Being a "pastor" does not make it all right to be nasty.

[Fairportfan]

Headline is a bit snide for my taste.

Article? Not so much.

Diner Thinks That Saying He's A Pastor Allows Him To Stiff Waiter On Tip

Another week, another person making headlines for scribbling on a restaurant receipt. This time, it's a customer who seems to think that claiming he's a pastor absolves him of having to leave a tip.

The photo, which began tearing up the Atheism page on Reddit not long after it was posted a few hours ago, shows a receipt for $34.93 with an automatic gratuity of 18% ($6.29) included.

But the diner has scratched out that tip, writing instead that "I Give God 10% Why do you Get 18" and adding the word "pastor" above his signature. And instead of leaving a tip that was merely less than the 18%, just wrote a big "0"



In the comments on the post, the person who submitted the image explains that this was just a portion of the total bill for a table of 20, which means the 18% tip is automatically put on the bill.

"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." The auto-gratuity policy is apparently also listed on the menu.

In total, the group ran up more than $200 worth of food before tax and tip, says the server. As for whether or not the zero-dollar tip reflect the quality of service, the waiter writes, "They had no problem with my service, and told me I was great. They just didn't want to pay when the time came."

We understand why someone might be upset about an automatic gratuity. 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.

{emphases added}

I note that the "Pastor" apparently paid the amount, including the gratuity, since he signed the ticket. Wonder if he'll try to dispute the charge with his credit card?

While i may disagree with the automatic-gratuity bit, i understand the logic behind it.

And i'll guarantee that the menu clearly stated the policy, and they should have known it before they ordered.

I think that, at some point, that guy's Boss (if you believe in the Boss) is gonna want to have a few words about attitude with him.

[bmonk]

Besides which, in this culture, the tip is included in a waiter's pay--even by the IRS. So by stiffing the guy, he actually is stealing from him.

[Julie]

I also question the pastor's logic when the tithing thing is 10% of your income given to the church (either out of the goodness of your heart or because it's "mandatory") to support its ministries...and this gratuity was 18% of the bill for his goods/services received. Besides, isn't it an understood custom that servers are tipped about 15% normally...more for good service, and maybe less for poor service? This pastor isn't just nasty, he's a cheap bastard.

[Mark N]

I also question the pastor's logic when the tithing thing is 10% of your income given to the church (either out of the goodness of your heart or because it's "mandatory") to support its ministries...and this gratuity was 18% of the bill for his goods/services received. Besides, isn't it an understood custom that servers are tipped about 15% normally...more for good service, and maybe less for poor service? This pastor isn't just nasty, he's a cheap bastard.

Point and match my dear.

[shadowinthelight]

This fits with stories of groups of church ladies stuffing their purses at buffets.

[Mark N]

This fits with stories of groups of church ladies stuffing their purses at buffets.

If only those were just stories. I know several places in the 80's that had to make new rules thanks to them.

[Fairportfan]

This fits with stories of groups of church ladies stuffing their purses at buffets.

Many years ago, when the annual Louisville SF convention, RIverCon, used the Galt House hotel every year, the chairman, Cliff Amos, told me a story.

There was a lovely, spacious sixth-floor-or-so suite overlooking the river that the convention used every year as it's hospitality suite. Cliff said that one year, while handling the post-convention formalities with ther hotel manager, he apologised for some beer or soda spills on the carpet.

The manager told him not to sweat it; strange as we were, we were one of the least likely to actually do serious damage to the facility in his experience.

And then he told Cliff about a Little Old Lady group they'd had (Daughters of the Confederacy or similar, apparently). The LOLs used the same suite for their convention. On the Saturday afternoon of their event, they had booked an excursion on the Belle of Louisville, which boards withing a block or so of the hotel.

And they had chicken box lunches sent in. And they ate them in the suite.

And, for whatever reason, these sweet, elegant blue-haired granny ladies dropped the chicken bones on the floor.

And walked on them the rest of the afternoon.

And the hotel had to replace the carpet.

[Julie]

This fits with stories of groups of church ladies stuffing their purses at buffets.

EDITED for length
And they had chicken box lunches sent in. And they ate them in the suite.

And, for whatever reason, these sweet, elegant blue-haired granny ladies dropped the chicken bones on the floor.

And walked on them the rest of the afternoon.

And the hotel had to replace the carpet.

Ewwwwww!!!

[Mark N]

This fits with stories of groups of church ladies stuffing their purses at buffets.

Many years ago, when the annual Louisville SF convention, RIverCon, used the Galt House hotel every year, the chairman, Cliff Amos, told me a story.

There was a lovely, spacious sixth-floor-or-so suite overlooking the river that the convention used every year as it's hospitality suite. Cliff said that one year, while handling the post-convention formalities with ther hotel manager, he apologised for some beer or soda spills on the carpet.

The manager told him not to sweat it; strange as we were, we were one of the least likely to actually do serious damage to the facility in his experience.

And then he told Cliff about a Little Old Lady group they'd had (Daughters of the Confederacy or similar, apparently). The LOLs used the same suite for their convention. On the Saturday afternoon of their event, they had booked an excursion on the Belle of Louisville, which boards withing a block or so of the hotel.

And they had chicken box lunches sent in. And they ate them in the suite.

And, for whatever reason, these sweet, elegant blue-haired granny ladies dropped the chicken bones on the floor.

And walked on them the rest of the afternoon.

And the hotel had to replace the carpet.

This is a good example of why I hate the "Holier Than Thou" people out there. The idea of "Because I am a FAVORITE of the Lord I do not have to conform to the standards that you all must" is a major pet peeve of mine.

[Dave]

This is a good example of why I hate the "Holier Than Thou" people out there. The idea of "Because I am a FAVORITE of the Lord I do not have to conform to the standards that you all must" is a major pet peeve of mine.

"Because we're special!"

[ShneekeyTheLost]

This is a good example of why I hate the "Holier Than Thou" people out there. The idea of "Because I am a FAVORITE of the Lord I do not have to conform to the standards that you all must" is a major pet peeve of mine.

"Because we're special!"

So special they get their very own short bus...

[DinkyInky]

This is a good example of why I hate the "Holier Than Thou" people out there. The idea of "Because I am a FAVORITE of the Lord I do not have to conform to the standards that you all must" is a major pet peeve of mine.

"Because we're special!"

"Special" is not the word I would use...{insert expletives here }