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I don't consider it very Christian like to take someone's labor and not pay them for it. In fact, I'd call that stealing. Being a server is a tough job and tips are the vast majority of their compensation. I really don't have patience for people who want to eat out and not tip appropriately.
I tend to agree with you on people who refuse to tip. As for whether it's Christian or not, that depends whether we are talking theory or practice. In theory, it's highly un-Christlike, as the attested accounts of Jesus of Nazareth suggest that he would probably have tipped generously. In practice, Christianity figures it has the moral right to push itself on others, insinuate itself into government, and otherwise seek special treatment, and the rallying cry is: "My faith commands me to convert you, thus if you resent me, you are persecuting me." Reality: Christianity is just one religion, no better or worse and no more or less provable than the rest, and thus is not special. And in practice, a lot of Christians I've known would consider tipping with a Jack Chick tract, or the like, to be a profound form of "testimony of the Gospel." That's why I left them. For me, the biggest drag is that atheists have decided lately that if Christians can be massively obnoxious, the solution is to match their obnoxiousness. Then they wonder why people don't like them.
It's always amazing how few people understand how restaurant service works. The waiter or waitress doesn't just have one table but sometimes a whole section of a restaurant. People who turn their noses up and say they don't tip if they aren't catered to every second are sometimes just not seeing the whole picture. Waiting excessively long or being ignored obviously isn't acceptable and standards should also be higher for higher-end establishments.
On the other hand, you may have asked for that item right as your waiter is simultaneously -
trying to get to an 8 top who need their drink order RIGHT NOW
is getting yelled at by the kitchen staff to get the food out to table 26 RIGHT NOW
the baby at table 22 is having a meltdown over crackers and Mom needs more RIGHT NOW
another table has decided that they don't like X and it needs to be replaced RIGHT NOW
while yet another table is getting impatient about their check and won't be leaving a tip if you don't get it RIGHT NOW.
It's hectic, you have to triage and there is no way to please everyone at that exact moment. When it goes smoothly, it's great. But if you end up "in the weeds" it's easy to forget about small things or get tables mixed up. The point is that waitstaff are usually juggling 10 to 20 different things that you as a single customer aren't aware of. Service people are human and multitasking on a such large scale can be pretty difficult. People who do it well are like any professional, they make it look easy. They deserve to be paid well for their service and often are not.
Also, if the waitstaff is standing around talking and ignoring you while you need things, it's worthy of low or no tip, but people shouldn't take it any farther than that. Trying to get someone fired or excessively shamed or otherwise being an ass because you didn't like the service is petty, vindictive behavior that is way too common these days. I'm glad Yelp and instant online reviews weren't a thing when I was a server. They turn regular restaurant goers into little tyrants with iphones.
Having received these deceptive tracts in the past, I'm happy that they are being brought to people's attention and talked about, even if it IS just another one of these divisive "news" stories born of social media designed to keep people fighting about religion and politics.
I think the tract is tacky and I think the customer who left it is a bona fide douche bag.
That being said, this is not the type of restaurant or wait staff that you're describing. This is a fast food, plastic basket, pay at the counter and clean your own place off burger joint.
How many people on this thread leave a tip at a fast food burger joint? I'm really curious about this. I'm not saying that leaving the tract was appropriate - personally I hate ALL religious tracts and this one is particularly odious to me, but still - we're dealing with two separate issues here - leaving a fake $20 bill (tacky) and tipping fast food joint workers (not required or generally expected).
When I was a teenager, I worked in a burger joint. The only time I ever got a tip was if I hosted a birthday party.
It is my understanding that a tip is a reflection of the over all service and food.
IF the service was good, I tip good, if the service was bad I tip very little.
A tip is not pay, and it's not a debt, it is "gratuity"
I worked in a resort in the service industry working on boats and we rarely got tips, and more often then not, got promised tips for doing extra favors, but they were for the most part a lie.
When you work in a resort ,employers tend to abuse their people, low pay and over work .
And believe me that are far tougher jobs than waiting tables that pay the same . tips aside.
I view a TIP as "To Improve Performance" or a bonus above the staff's normal pay. We dine at several local restaurant's and generally tip quite generously as we almost never have an alcoholic drink with our meals. The result is we get very good service form the waiters and can order modified meals from the kitchen. We do get what we pay for.
The jackass that left some Jesus freak propaganda instead of a real tip gives Christianity a bad smell.
I have asked this question on this thread several times but no one will answer it.
How many of you tip at a burger joint where you pay at the counter and clean your own table?
(Not saying the fake $20 religious brochure is justified - personally I hate that sort of crap.)
I don't tip at a place like McDonalds if I eat inside the place. I take my tray with the garbage and toss the it in the trash. The tray goes back on the stack with other trays. At most of those places you get your own drink as well. Completely different from having a waitress take your order, get your food and drinks, and refill your beverage.
I don't tip at a place like McDonalds if I eat inside the place. I take my tray with the garbage and toss the it in the trash. The tray goes back on the stack with other trays. At most of those places you get your own drink as well. Completely different from having a waitress take your order, get your food and drinks, and refill your beverage.
Right.
This is a burger joint. You pay at the counter, and clean your own table off, from what I can gather from their Facebook page and comments and photos.
I think the tract is tacky and I think the customer who left it is a bona fide douche bag.
That being said, this is not the type of restaurant or wait staff that you're describing. This is a fast food, plastic basket, pay at the counter and clean your own place off burger joint.
But the waiter was paid tipped worker wages of $3 an hour, so apparently his employer thinks he they are part of his wages. No obviously that can be a beef with the place, but it seems extra cruel in this case. I don't know how this place is set up so the patrons know their is table service.
Generally I leave about 10% in fast casual places. But it depends on the layout and stuff. I might leave more if they are extra attentive. I also don't live in a state with the tipped worker exception.
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