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Faith

Pastor’s ‘I Give God 10%’ Receipt Raises Question: Are Christians Bad Tippers? Findings May Surprise You

Feb. 14, 2013 11:17am Billy Hallowell

Photo Credit: Reddit

It was the restaurant receipt seen round the world.

As you may recall, late last month, a St. Louis-based pastor left controversial comments on an Applebee’s stub in protest of an automatic gratuity policy. The text read, “I give God 10% — why do you get 18?” After a waitress posted a picture of the receipt on Reddit, it went viral. Pastor Alois Bell’s identity was subsequently released and the employee who shared the document was fired (read the whole story here).

Following Internet furor over the pastor’s message about tipping policies, some critics are asking: Are Christians bad tippers?

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, an English professor at Liberty University, recently made the theological case that religious Americans should tip well in an article for Christianity Today. In her piece, she shared her own experiences with bad Christian tippers during her younger years as a restaurant worker:

I experienced this dark underside of Christian culture while working my way through college as a waitress. My earliest waitressing years were at the kind of pancake joints where Christians love to congregate after Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening services. The other servers and I always dreaded these shifts: the after-church crowd came in to “fellowship” more than, you know, eat, and that meant pushing together a lot of tables so they could camp out for a long time without buying much more than the endless cup of coffee. Not that any restaurant manager worth her salt would begrudge them that. My fellow servers called them the “Holy Rollers.” Knowing there would be little, if any, tip left at the end of their meal, the servers saw the Christians’ robust attempts at “friendliness” instead as pushy and arrogant. The memories still pain me now.

Decades later, my students who work as servers assure me that little has changed.

Photo Credit: ShutterStock.com

While Prior noted that Christians are among the most benevolent in society, she also called believers out for not tipping at the level they should. In explaining the reasons for alleged lackluster tipping, she said it’s possible that religious Americans are ignorant to the low hourly wages that restaurant workers generally receive (i.e. they assume they make more than they really do).

Additionally, a down economy could be at play, however, she settled on bad theology as the central reasoning for a perceived dearth in Christian tipping (her arguments can be read in full here). She continued:

It goes back, I suspect, to the unfortunate sway Gnosticism has had on Christianity since its early years. Gnosticism is a dualistic worldview that separates the secular and the sacred, the physical and the spiritual, elevating the spiritual and denouncing matter as evil. Under this view, giving one’s money to support a Christian mission is seen as good, but spending money on earthly pleasures—like eating out—while not necessarily bad, isn’t quite as good.

This Gnostic influence on the church can be seen in much more insidious ways than in poor restaurant behavior (for example, in thinking of the role of pastor as a “higher calling” than that of, say, an accountant), but spotting and correcting such heresies often begins with the small things.

But while some Christians may actually be terrible tippers, in a separate post, Christianity Today highlights research that comes to a different conclusion, as it finds that churchgoers actually give above and beyond what they should when dining out. The analysis is based on a post on LifeWay Research president Ed Stetzer’s blog, where the social scientist recently attempted to dispel rumors that Christians simply aren’t good tippers.

Stetzer highlights a study that was done last year about self-reported tipping. Entitled, “Are Christians/Religious People Poor Tippers?,” the investigation into the matter — one of the only known studies of its kind — was published last year in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Researchers Michael Lynn of Cornell University and Benjamin Katz of HCD Research found that the perception that Christians and the religious are bad tippers is not necessarily rooted in reality.

Before continuing, it should be cautioned that self-reported data takes into account only self-perceived actions, not events as they have actually unfolded. It’s entirely possible for respondents to over or under assess personal tipping patterns. Still, the results, collected in a web survey, are worth examining. Here’s what the Lynn and Katz have to say about their three, key findings:

The results of this study produced three notable findings about the relationships between religion and tipping. First, Jews and those with no religion tip significantly more than Christians and members of other religions. However, the average Christian tips 17 percent of the bill when receiving good restaurant service and only 13 out of 100 Christians receiving good service leave a tip below 15 percent of the bill. Second, worship frequency has no significant main effect on reported tipping. Third, worship frequency significantly interacts with service quality such that the effects of service quality on tips were stronger the less frequently the tipper attends religious services.

In his analysis of the results, Stetzer claims that “facts are our friends” and that perception, in this case, is not. While some may believe, based on anecdotal examples, that Christians are horrible tippers, at least one study exposes that this isn’t the case.

Stetzer went on in his blog post to encourage Christians to be “better tippers for the glory of God,” as he claims that the issue is harming believers’ reputations.

–

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Comments (141)

Nevermind
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:55pm
Wow, a story about Christian tipping and a bunch of comments abotu black people. Why am i not surprised.

I am a black man i can say that yesterday i went to a bar with some friends to watch a game, i dont drink alcohol. I ordered a $9 hamburger and got a soda with it. I gave the server a $20 and told him the rest was his, so for a $11 bill he got $9 from me. Kind of blows up the whole ” blacks suck at tipping ” thing.

Seriously , do you guys get out much? It seems most the info you know about black people is form BET or a rap video. . I am black and mywife is white. She stays home with our child and i provide all of the income for our family. I dont listen to rap music, my clothes all fit me ( since my suits are tailored) , i dont have children with anyone else, i dont get any handouts form the government ( i got checks from the when i served in the USAF) , i dont have an obama phone ( i pay my bill as well as for my wife) and i pay taxes alot of taxes.

So before you paint people with a broad brush take soem time and get to knwo people. I could stereotype all white peopel by the fat uneducated cows i see at walmart or the inbred hicks of WV but i know that is only a small segment of the popluation and i woudl be stupid to think otherwise. All of my friends that are black are the same as me and dont matach a single stereotype. SO turn off BET or stop listening to the racists on AM radio. You only makes yourselves look stupid

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- bumfuzeled
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:07pm
  Most of what I know is from personal experience. You sir are the exception, your friends may be too. You would be welcome anywhere but the stereotype repeated here is true based on my experience in a large metropolitan area.
  
  Report this comment
- zonee
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:09pm
  You bring up a good point. We are all individuals. I don’t fit the streotypes that people place on me as well. Please don’t take it personal or paint that “racist” brush because of people’s observations.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:11pm
  Sir I’m glad you understand that waiters make less than a 1/3 of minimum wage about 2.15 an hour on average. But as a former waiter I can tell you that you are the exception and not the rule. There no way to put this fact out without sounding racist. But blacks in general are the worst tippers, if it makes you feel any better redneckish whites aren’t far behind blacks in the bad tippng catagory.
  
  Report this comment
- thegreatcarnac
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:31pm
  C’mon…..you’re lying…aren’t you.
  
  Report this comment
- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:33pm
  Honestly Nevermind, all of my experience behind the bar paints a different picture. I had actually hoped that it was just my perception. I get along with everybody, and never had any issues with anybody (except drunks of all races around 2:30 at closing time) personality wise. In fact, I kind of assumed it was a neighborhood issue. I cannot honestly say I once got above 5% from the blacks out here in central Ohio, and that rarely.
  
  I’m glad to hear that it’s not a universal thing. I cannot stand grouping people like that, I was just reporting my own experiences, which were rather extended and in a job that kind of relies on tips (and notices very closely each and every tip or lack thereof).
  
  Report this comment
- TumbleBumble
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:52pm
  I was a waitress for quite a few years in Chicago. And I’m sorry to say but blacks in general are bad tippers.
  When we waitresses saw a large party coming in, no one wanted to wait on them. We knew whoever got stuck with the party would be working hard for over an hour, only to make a dollar or two.
  I once waited on a pimp and his woman. And I mean he was dressed like Huggy Bear (long feather in red velvet hat and all), which is why I say that. I hoped maybe I had a chance getting a good tip this time, thinking he may want to impress his lady friend. At the end, he raised a one dollar bill in the air, called me over and handed it to me like it was $100.
  There is no reason for you to be offended. If you are not like the people whom I have experienced, then that is awesome. But you cannot deny what I had come to learn. It is the honest truth.
  
  Report this comment
- Truthbeliever2
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:00pm
  I like to come to this site every now and then; to count the articles that bash on Christians. The Christians who come to this site for their news are just plain silly.
  
  BRING BACK THE FRIENDLY ATHEIST!!! LoL
  
  Report this comment
- Margyt
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:05pm
  Nevermind, I am totally with you. How did a discussion of Christian tipping behavior ever even mention racial differences in tipping behavior? Dumb! I live in an area with a lot of Native American tribes. There is definitely prejudice here based on the Native Americans who are visible to us drunk on our streets. Yet we go to work, college, church with tribe members who are don’t fit the stereotype at all. Prejudice is an insidious evil that does more to diminish the bigot than anything else.
  
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- DLV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 3:17pm
  Truth- what are you smoking? By and large this is a conservative Christian friendly site. I’m Christian and plenty others are here too. Stop making dumb statements. It makes it look like you can analyze the obvious
  
  Report this comment
- Desertcatn
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:12pm
  That’s the trouble with putting people into groups and treating them as if they are all the same. I’m a Christian and a good tipper, not because I was a food server through my twenties, but because I enjoy giving. We need an individual movement, quit grouping us, we are all different, God created us that way!
  
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- circleDwagons
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:13pm
  Nevermind. What % of blacks are christians? Are you a christian? This article is about christians and tipping. But since you mentioned blacks, 95% of black voters voted for obama. I have a very low opion of anyone who voted for this vile person.
  
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- Truthbeliever2
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:34pm
  DLV, If you cannot see that articles like this are written for people like MOPMAN96 to bash on you and other Christians then you should win 1st prize in the prestigious category of complacent, ignorant morons. You can take your personal dislike of me and shove it! Do you have anything to say about he article??? Nope, you chose to bash my comment instead of argue on behalf of Christian tippers.
  
  Piss off you little twerp!
  
  Report this comment
- JGraham III
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:59pm
  I believe the practice of tipping (and consequently how much) has to come out of a person’s heart and whether they are thankful or not. Since Christians are supposed to know what God has delivered them from, they above all people should be good or even great tippers. This also goes for the so called Christian practice of tithing which is supposed to be 10%. God has said ‘whatsoever a man purposes in his heart, so let him give.’ For the legalistic ones who whip out the calculator in order to get the exact amount, whatever blessings might have been theirs for generosity likely just vanished. Likewise the one who only gives in order to get. My daughters are ‘baristas’ and they see the whole gamut of tippers and non-tippers in the course of one day. Generosity or stinginess is by no means relegated to any one ethnic group or religious affiliation. As they see the benefits of good service rendered, they are quite naturally generous tippers themselves. Likewise Dad who has in his own life seen the benefits of blessing others.
  
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- edotddot
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:03pm
  I think most bad tippers are completely ignorant that their server/bartender makes $2.13 an hour and depends on tips for survival. A lot of customers really think they are leaving an adequate tip when they leave a dollar or two regardless of how much the bill. I had people call me over to tell me what a great job I had done and wanted to make sure to put that $2 tip in my hand and thank me, their bill may have been $45 but in their mind that was a good tip.
  I’ve noticed that when I was waiting tables, there were very few black servers that I worked with and even today I still don’t see that many. The next time you’re at a restaurant with a black server, ask him/her who are the worst tipping people and I guarantee you that the same groups of people mentioned on this board will be the same. And unfortunately (for all of my Canadian friends) these people are often referred to as “Canadians” . Trust me, ask any server/bartender.
  
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- DLV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:04pm
  truth- lol okay fail. I guess I have thicker skin than you. I don’t get my panties in a tizzy when someone says something insulting about my religion. I do get angry however, when people make overwhelmingly stupid statements. Like Enci and fire and Brimestone and stupid atheists and even stupid Christians. Clearly, you aren’t on here very often as you said so you don’t see the huge amount of pro-christian stuff on here. I know the atheists and I would agree on this point that theBlaze is quite pro-christian. So again, I ask what are you smoking to have such a negative view on things and where do you get it from?
  
  As a matter of fact, I do have things to say on the article, I think Christians tip very well in my experience but my experience is not everyone else’s. Just because the Blaze posts one article with a study that says Christians are bad tippers doesn’t mean this website is anti-christian. I mean hello it’s owner is Mormon who respects all Christians and wants us to unite for the country. It literally makes zero sense for this website to be anti-Christian
  
  P.S.- Since I’m on here far more often than you, I would suggest you “P%ss off.” Also I never said I hated you. I only said you were ignorant of the stuff the Blaze posts since they are overwhelmingly pro-christian or at least are willing to report the news how it comes in. I can name ten off the bat. Come on now….
  
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- CarolinaGirl
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:29pm
  No offense sir, but in what type of profession are you that you wear tailored suits? I ask because you do not know how to spell correctly.
  
  Report this comment
- Reinhardt
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 6:30pm
  It’s not a stereotype if it’s
  true
  
  Report this comment
- The_Fifth_Column
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 8:15pm
  I used to be in the food business. I can tell you that there are just as many cheap white people as there are cheap black people. It’s not a race thing. It’s a cheap thing! Servers do not receive min. wage as a rule. They depend on their tips. If they give you good service, you should give them a good tip. Nothing to do with faith at all!
  
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- January24
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:19am
  To Nevermind,
  
  You’re a decent guy doing what decent guys do . . . pulling your own weight and taking care of your family. There are decent people of all races. And there are lazy deadbeats of all races. Pigmentation has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with character.
  
  Keep on living the honorable life you have made for yourself with pride. Ignore the jerks who would stereotype. There will always be jerks.
  
  Report this comment
- Brooke Lorren
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 2:18am
  My husband is a lot like Nevermind… so are almost all of the black people that I know. We are also Christians. I do realize that there are a lot of black people that are different, but there are large pockets of people (of all races) that defy stereotypes.
  
  Report this comment
- JQP
  Posted on February 16, 2013 at 5:21pm
  Tipping should be based ONLY on how well the waiter/waitress did their job. Race, religion, ethnicity, language, clothing, or any other matter is irrelevant. There has been a national minimum wage requirement for ALL jobs for awhile, and some states exceed the national minimum wage stds. Since waiters and waitresses receive tips as compensation, they supplement their wages according to their work ethics as they should be. When I receive bad or little service, I leave a penny as a tip to let the person who waited on me that I DIDN’T forget the tip, but that their service was so lousy, that it didn’t deserve and traditional tip.
  
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- smv803
  Posted on February 16, 2013 at 5:54pm
  Did I miss the part in this article where it said anything about being black and poor tipping?
  
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- Colorado7972
  Posted on February 16, 2013 at 10:17pm
  It’s a shame, the stereotyping, I think it is old as mankind’s ‘prostitution’. I see it in every direction not just black on white, but rich on poor, fat on skinny etc. Our world has so many stereotypes and unfortunately it’s the bad apples of our world that help to keep perpetuating them.
  
  Report this comment
- Linreis
  Posted on February 16, 2013 at 10:36pm
  I read quite a few of the comments here…after a bit I had to reread the article because I for got what the original topic was…
  I don’t fit this stereo type either: Christian here…love to go out after church, Saturday nights, Friday nights, or tuesday nights…also love to get some good service, and TIP ACCORDINGLY…I have never stiffed a waiter/waitress in my life, having learned an appreciation when I waitressed…
  BUT I do expect some interaction with my wait person during my meal…I expect them to look at me and say hello like they mean it…I expect a person to be clean, to have their **** combed and their nose ring left at home…if that wait person came to our table with an attitude like this little waitress, I don’t think I would go out of my way to leave a large tip…it would be minimum because I know how much they actually do make…but I am not going to spend my hard earned money on an extravagant tip for a rude or abrupt wait person just because they put my plate down in front of me…Her description of the scenario with the ‘holy rollers’ says to me she had a chip on her shoulder as big as anything, and no doubt those holy rollers saw it, and felt it…it goes both ways…a really generous tip is earned, not just given…get over it, truth is: just because you are there doesn’t mean you don’t have to work…
  
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mopman96
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:49pm
I had a boos that was a so called holy roller Christian and he was so cheap. Oh he did his church thing of 10% but when it came time to give in a collection for a sick co worker he never had any money. I also have a family member that is that way, does his 10% then when it comes to family, hes broke.

Christians gotta love em.

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- Desertcatn
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:26pm
  Go back to your mop!
  
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- The_Cabrito_Goat
  Posted on February 15, 2013 at 3:10pm
  This picture is fishy. Reminds me of that “1% tip” doctored photo.
  
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Mr. H.
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:49pm
There is not really a religious correlation to good and bad tippers, so much as a life experience correlation. Food and personal service workers are the best tippers because they really know how hard it is to make it on substandard wages and dependency on tips. I’ve worked those jobs. They are hard work, being on the move all the time for hours at a time. 20% is the tip for food service if the service is good, and it goes down with the quality of service. The only time I ever “stiffed” a server was the time I got up and lead a mass exit of the restaurant over being served moldy bread with my meal. I saw the server the next day and slipped him $5. Economic status is also has a strong correlation with a good tip. The higher the menu price the better the tip. The last strong correlation for a good tip is booze. If you are serving drinks, you can get some really good tips on the weekends and game night, NFL, NHL, NBA, but not MLB. The same for personal service, in that the higher the cost of the establishment the higher the tip. Night service at a casino is $20. Doormen and sometimes valet can get $100 tips with some crowds, and it’s the same for a massage.

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michael from Ga.
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:44pm
A tithe is off the top, before anyone or thing touches it; including “little g” [govt.]. One has to be self employed to do this. The truth is not being taught, which result in little or no fruit, for the giver or the receiver. A tip is based off of the percentage of the meal, and service. A tip is not based off of one’s income; A tithe and tip, are not the same.

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Locked
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:39pm
Wow, what a poor study… three points:

1. “Before continuing, it should be cautioned that self-reported data takes into account only self-perceived actions, not events as they have actually unfolded. It’s entirely possible for respondents to over or under assess personal tipping patterns.”

Ugh. Yeah, people tend to rate themselves better than they actually are. It’s a well-known bias.

2. “Still, the results, collected in a web survey, are worth examining.”

Ugh, web studies. This is even worse, as it means it’s not a random sample: there’s a clear bias in who receives and replies to said study. On the one hand, if it’s a Christian source (like Christianity Today), then there will be an oversampling of Christians. On the other hand, since it’s technically open to ANYONE, there’s a good chance of non-Christians showing up and hijacking the results. Hence…

3. “First, Jews and those with no religion tip significantly more than Christians and members of other religions.”

Blam. Even with the biases and sampling errors involved, Christians still rate lower on average. I call bull on this study and its results.

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Just_Us2
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:17pm
Are Christians Bad Tippers? No, african americans hold that distinction…ask any person who has waited tables.

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- willingtoupe
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:27pm
  Thats because there are alot of preeese in their bad services. PREjudicse, PREsumptions, and PREferences
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:30pm
  Actually, the pastor in question fit that description.
  
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marler
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:16pm
Hillaire Belloc wrote:
Of Courtesy, it is much less
Than Courage of Heart or Holiness,
Yet in my Walks it seems to me
That the Grace of God is in Courtesy.

Good service begets good tips, or ought to.

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Gonzo
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:14pm
I tip 20% unless something really out of whack happens and I’m Christian. My wife and I go to the same place after church every Sunday and they all want our table. It depends on the individual like anything else.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:46pm
  Stereotypes generally have some basis in fact Jerk. I’m pretty sure that one does.
  
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- TumbleBumble
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:17pm
  My husband and I have a few restaurants we like, so we bop around. We are Christians and tip well. Last weekend we went out to breakfast. Bill was $21 and some odd change. We left $7.
  
  When I went out with my prayer group (all women), we figured out the 18% then most of us threw in an extra buck or two.
  
  If I noticed Christians giving lightly, I would call them on it in a friendly way. Having been a waitress, I know how discouraging a bad day of cheapskates can be.
  
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- circleDwagons
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:25pm
  Hey Gonzo. I do not really understand the straight % tipping. When my wife and I did not have children it was our custom to split a meal and drink water. Not being cheap just not wanting to be wastful. Anyway it was common to tip the value of the meal.
  
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T-2
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:13pm
Those evil greedy Christians building hospitals, setting up missionaries, and homeless shelters.

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- bumfuzeled
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 1:14pm
  but not tipping after church
  
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- Margyt
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 2:55pm
  Don’t forget, this article was in Christianity Today. It was a challenge to the Church to examine itself. It was not an external criticism without basis. None-the-less, your argument is a straw man. Whatever charity Christians do has nothing to do with paying appropriately for services rendered.
  
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EQUALIZER
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:09pm
Gee, I don’t know, are Muslims or Hindus bad tippers? They might be. they just might be.

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:04pm
I give to a fund>> my ammo and Gun fund the one that counts

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momrules
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:59am
Personally I am just plain old sick of this subject. Christians don’t do this right, Christians don’t do that right. By who’s measure? I could fill a book on what I think other religious people don’t do right. Throw in the non religious people and I could write two books.

Maybe Dr. Prior could do a study about all of the good Christians do. This is just more Christian bashing which is now a favorite pass time in America.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:10pm
  Absolutely agree. Hope that this doesn’t taint your reputation.
  
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- momrules
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:33pm
  The Jerk………LOL…..You and I might agree on a number of things except that one issue, you know the one. You stop trying to change my mind on that one and we’ll get along fine. Peace?
  
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Gargent_Furball
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:58am
Why do waitresses and waiter depend on tips ?

Is it because of poor management by the restaurant owner? Unable to schedule properly. ? Afraid to fire?

Or are Restaurants just flying by the seat of their pants. Like some corner flea market vendor. ?

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:17pm
  Because the law stipifies that tipped help doesn’t get minimum wage.
  
  Not that it matters, on any decent night at a bar what I’d take in on tips would far trump whatever Uncle Sugar said the untipped help gets.
  
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- CABERNETQHS
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:34pm
  Imagine a unionized restaurant, with wait staff paid minimum wage…with no motivation to make your dining experience pleasant, as opposed to average or tolerable. Sound good? That’s why I hated waiting tables on Sundays and I now give 20% if the server does a good job. I’m a christian, but you wouldn’t know it by my clothing. I think we are all being lumped together with a “tight wad” sect.
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:48pm
  CABERNETQHS What is it about your clothing that doesn’t make your religion obvious? I doubt mine does either. Just curious.
  
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- smv803
  Posted on February 16, 2013 at 6:09pm
  @CAB……just imagine what that meal would cost if restaurants were union……sh! We couldn’t afford to eat out!
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:50am
As a pastor allow me to explain something, the 10% we are called upon to give unto the services of God is the biblical tithe (hence 10%); tipping is a common courtesy completely separate from the tithing, and as many, if not all, waiters/waitresses have the majority of their salary come from tips, those who do provide good or great service have earned their tips.

The good book does say that the servant is worthy of his (and her) wages, or in this case, tips.

The Kiwanis club I used to belong to would meet at a local steak house and the waitress serving us that week would receive a 16% tip (double the going rate at the time) due to her consistent exceptional service and friendliness.

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- Magyar
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:00pm
  Pastor- well put. I have ALWAYS tipped according to the service I received. I am overly generous to those who do provide good service. I always remember my mother’s words–”No matter how little you have, someone else has less—be generous.”
  
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Grace1798
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:49am
I was a WAITRESS during high school and as a second job after High School in order to get money to get a higher education and that stuff about CHRISTIANS not tipping is an over exaggeration. I have seen bad tippers in every different kind of individuals including SOME Christians. Remember ….”NOT ALL WHO SAY LORD, LORD, Shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Have some COMMON SENSE here people. There are Good and Bad and Nasty people in every area of life and IF you are HONEST with yourself instead of trying to DOWN a certain group, you know this is a FACT OF LIFE. Grow the heck up and stop the hate all the time. Be Real for a change. At least try to be a real, honest person instead of going around hating this one and that one. You be the better person. As a waitress, a woman gave me a penny because the chef made her food bad. I had no control over that, but I continued to be kind to that woman when she returned. You be the better person. Stop the hate.

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- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:55am
  The Lord declared ‘The servant is worthy of his (and her) wages.”
  
  As with the giving of the tithe, the amount of tipping is based on a persons heart. So as a person does, and not as they say, a person truly is.
  
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moreteaplease
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:49am
she said it’s possible that religious Americans are ignorant to the low hourly wages that restaurant workers generally receive (i.e. they assume they make more than they really do).
———————————————-
Another know-nothing liberal idiot with a fancy title.

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- Saff SGT
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:01pm
  stop whining go else where this is America
  
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- momrules
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:52pm
  Moreteaplease…………..I noticed how she made a point of calling religious people, Christians, ignorant. She must be assuming that none of us ever worked for tips or it was just another sneaky little slam.
  
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- smv803
  Posted on February 16, 2013 at 6:12pm
  Nah, she’s just another stupid, Godless liberal idiot…..there are a lot of them out there.
  
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ClaytonBigsby
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:48am
I waited tables for around ten years. There are three groups that tip very poorly. It has nothing to do with the size of the group either. The worst are black people. And, it doesn’t matter the race of the waiter… it isn’t a race thing. I believe it is a cultural thing. Second worst is the church crowd, and then the medical community. And, I am not talking about nurses. The doctors are just as bad if not worse.

Also, groups of women are terrible tippers. Groups of men are much better. The ladies typically wnat seperate checks and will nitpick if the bill is just split down the middle. Typically, guys take turns getting the check and tipping.

There are exceptions to every rule, but this is the norm.

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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:03pm
  I bar tended (loved the job), so I didn’t get much of the church crowd in to know how they do. Well, at least not as official church people I mean. I do agree about the black tipping, I never understood that at all, even the nicest folks would not leave a tip or so little as to be insulting.
  
  The second group that was low on the totem poll were the self proclaimed, loud liberal/leftist/union types. Awful tippers, had nothing to do with race, it was just that they were absolute skinflints. But by Gawd, they demanded the utmost service and would send back drinks for no reason at all except to impress their friends with how uppity they were.
  
  College student were kind of low tippers, though frankly a lot of them couldn’t afford it and I don’t see it as happening out of malice, just out of practicality. Those that were a bit more well off tipped ok.
  
  The best tippers were the working guys and professional who were apolitical or conservative-ish, usually better dressing if upper class-ish or at least well groomed and polite if working guys.
  
  Absolutely agree about the women in groups and tipping. Yikes, nasty stuff there. And the restrooms, again, yikes. Anybody who thinks women are the dainty, more refined and “cleaner” sex have never cleaned restrooms night after night and noted the huge difference. Not that guys are dainty angels, just that women seem to be absolute pigs when it comes to bathroom neatness, at least in my experience.
  
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- DLV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:58pm
  Ghost- On women I couldnt agree more. A couple years ago at a Christian camp, I had a crew with me cleaning the bathrooms, girls were by far the worst! So terrible awful. **** in the showers, mess on the sinks. It was disgusting.
  
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- edotddot
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 4:35pm
  You are spot on! One other group was the elderly. Back in the day when I was waiting tables, the majority of these groups were not good tippers. When you had one of these tables, if you got a 20% tip you were usually pleasantly surprised. Unless someone has waited tables, tended bar, or has someone very close to them that has; people don’t realize that servers make $2.13 an hour. Some customers were so nice and appreciative of the service they received and you could tell that they thought that their $4 tip on a $96 tab was generous. The worst had to be the table of women (obviously, none of them had ever been a waitress), separate checks, drinking water with lemon, at least half of them modifying the menu, taking a long lunch and tying up your big table through an entire lunch rush and then leaving 10% (and occasionally they’d have the attitude that you were really beneath them).
  Come on, I know almost every server has had that one!
  
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dholio
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:47am
that “pastor” isn’t a Christian if she behaves and treats people like that.

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athiest-infedel
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:46am
Since I don’t waste money on sky dady I always tip at least 20%.

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- DLV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:57am
  Fool
  
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- GhostOfJefferson
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:20pm
  If you’re a Leftist, my experience behind a bar informs me that you’re either the exception, or lying.
  
  I don’t even mean that politically, just from observation. Every loud proclaimed leftist I ever dealt with tipped horribly and demanded everything. If you were quiet and a leftist, then I have no experience with that (nor does most of the world, but I digress). I can not honestly say that I know of any hard leftists that tip for crap. If you are the exception, assuming you’re a leftist, then I salute you sir.
  
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- DLV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:55pm
  Ghost- I’m just sick of people saying sky daddy or sky fairy.
  
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Saff SGT
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:46am
socialist bastards go to work for .50 cents an hour like i did and i was grateful to have it. You ungrateful little spoiled bastards need to get a life

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Saff SGT
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:43am
Christians give $$ to the Church why waste it giving it to a possible baby Killer or worse a Liberal. Why should waitresses double dip do they think they are better than others. I dont tip I expect good service where ever I go because I am a paying customer. If you workers can not do your job proper please drag your ass some where else. Thats My advice to you worker leeches

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- CanadaRocks
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:12pm
  So by baby killer you mean members of the armed services? The reason i ask is that militey lersonnel are the only people i have heard be called baby killers. First time i heard it was nam.
  
  You expect amazing service but dont tip. Are you kidding me your highness? If i were you i wouldnt eat at the same retaurant twice. I put myself through college bartending in a restaurant and i know what happens to your food if you dont tip after great service and have the nuts to come back in again. You are a sad sad man/woman.
  
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- edotddot
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:34pm
  Well then you should take your disrespectful, ignorant ass to McDonalds or Taco Bell. Or your know-it-all ass should humbly learn something here: Tipped servers/bartenders make $2.13 an hour and this is set up by federal guidelines through the FNLB. Restaurants only have to make sure that after your tips that the amount you made is up to the standard national minimum wage. Servers also have to “tip out” the bartenders, bussers, and in some restaurants, the kitchen staff. So if you don’t tip a waiter/waitress, it actually COSTS them money to serve your dumb ass. The IRS assumes that you will clear 10% of your tips (after tip out) and many restaurants will make sure that you claim that amount (even if you didn’t make that in your shift because of dumb asses like you) to keep the IRS off their butts. Many restaurants don’t offer any benefits either. Ask any server how many payroll checks they’ve received that were less than $1 for a two week period. I have seen servers had their biggest table (which equates to the largest income potential) taken up for a company Christmas party, people would come eat, others would then take their place…they were drinking and tied up this poor servers table for 4 hours. Their bill was almost $400 and they left her $14. She was a young mother whose husband was in college and they needed her job. I chased the people out into the parking lot to ask them if there was a problem with their service. They said “no, it was great”. I then told th
  
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- edotddot
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 5:43pm
  Their waitress was inside crying. IT cost her a lot of money to wait on that table. They then got my speech about how much servers make. They stood there stunned and somewhat speechless when they finally gave me another $30 to give her and asked if that was ” good enough, it’s all the cash they had left”. I told them it wasn’t really adequate but that I would give it to her. I could have gotten fired doing that but sometimes you can only take so much.
  So it it makes your feel superior and a big shot to through your weight around a restaurant and show those servers that you DESERVE good service without paying for it, don’t be surprised at what you might receive.
  
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Chromo200
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:40am
I tip 10% if the service is poor, and I tip 20% if the service good. The issue of tipping to me is a choice not a must. Servers expect to be tipped no matter what. And tying Christianity to tipping is trying to make me guilty .. Don’t hold your breath if you expect that you have long wait. Do “Holly Rollers” abuse the servers most likely no. So Jews and Non Christians tip more, big deal, but their support of gov’t policies take more money away from you .. so giving you an 20% and taking away 25% is a good thing.

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Jezreel
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:34am
I have a daughter that worked as a waitress in the food industry and she had to work on Sundays. She told me that the worst tippers and the most rude people were the after church crowd. You wouldn’t even know that they were so called believers by the way they treated her and left her crummy tips or none at all when she did such a good service and was given good tips by so called “unbelievers”. That really helped me understand what a bad testimony that people that attend organized religion leaves a rotten taste in the mouth of others. That is why I make sure that when we eat out, that we appreciate good service and reward it so.

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- JohnGalt
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:42am
  As Christians, both my wife and I tip based on quality of service. We usually do at least 15% to 20% if the service is good, if not it can be low to non-existent. I have to say this people believe they ‘deserve’ a good tip no matter how bad a service is. I often wonder if those complaining are just complaining because they feel they deserve a good tip?!
  
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- naughtycal
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:46am
  Most christian I know are good tippers they understand that waiting pays below minimium wage.
  But ask anyone in the food service industry whose the worst tipper ….Black
  I know I was a waiter for two years,theres an unwritten rule that require hostesses divide the black costumers in different sections so no one waiter get screwed out of tips.
  Don’t believe me ask anyone blacks leave 0-5% on average.
  If the reporter of this article wants to at the facts then do so in an honest manner. Seems to me the Rev. was a black woman as well as a christian. But I forget bashing christian is a well accept form of bigotry.
  
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Stoic one
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:29am
Groups probably do not tip well, rather than religious affinity. Is that not the reason some establishments include mandatory gratuities?

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:38am
  Perspective. A waiter/waitresses’ job is to serve their customers, period. People are required to pay for the food and the service, period. A tip is not required, is not necessary, and is often not deserved. It is not a right. It is not to be expected. It is not deserved. It is a gift.
  
  Our handout culture is way out of control.
  
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- Saff SGT
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:48am
  Mandatory??? hahha your dead ass jack! Death is the only mandatory thing in life
  
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- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:53am
  To a degree, and Dave Ramsey on his radio show discussed tipping and the history of it not many weeks past. He explained that groups of any kind tend to leave smaller tips overall for the servers due to a kind of ‘someone else will make up the difference.’
  
  Not in all cases though.
  
  I have seen and heard of cases where people have left literature (of all kinds) in place of tips, and then a christian family leave a VISA-gift card for $100 in addition to the tip in a ‘random act of kindness’ as they return a favor someone did for them.
  
  Ultimately with tipping, as with tithing, it is the motivation from the individuals heart that matters.
  
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- DLV
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:54am
  Jerk- it’s not a handout, it’s a kindness. Waiters/waitresses make very low money. It’s not about handouts it’s just about making a living
  
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- The_Jerk
  Posted on February 14, 2013 at 12:09pm
  DLV, I understand. But, we’ve lost perspective. Demanding tips is not a tip. It’s a charge, a bill.
  
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Grace1798
Posted on February 14, 2013 at 11:27am
MOst Christians give over 10% to help the poor in America as well as other countries as well as teach them the principals of the Bible. The Bible does not state 10%…….it states that 10% is the very least we should give but we are commanded to give OUT OF OUR ABUNDANCE. ALSO ALMS are not to be counted in the TITHE. We are not to count it as a tithe. Bible says not to notice it at all but all the same, we are commanded to give ALMS (that’s to help the poor). The tithe is for the furtherance of the Gospel alone. You can find all this in the Bible specifically stated over and over again. Now the situation of the tip in restaurants………..it’s 18% now. Those who do not TITHE and do NOT give ALMS to anyone at any time can afford to tip over 18% regularly. WHY NOT? But let them give over and above the 10% tithe every month as well as alms to the Lord’s work and THEN let’s see them TIP BIG. We always tip over the 18% BUT…….we don’t eat out much anymore. Service is poor for the most part ………and the food is not up to standard……..and with the increase of diseases………we’re no longer interested in being that brave any longer. We are growing our own food and canning. We are cooking our own food as well and it not only tastes better, it is not loaded with chemicals and God only knows what else. So before you JUDGE CHRISTIANS…….give an overabundance of the tithe including alms (not counted) and THEN let us see what you actually TIP

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