Leaving a tract/Bible verse instead of a tip

[ricky]

Does people leaving a tract instead of a tip to a waiter or waitress really happen? I have heard rumors that is goes on, and know Christians have a bad reputation when it comes to tipping. However if anyone here has worked as a waiter/waitress has it happened to you? Do you leave a tract instead of a tip? or is this just an urban legand that someone thought up out of the blue?

[ricky]

Just now, Davida said:

I'm wondering how anyone would they know who all is Christian & so therefore how could "Christians" as the collective have a bad rep when it comes to tipping?   Most Christians fly under the radar when they go out for dinner etc. Personally , I wouldn't leave a Bible tract instead of a tip & I doubt I'd ever leave one with a tip.

I think the reputation comes from large church groups and people who pray before the meal. But i agree most Christians fly under the radar so to speak. 

[Happinessity]

I was dining with friends at a Red Lobster a few years ago with friends. A large group was at a table near ours celebrating a birthday. Like all those huge group gatherings there are pictures taken. And the lady that was the official camera person was snapping pictures of the birthday girl and everyone there. But also as is usual that one taking the shot isn't in the memory captured. I volunteered to take the pictures so everyone could be in them. 

After they were finished and everyone left the lady with the camera returned to our table and offered me a tract. She said she thought I might like to read it. I had noticed they left a tract on their table too and there were bills sticking out for the tip. 

I've had that happen a few times when I've done things for people. One woman offered me a little red New Testament. I use to be really gracious and accept. Then I'd leave the materials at a shop next shopping trip. Now my curiosity makes me ask the one offering why they presume when we are strangers to one another that my act of kindness warranted the presumption on their part that I didn't already know Christ? 

I think I owe it to the next kind person if they're a Christian too to avoid that presumption on the part of that particular individual making the implication. 

 

[other one]

I have made up an 80 pound cardstock the size of a dollar.  One size says "A TIP" the other side says "JESUS SAVES"

I never leave it with less than a 20.  Usually in a place where it looks like the waitress needs help.

About six months ago our waitress filled up my coffee cup and I noticed she'd been crying.  Turned out a large table had run up a $60 group meal and skipped out without paying.  At Delta restaurants the waitress has to make that shortfall.

I left her our 25% tip and the $60 to make it up.....   she caught me at the door in full tears and gave me a little kiss on the cheek like you would your sister.  And as we left she said, "Yes he does."

[Happinessity]

 That was very generous of you.  I would think it would be illegal to take money from a waitress when a table skipped?

I was visiting friends in Tampa last month. We have a favorite Italian restaurant we visit when I'm in town. Anyway, our waiter who knows us pretty well by now told us about a table that tried to skip the night before. He knew something was wrong because they were dressed very very casual but were ordering all the expensive items on the menu. From appetizers to drinks. Then when the check came in the hundreds he wondered if they'd skip. 

They did. Fortunately, the woman wore very high heels and didn't make it past the first parking space in front of the door before she fell flat trying to run with her boyfriend. Cops were on their way because our waiter said he watched them to see if they'd leave money at the table. There was no cashier so the only way to pay was leaving cash or putting a credit card in the bill jacket. 

The boyfriend didn't miss a step in his run for it. Turned out their car was two blocks away so as to insure no one caught their plate had they parked in the lot at the restaurant. 
Our waiter laughed and said the guy underestimated how fast a waiter can run in dress shoes.  Not only did he catch up to him and start the escorting back to the restaurant but, when the boyfriend saw the girlfriend being put into the back of a police car as they returned to the lot of the restaurant he dashed again. And was caught again. This time by the waiter and a very fast Tampa police officer. 

Apparently the hundreds in the bill total made their skip a felony.  
Probably the most costly dinner that young couple had in their entire lives. 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Happinessity

[wingnut-]

1 hour ago, ricky said:

Does people leaving a tract instead of a tip to a waiter or waitress really happen? I have heard rumors that is goes on, and know Christians have a bad reputation when it comes to tipping. However if anyone here has worked as a waiter/waitress has it happened to you? Do you leave a tract instead of a tip? or is this just an urban legand that someone thought up out of the blue?

 

I never had anyone tip me with a tract during my service years, I do get them quite often in my sales job though.

[Neighbor]

When we go out as a group we  are sure to tip no less than 25%

 At cheap breakfast tickets I never tip under two dollars a plate.

I never leave tracts, for they seem (to me) extremely  presumptive, as though  the server couldn't be a brother or sister in Christ.

Some tracts may be useful in conjunction with personal conversation.  I do like the Roadway to Heaven one from  another online ministry. 

Can't imagine, in this world today, picking up anything left behind by someone at a public facility. Who knows what it carries or where it has been. But, I am becoming a bit of a germ-a-phob.  I no longer want to shake hands with everyone at church,  the meet and greet  is more share a germ  far as I am concerned, I'd rather nod a little respect or arrive late. Nor do I want to reach into a basket of broken wafers that 200  others have reached into. Ahh  not so much, maybe there is a brother I need reconcile with first, really,  I'll pass on the broken wafers tonight, thanks. 

[Neighbor]

1 hour ago, Yowm said:

Gee, you'd do terrible in a Church with a common cup. lol

Depends, wine or Welch's grape juice?

[Neighbor]

 A very young family of three, she he and the new baby, sat at the coffee shop restaurant counter  carefully calculating the cost of every item to be ordered. Emptying pockets and purse, setting out  and separating out two piles of cash and coin  on the counter as if to make sure they could afford what they ordered.  And they set aside that second pile too,  twenty percent for the  tip. Ordering ever so carefully they confirmed what the total with sales tax and tip will be, as they ordered.

This waitress asked with  coffee pot in hand assuming a yes answer, "Coffee?" And the man responded, "no no thanks" looking over and recalculating his two piles of cash.

"Sweety the coffee is on the house", and she poured  coffee for us both. 

 I still remember that waitress some 54 years later. Her kindness was rich, rich as the coffee seemed that early evening on the road.

Sometimes, often even, it is the restaurant server that is generous of heart, and seems Christian-like in actions. She may  or may not have been, but memory  of her kind demeaner and loving spirit makes me think that  if she wasn't, that the Holy Spirit would have soon  be calling  on her to her repentance and salvation specifically. May her heavenly reward be  generous.

My own father, if impressed with the food would often give very very generous tips, and a second tip to be given to the chef. He was a very demanding man and could write a scathing note  and ask it be delivered to the chef if the food was not excellent. He would write an instructional note for the server too  or give a lecture at the table side if the service itself was not up to his demanding standard. Yet his tips were most generous for fine food and service.

I used to pray, even though not yet saved, and not knowing what I might be praying to, please please may the  prime rib be rare enough and the Rob Roy mixed well.  Less we suffer the exchange that would ensue when a bad meal or drink  arrived.

Eating out with dad  was always an adventure! And kind of a fun and funny memory today. As I matured I learned that if the wrath of dad was being awakened  by poor service or food, to get up go to the men's room and then get the bill from the server, pay it tip them and tell them, please  do not return to the table.

 

 Servers  can make some decent money, but for the most part they also suffer some long down time  with exceptionally low pay. It's hard work with demanding managers and demanding customers. Please if you can,  tip generously and do financially  reward their extra special service when  it comes your way. But don't combine Jesus as part of a tip. Our Lord  is not  a reward  nor coupon to be handed out for some service given us. He is God to be worshipped.

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Neighbor

[other one]

7 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Depends, wine or Welch's grape juice?

A side note, did you know that Welch's grape juice was thought up because Mr. Welch thought it wrong to use wine.  He worked out how to pasteurize grape juice.