed by an outside source.
  
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- AvengerK
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:42pm
  That’s a big deal from someone like you SHAGRATH. Cheers.
  
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WeStateMedia
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:54pm
As a believer myself, I find a lack of discernment here on the pastor’s part. If the tip was already added, then just don’t write a tip in, sign the receipt, and move on with your day. Using Biblical justification for what he said as well as going out of his way to make a negative remark to someone just doing their job (which is already crappy in most wait staff positions) was out of line, IMO.

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- RANGER1965
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:08pm
  He decided he was gonna use God as a club to beat on the waitress.
  
  Everytime I’ve used God as a club, God’s turned around and beat the livin’ crap out of me, usually with the same club I’ve made.
  
  It’s a hard damned lesson. And I’m not a pastor. I think the Bible goes into detail on how teachers of the Word are judged to a higher standard….ouch!! He’s gonna be in the heavenly woodshed for awile.
  
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- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:09pm
  Just wondering out loud here: Does the MENU or anything in the restaurant say anything about PARTIES LARGER THAN X will be charged an automatic 18%? If not and that’s what they want, then it should. I think the “PASTOR” would have served GOD better by paying it and making a note to himself to either not go there again if it bothered him so much or to expect the charge next time.
  
  Good GRIEF!!! God owns everything, HE doesn’t need our $ (which is all from Him anyway) but He needs our discipline and obedience!! I don’t think this was a good thing to write. I always try to tip any wait staff as much as I can as my kids worked their way through college in part by waiting tables!
  Not that I appreciate anyone telling me how much to tip, but Generosity is one of those amazing things that comes back to us many fold. Don’t blame GOD for what some of His free-willed creations do. I do hope they’ll correct the situation however and make sure customers know what they are in for prior to ordering! Pastor: You are seen as representing GOD 24/7 … I think another visit to this place and an apology to this server is in order.
  
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mccracken
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:53pm
Have God bring your drink refill then.

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- whatthecrazy
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:40pm
  If i were you i would be leary of a Godly smack down but i fear you are not wise enough to be concerned.
  
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- M13
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 3:19pm
  I wish I could have God bring me a drink but he is to busy skeet shooting at Camp David to bother with me.
  
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- Dougsopinion
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 3:24pm
  Give to GOD what is GOD’S, give to Ceasar what is Ceasars. You want a tip? Don’t pet a burning dog! I have no problem tipping when the server earns it. Mandatory tipping is a joke. Restaraunts are going to be losing alot of business if they keep this up.
  
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AvengerK
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:53pm
I’m instantly suspicious when a “disgruntled” person wants to publish photos of the offending receipt on the internet.

What purpose does it serve other than attempted smear?

Will the credit card company scold the holy man for his miserly attitude?

Will the holy man have a moment of doubt and repent his behaviour and give the disgruntled server the full 18% gratuity?

Perhaps a beer summit may take place?

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- OldSurfRat
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:02pm
  Avegerk
  
  Sorry if I read your comments wrong. However I did respond.
  
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- Jenny Lind
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:16pm
  So, how did the server get to keep the receipt? That belongs to the business for their records, yes? Something smells.
  
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- AvengerK
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:41pm
  No worries OLDSURF. I have to apologise to you for my aggressive assertions at times. I read your post that you mentioned. Read my response then look at “FREE_THOUGHT’s” post before yours and have a good laugh.
  Cheers.
  
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- sta
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 4:28pm
  I have to agree. Hoax.
  Notice how the server calls the Pastor “sir”. Yet the curly printed penmanship does not reflect a “sir” type writing. Look at the “t” in “Pastor” compared to the “t” in “get”. No loop at the bottom of “get” gives me pause.
  Dollars to Donuts, the Pastor got poor service, crossed out the tip because of it and the server embellished the story to get kudos on Gawker.
  
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OldSurfRat
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:52pm
If not a hoax than what a d1ck. If a hoax than the same applies.

If service is good than tip good. I figure that if I’m blessed enough to be eating that meal while served by another than I’m surly blessed enough to bless another.

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bfavre71
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:52pm
Let these young, dumb, arrogant, kids feel the effects of voting for someone they think is “COOL”. Life teaches us some tough lessons. People don’t have to tip you anything. You want a good tip, “Vote for a politician based on their voting record and not some silly slogan. “Change we can believe in?” Loose CHANGE is what you’ll be getting for tips after your “COOL” President bankrupts everyone.

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DoOrDie
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:50pm
He didn’t stiff the waitress, the 18% tip was already on the total he paid. I hate it also when a restaurant does this. 90% of the time, the service sucks and isn’t worth a 2% tip. I want the option, not to be forced. I always tip 20%, even if the service is sub par, because I know that’s how servers make a living, but it irritates the heck out of me to automatically be charged 18% before receiving the service and if they do that, I never give additional. If they wouldn’t do that, I would leave 20%, so their screwing themselves. They need to change that policy to 10% in case the service sucks. You can always add extra if the service was good.

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- SHASTADIANE1
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:18pm
  DOORDIE@ I totally agree with you. Anytime I am confronted with an automatic tip, that is ALL I leave. I do not add additional. If it is up to my disgression, I like you leave 20% or more. I find this receipt questionable also, because the only times it has happened to me, it was already added into the total. I have watched this in the past when we were in a group, and alerted others in the group, when I noticed tip had already been added. Otherwise, a lot of times, the server would end up with my normal 20% PLUS the 18% that was already added to the bill. And certainly some servers are not worth 10% even.
  
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RANGER1965
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:50pm
Picnics in the park are great. You get a little exercise, the kids can run free and howl like banshee’s,and tipping is only required when you lift a can of suds or soft drink to your lips.

Cookout’s are even better. The smell of burgers and chicken on the barbeque…Mmmmmm.

More food. Better food. Kids are outa’ your **** and having their own fun. Adults can have a conversation at normal volume.

Take your wife to restaurants. Take your friends, or church group to the park.

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- OldSurfRat
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:59pm
  LOL Ranger
  
  I will keep that one in the file.
  
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Timberline
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:49pm
I’m with the “pastor” (or whoever it really was) on this. A tip is a gratuity above and beyond the cost or goods/services provided and at the recipients discretion.

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- MisterSarcastic
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:55pm
  Servers only make two or three dollars an hour payroll. They depend on tips. If employers had to pay minimum wage it would be reflected in the retail price you’d pay more at the register. Six of one, half dozen of the other.
  
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- circleDwagons
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 2:00pm
  18% is standard for large groups. If someone does not want to tip, don’t order anthing including water.
  It is common for my wife and I to share a meal and drink water. I don’t tip on % but on service.
  
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zoro51
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:49pm
gratuity is WAY too high wiht the BAD service one gets even in drive thru.. IF ther server gave good service then pay them.. if they sucked DOPNT PAY THEM… stop bitching i swear the church has the BUCKS… but NOT THE LOVE

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MisterSarcastic
Posted on January 30, 2013 at 1:49pm
Maybe because tens of millions of people give to God, only a few hundred give to the server. You cheap S O B, are you too lazy to cook at home?

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- just my opinion maybe not yours
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 3:40pm
  Please look at this receipt closely, the 8.29 (or 6.29 cant tell) is the 18% tip, the 0 was put into the ADDITIONAL TIP line. The 18% was already in the total amount, what he didn’t do was enter an addtional tip amount! He paid the correct amount and didn’t pay anymore then what was billed to him!
  
  This is the way they deal with large groups, any group over 6 to 8 they will auto charge the tip and then the receipt has a place for additional tipping if you want to. I don’t like the auto tip but I understand it for large groups, I would not go back to a place that placed an auto tip on a receipt for 1 to 5 people though. I will not even go back somewhere when they charge me the Credit/Debit card charge on my bill. I was charged .75 to eat at a place because I used my Debit Card, their cost is about .45 but the felt they should make an extra .30 off of me! HWY 2 ROBBERY (WA State Hwy!!)!!!
  
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- God_Is_Not
  Posted on January 30, 2013 at 3:58pm
  @Just My
  
  You need to get better at math. $6.29 is 18% of $34.93. It’s not included in the $34.93. If it were, then the bill would have been lower and the tip % higher. The patron is expected to add the tip to the bill and arrive at a total payment.
  
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