Christians are Bad Customers!
I’ve been aware of this problem for some time, but something brought it to my attention recently. In the restaurant business, Christians are perceived to be the worst people to wait on. Waiters and waitresses don’t like the “after church” crowd, because they treat them worse, and tip them lower. Imagine working on a Sunday and getting paid less to work harder. I’ve always strived to overcome this stereotype, and bring it to the attention of my friends, but recently something made me angry.
A local radio talk show host was talking about this, and mentioned a waitress who was given a 7% tip and a religious tract! I wish those people hadn’t let the waitress know that they were Christians. If you’re going to leave religious propaganda, the least you could do is leave a good tip. These people wasted their money on that tract, because they effectively drove a person FURTHER AWAY from Christ with their poor behavior. When I heard this, I was so angry I had to pull my car over to calm down.
I shouldn’t have to do this, but I have decided to give a lesson in restaurant etiquette. A standard tip is 15% of the total bill. If you have coupons or the waiter/waitress gives you something for free, the tip is 15% of what the bill would have been if you paid full price. In any tipping restaurant, less than 15% is considered an insult. In a fancy restaurant, a waiter/waitress may feel insulted with 15%. If you’re eating gourmet food in a restaurant with nice ambience, 20% is a better way to go. I think it’s best for a Christian to go 20% or better at every restaurant. If people are going to have a stereotype of us, it should be that we are generous, not stingy. The reason tipping is a big deal, is that waiters and waitresses usually make less than minimum wage, and the tips are supposed to cover the difference. If you tip poorly, you may be the reason someone is only making minimum wage.
When it comes to how we treat the waiter/waitress, this is often an innocent problem. We often go out with friends after Church, and we get talking. This is fine, but it is considered rude to continue talking and changing seats while the waiter/waitress is taking your order. Try to be mindful, and if you make this mistake, make sure it is reflected in your tip.
Filed under: Christian Living, Outreach
I whole heartedly agree!
Two other thoughts to consider…
1. If you share a meal, tip as though you purchased two.
2. Don't allow your children to make a huge mess. If it does happen, as is common with toddlers, by all means CLEAN IT UP!! Wait staff is not there to be your slave! They are there to assist you with your meal. Often times I've bent down to tidy up the floor and been shooed away. To which I do the best I can, but at least I've shown good will.
When eating out on a Sunday after church do all you can do, to prove the theory that "all church people are cheap and a pain" wrong.
I was just telling this to friends of mine 2 nights ago. My husband saw your blog post and sent it to me! I totally agree. I was a waitress 20 years ago and this was true then…it's sad that it hasn't changed. Thanks for bringing it to light. I am going to forward this to a few people.