My daughter works as a server at a nice restaurant in our city. This leads to some good stories and I quite enjoy them.
She came home after work one day and relayed a story about how some Christians had left a tract on the table for their server. They had put his name on the empty line so it would be personalized. Her friend said they get them every now and again and she said it is greeted with some laughter and a bit of fun.
She is excited to get her first tract from a hit and run Christian. I must say I am waiting with baited breath for that time also. I want to know what kind of Christian leaves a tract at a restaurant for a server. Not that it is a negative thing but it is so opposite of what I think about. She is great at describing people and I just want to know all I can about it when it happens.
On another note she has relayed the opinions of servers about waiting on people on Sundays, the after church crowd. There seems to be a general consensus about Christians and tipping. We are cheap when it comes to rewarding those who serve us even though we are also very demanding. I know there are multiple reasons to be cheap such as calling it frugal or being a good steward. I just call it embarrassing.
I know that God owns the “cattle on a thousand hills” but apparently, for the most part, His servants are unwilling to part with 20 percent of the bill for a tip. I just hope if someone leave a tract about salvation it is neatly tucked into a 20 percent tip and including a written thanks.
Did you know servers make about 2.50 and hour and rely upon tips for their pay…
ooh ooh, I’ve got a good one. Avril and I worked at Bugaboo in Rochester. One Sunday night (ugh, the WORST day to work bc the church crowd is rude and cheep cheep cheep) one of our fellow workers came up and threw what looked like a $20 bill on the counter. She said, “Anyone want that?” with disgust. I looked closer; it was a tract made to look like a $20 (eww). Here’s the kicker, that is all they left!
I totally agree with the church crowd comment… It makes me think of Rob Bell’s Nooma video call Bullhorn. It is about being painted with the same broad brush as the church goer who has no understanding of how to show love and caring… whether it be by tipping your server and saying I love you. It is your heart when you do it that counts and I fail to see a how a religious tract instead of a tip falling into the loving category…
ooh I love Rob Bell…And according to Ryan Squiteri, I’m going to hell for reading Rob Bell (well I made up that clever little saying, but that was the thrust of his comments). Who cares? I love that he is a thinking. feeling, irreverant (about churchy doctrines) pastor. Good stuff, him.
Hey, Lin…I have finally started writing my blog again and wanted you to have the correct link. Check away if you so desire.
I have added you to my RSS feed!
oh yes, my tract came and went, along with a 10% tip. I don’t work Sundays, and when I feel holy I blame it on the sabath, and when I feel like I imagine a crochety old man must feel, I blame it on the Christians. I’ve yet (and I’m not exaggerating.. unfortunately) to wait on a table of Christians that have tipped 20%. I wait on complete jerks that’ll tip me 20%, but not my fellow, tract-waving Christians.
and yeah, I’ve gotten one of those fake money tracts too Mollye.. mine was a “million dollar bill.” I believe one of my fellow Christian servers said that we should turn all of our tracts into the church’s offering box and tell them to try paying their bills with it. some days I feel like doing just that.
correction: my parents tip me over 20%. : ) but that’s it.