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UPDATED: ‘I Give God 10%’ Tip Story Takes Interesting Twist: Pastor Revealed & the Waitress Has Allegedly Been Fired

Jan. 31, 2013 1:45pm Becket Adams

Scroll down for an update to this story including testimony from the fired server:

–

Well, it looks like there have been some major developments in that “I give God 10%” receipt story: The alleged “pastor” is real and the server who posted the photo has been fired.

A photo posted to Reddit on Tuesday by a user named “GateFlan,” who claims to be a St. Louis-area server, shows how an alleged “pastor” reacted to the restaurant’s automatic gratuity policy:

Meet Pastor Alois Bell, the Customer Who Already Tips God 10 Percent

Courtesy KTVI

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

“My mistake sir, I’m sure Jesus will pay for my rent and groceries,” the Reddit user posted along with the above photo.

The “pastor,” who had the server separate the bill for the group’s 20 members, was reportedly unhappy that the restaurant included an automatic gratuity of 18 percent on the party’s bill.

When we first reported this story, we cautioned that the photo might be part of a hoax designed to stir up some sort of anti-Christian, anti-religious sentiment (as people have pulled similar cons in the past). But it turns out the story is authentic. The pastor is very much a real person, she very much left a “snide” comment on her Applebee’s receipt, she very much complained to management about the Reddit photo, and the waitress is now very much unemployed.

“A pastor says when she left a snide comment on a receipt, she did use bad judgement, but she did leave a tip,” a Fox News affiliate in St. Louis reports

“My heart is really broken,” said Pastor Alois Bell. “I’ve brought embarrassment to my church and ministry.”

The 37-year-old pastor explains herself: “What [the photo] didn’t show is the money that I left and that we all left on the table.”

Pastor Bell claims she left $6.29 on the table and her credit card was also charged the tip amount. She also says everyone in the party left cash tips.

“I’ve actually been harassed because of this and it doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Pastor Bell, adding that although her comment may have been in poor taste, she and her ministry do good work in the community and “would never want to tarnish the light of Christianity.”

Pastor Bell (Smoking Gun)

And what of the Reddit user who posted the photo?

Pastor Bell said she called up the Applebee’s to complain about the “dissemination of her receipt,” as the Smoking Gun puts it, and was told in a follow-up conversation that the waitress was “immediately terminated” by management.

UPDATE — The Reddit user, Chelsea, tells the Consumerist a little more about the situation:

“I originally posted the note as a lighthearted joke,” says Chelsea, who was dismissed from her job at Applebee’s on Wednesday, as the story began to spread across the Internet. “I thought the note was insulting, but it was also comical. I posted it to Reddit because I thought other users would find it entertaining.”

Chelsea tells Consumerist that the receipt was actually not even for her table. Rather, the server on the receiving end of the note showed it to Chelsea, who snapped a photo of it later that night.

But wait! There’s more [emphasis added]:

Some time on Wednesday, Chelsea says the customer who had left the receipt contacted her Applebee’s location, demanding that everyone be fired, from the servers involved to the managers.

Seriously?

“We make $3.50 an hour. Most of my paychecks are less than pocket change because I have to pay taxes on the tips I make,” Chelsea said, explaining why Pastor Bell’s note got her so hot under the collar. “After sharing my tips with hosts, bussers, and bartenders, I make less than $9/hr on average, before taxes.”

“I am expected to portray a canned personality that has been found to be least offensive to the greatest amount of people,” she adds. “I come home exhausted, sore, burnt, dirty, and blistered on a good day. And after all that, I can be fired for ‘embarrassing’ someone who directly insults their server on religious grounds.”

For its part, Applebee’s has released the following statement:

Our Guests’ personal information – including their meal check – is private, and neither Applebee’s nor its franchisees have a right to share this information publicly. We value our Guests’ trust above all else. Our franchisee has apologized to the Guest and has taken disciplinary action with the Team Member for violating their Guest’s right to privacy. This individual is no longer employed by the franchisee.

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

(H/T: Jim Hoft). Featured image courtesy Smoking Gun/YouTube.

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Comments (540)

huey6367
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 3:04pm
I give a tip based on performance. When you give me crap service and expect 18%, don’t be surprised at 0%. I was involved in the service industry and I do know what good service is. Rarely do you get good service anymore.

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TIMEBOMB
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 3:04pm
I don’t frequent the bath houses as much as I used to but before my sham marriage to my manly beard I was there a lot and I never tipped. I’m entitled to great service and they owe me simply for showing up because even then I was a magnificent gay Marxist,the ruler part came when you idiots bought all my BS lies and now I’m going to destroy the world,with the help of you idiots of course.

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Jezreel
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 3:03pm
Women need their rights to vote to be taken away too and Obama is a result of very stupid women voting him in. As far as the pastor is about the 10%, he must be a hireling. Jesus Christ IS the Tithe of God.

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- katzkiner
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:42pm
  Do you get the feeling many vote with their lady parts, too?
  
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LovinUSA
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 3:01pm
The waitress should not have been let go because of this rude behavior by this patron. Most waiters and waitress depend on those tips to make up for the crap those restaurant owners pay them. I hope the patron is happy now, this poor person who lost their job over this has got to go job hunting again BECAUSE of this pissy display of attitude, I can’t say I would be joining her congregation anytime soon.

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The_Jerk
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 3:00pm
Hey, I agree with the pastor. I object to the Blaze calling it a snide remark. Tips are not mandatory. This 18% was mandatory. The restaurant is lying.

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AltaOil2
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:57pm
Kowing that the Server had to tip out on that amount 18% is calculated to pay the others back of house. Each server does not get to keep all of it. It is a Mgmt function as so all the employess get paid. This is how it works. All Restaurant Employees DO rely on tips as income. Large groups are subject to an Auto Gratuity as it is a different function to the operations. Large groups demand more time from all areas esp the kitchen as to serve all meals hot and fresh at THE SAME TIME. As servers must “Tip Out” areas kitchen/bar/host/Mgmt %’s. Truly its not to rip people off, just deliver.
I personally think the whole thing is blown out of porportion. Both should apologize, accept this learning moment re-instate the server, as it is a Mgmt function…and move on!

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Cavallo
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:57pm
Remember Patty, the RCC believes that Capitalism is as bad as terrorism, and supports the fascist state in restricting our natural rights to self defense. They’ve very much proven to me that the State are is their true god.

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freedomisasfreedomdoes
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:53pm
“My heart is really broken,” said Pastor Alois Bell. “I’ve brought embarrassment to my church and ministry.”

Is there anyone say higher than her or her church which she brought shame to via representation? And how did she react once a light was shined upon her behavior? With Light filled activities?

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- freedomisasfreedomdoes
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:55pm
  Can’t shame God but she arrogantly represented as a Shepherd.
  
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LovinUSA
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:48pm
I don’t agree with “Auto tips” what if your service was NOT satisfactory? I do not frequent restaurants who have this on the bill, it’s as simple as that. I prefer to tip someone based on the service they are hired to give you, if it was excellent service, I’m going to tip that person OVER & ABOVE what that ripoff auto tip requirement calls for. And vice versa for unsatisfactory service.

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kiwiburgerwithcheese
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:47pm
I really don’t understand this tipping business….(I’m an immigrant, legal)….I don’t mind leaving a tip for good service, I always have, but if it’s on the receipt then it’s not a tip, it’s a charge.

Secondly, why should I tip the waitress so the restaurant owner can pay less wages to the waitress?

I will tip for good service, but not unless I want to. I have ignored the tip at one restaurant because the service was pathetic….that’s why I eat and McDs most of the time…no need to tip.

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- checkingbothsides
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 5:39pm
  You need to tip because the restaurant is going to pay the waitress the poor wage regardless of whether or not you tip. BTW, this is why a minimum wage is a good thing.
  
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- crushynn
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:52pm
  You are tipping to insure good service. That’s what it stands for; To Insure Proper Service. If the employer was paying the server an hourly wage instead, that cost would be passed on to you as a much more expensive meal. With tipping, you are paying the restaurant for the prepared food & the server according to their service. This is a GOOD THING because it incentivizes the server to give good service.
  
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Justin
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:46pm
Automatic gratuity disgusts me, and I would also hesitate to pay. People have to earn a tip, which isn’t hard to do as long as they are friendly and come back to check on my table.

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- Justin
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:47pm
  If they get me the first time with an automatic gratuity, they sure won’t get me again, because I am not going back to that place.
  
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- DIgnified
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:47pm
  If you dont like it, dont eat there. It isnt a hidden fee. People like you make decent people sick.
  
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- crushynn
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:54pm
  Automatic gratuity is not typically added unless the party is large & that’s because they are a lot of work & tend to scrimp the most on tipping. It’s the result of jerks who ruin it for decent people.
  
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freedomisasfreedomdoes
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:42pm
Hearsay that the Pastor left $6.29 in cash. Would the server have gotten upset enough to post on Reddit this receipt if she was in fact left $6.29 in cash as the Pastor claims? Esp. after leaving the remark about how she gives God 10%? More than likely the Pastor left her 10% in cash bc that is what she gives God. $6.29 for a party of 20 is not too much to tip. To further go out of Her way to have a SERVER fired over her embarrassment of making an arse out of herself, is just plain selfish and wrong. Esp in this economy. That was just evil!
For out of the mouth the heart does speak.

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bikerdogred1
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:41pm
Blacks are poor tippers,this is know all over in the service business.

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- DIgnified
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:47pm
  “Canadan”
  
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- crushynn
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 9:57pm
  This is true. And church people are bad too.
  
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Owt_Raged
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:40pm
I have never put a tip on my credit card. I always cross out their “suggested” amount and put the total in. I leave cash, sometimes 10%, most of the time more, depending on the service. 10% if it’s crappy service, only because I know the government is going to take 8% of the person pay, regardless.
I have had to call my credit card company and refute charges because a tip was automatically added even though I crossed it out, which then goes back on the establishment and the waitress.
The note was wrong but then so were the actions of the waitress, who KNEW she got cash tips from this table and still felt the need to embarrass her customer.

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PATTY HENRY
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:35pm
This is why WOMEN are not allowed to be Priests in the Catholic Church, and I’m a woman. I own a company or two but there is a different reaction mechanism with Women than Men. It’s okay. Men tend to overlook petty things (like this bill). Men who serve God as Priests are (for the most part) fine with not being married as they have a very full life with GOD, learning, serving and helping. They know that this is a very, very temporary life – mainly a testing ground – to see how people will respond to things. It never occurred to me that this “Pastor” would have been a woman, but now that I know she is, I see it more clearly. I won’t explain this further from my POV; I won’t argue it; it’s my opinion. Period. :)

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h20sue
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:34pm
Applebee’s is wrong. Very wrong. The pastor was wrong as well, but probably didn’t understand that large groups usually pay one larger tip. depending on the state, you may be asked to pay more.
Remember one thing, most waiters, waitresses, bar backs, and bartenders are paid less then minimum wage, and they depend on tips to survive. Depending on the restaurant, good wait staff can make hundreds per week. If the restaurant is hurting for business, the wait staff is starving! Let’s just say, I’ve been there, done this, and I’ve had to deal with some pretty sad and disturbed people, who are unaware of restaurant employees. Most have no benefits, and rely on nothing but tips. In this day and time, this is extremely difficult. Most restaurants have cut back due to the upcoming Obama Care. My heart goes out to the waitress. If I weren’t struggling to make ends meet I’d sent her $100.00 plus, as she deserves it, just for putting up with “the pastor” (who doesn’t have to pay taxes). I bet most of you didn’t know that this lady, and her pastorial friends PAY NO TAXES, WRITE THEIR AUTOMOBILES OFF, THEIR HOMES, ETC. Even if they have no congregation! Most have become church servers via the internet. Virginia has the ultimate amount of so called churches as “people” have learned how to get around the IRS. Sad, but true.

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MCLOVINIT
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:33pm
Blacks are THE WORST tippers in the world. Ask anyone who works for tips.

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Mapache
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:32pm
Interesting that she felt the need to include the term “Paster” on her receipt. Did she think she was going to get a convert with her snarky comment?

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oldsoldier10
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:32pm
S H O C K I NG !!!!! the waitress should be glad she got anything, most blacks just stiff on the check regardless.

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CarolinaGirl
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:31pm
It is common knowledge from the majority of wait staff that blacks do not tip appropriately.

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lefty5005
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:29pm
Blacks voted 95% for Obama yet say “praise the lord!” on Sunday…for what. I thought Obama was their Messiah. Catholics and blacks, hypocrisy of no bounds.

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MisterSarcastic
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:27pm
When I was still in High School I bussed tables/washed dishes in a Mom and Pops fish house on Friday and Saturday night. The wait staff was always complaining about Christians. The joke was, ‘How do you tell some one is a Christian?’. They complain about everything and leave a sorry tip.

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lel2007
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:26pm
en·ti·tle·ment – noun
1. the act of entitling.
2. the state of being entitled.
3. the right to guaranteed benefits under a government program, as Social Security or unemployment compensation.

ex·tort – verb
1. to compel (something) of a person or thing.

gratuity – noun
1. a gift or reward, usually of money, for services rendered; tip
2. something given without claim or obligation

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- oldsoldier10
  Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:34pm
  point – ?
  
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denkat56
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:23pm
If the automatic tip was a problem then don’t go there, or go to mcdonalds. As usual the waitress was fired, and yet it was apple bees policy for the automatic tip, the lady preacher should’ve talked to management about the amount, not left her snide remark for the waitress. I’m sorry but she didn’t act very Christian like.

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chucksue351
Posted on January 31, 2013 at 2:22pm
no place in scripture for women pastors

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