Applebee's Waitress Canned After Posting Pastor's Receipt

[Stitchfans]

I see, but if the check is split, then it is no longer a larger party. The whole point of the automatic tip for larger parties is to make sure tips are left because they often don't add enough when paying together on one check. When the checks are split, this problem is fixed.

I disagree there, 10% was the standard for a good tip not that overly long ago, I see no reason why the percentage should have increased. 10% of the larger costs will result in larger tips. Now, if the service is good of course I will leave more, but my point is we don't need to expect that more should be left. My point was that it was indeed a valid point.

As for Applebee's response, I think they didn't act properly, yes the server should have been fired, but this needed to e reported to the authorities as attempted identity theft and credit card fraud. Yes, the server belongs in jail for this. You do not post anything with someone's signature or any portion of a credit card on it.

Huh? From what I understand it wasn't even the server who posted it. Plus, it is obvious the intentions was not for identity theft. Plus, as said, the CC# and signature was not posted or was anyone able to see it. I totally disagree with you on this.

My oldest DD works for Applebees as a waitress. It is not uncommon for people to stiff the waiters/waitresses after they busted their backs to make sure they had everything they needed and then some. This is a very draining job. All I saw this pastor doing was jumping around and screaming at her congregation in that video. That woman is a nut job. She deserved to be embarrassed and then some IMO There was no harm done to her or her identity just her pride for being called out for being a cheap idiot.

 

[Planogirl]

I see, but if the check is split, then it is no longer a larger party. The whole point of the automatic tip for larger parties is to make sure tips are left because they often don't add enough when paying together on one check. When the checks are split, this problem is fixed.

I disagree there, 10% was the standard for a good tip not that overly long ago, I see no reason why the percentage should have increased. 10% of the larger costs will result in larger tips. Now, if the service is good of course I will leave more, but my point is we don't need to expect that more should be left. My point was that it was indeed a valid point.

As for Applebee's response, I think they didn't act properly, yes the server should have been fired, but this needed to e reported to the authorities as attempted identity theft and credit card fraud. Yes, the server belongs in jail for this. You do not post anything with someone's signature or any portion of a credit card on it. It is too easy for people to use this basic information to commit crimes. Since it had the type of card in it, the first 8 digits are easy enough to figure out, the last 4 are visible. Figuring out the rest wouldn't be hard. Since its a pastor, finding their address wouldn't be hard either. Needless to say, I hope she is changing her card number now. But it may be too little too late, as once someone has one credit card number belonging to you, they can easily obtain your SSN and apply for more cards in your name.

This is why this should be reported to the authorities and why it is important for restaurants to not keep credit card receipts on a clipboard.

I work with identity theft and this is not a case of that. Reporting it to the authorities would be wasting their time.

I don't agree that splitting up the checks is a way to change the minimum tip policy. It is still a large group likely taking up several tables and that it what sets the policy from my understanding.

As for 10% being adequate, it isn't a policy any more and hasn't been for many, many years. 15% has been the standard since I was a child and that has certainly been a while. If you wish to leave 10% that is your call but it is certainly not the norm.

 

[IDoDis]

As it's a 15 member micro-church, I don't think that's gonna help. I'm also inclined to believe that her "parishioners" probably were in on the snub, as they were part of her group that night at the restaurant. I'm sure she told them, they all discussed it, had a good laugh about it, patted her on the back for her "cleverness" etc. And as another poster pointed out...who is she tithing to? A tithe is 10% of your total income that you give to your church. Bell IS her church so she's tithing her income (from the church) right back to herself.

I was thinking the same thing. The pastor is just giving the money back to herself AND getting a tax break for the "donations." Heck, she probably writes off everything as a church expense, including that Applebee's meal. I'd love to see her tax records.

DH rented a room in a house from a "pastor" back in is college days. He found out that the "pastor" received his credentials from some organization that he paid a fee to, read a couple of books, an then took and passed a test. DH said the guy never mentioned religion and didn't have a church except on paper. He also had a mail order bride from Vietnam. He filled out some papers, flew to Vietnam to pick her up, and she stayed home and did all of his cooking and cleaning.

 

[cmwade77]

I was thinking the same thing. The pastor is just giving the money back to herself AND getting a tax break for the "donations." Heck, she probably writes off everything as a church expense, including that Applebee's meal. I'd love to see her tax records.

DH rented a room in a house from a "pastor" back in is college days. He found out that the "pastor" received his credentials from some organization that he paid a fee to, read a couple of books, an then took and passed a test. DH said the guy never mentioned religion and didn't have a church except on paper. He also had a mail order bride from Vietnam. He filled out some papers, flew to Vietnam to pick her up, and she stayed home and did all of his cooking and cleaning.

Now this is another point entirely and is a very valid one.

 

[cmwade77]

I work with identity theft and this is not a case of that. Reporting it to the authorities would be wasting their time.

I don't agree that splitting up the checks is a way to change the minimum tip policy. It is still a large group likely taking up several tables and that it what sets the policy from my understanding.

As for 10% being adequate, it isn't a policy any more and hasn't been for many, many years. 15% has been the standard since I was a child and that has certainly been a while. If you wish to leave 10% that is your call but it is certainly not the norm.

I disagree with you, as I have seen how people are indeed able to do this. It is actually really scary when you realize how easy it is for criminals to commit identity theft and how little information they need to do so.

It takes so little to do so much damage, you need to be vigilant and something like this will also open this pastor up to being a target and even if they can't manage to get information from the receipt (which most likely they could), they will do other things to find the information.

10% was the standard in California for the very few locations that added automatic gratuity for larger parties when I was a kid and I am 35. And I do mean very few places, maybe 3 restaurants total that I remember seeing it printed on the menu. I remember the first time I saw a 12% automatic gratuity would be added to parties of 6 or more and we all thought that was outrageous. Yes, I used to read the entire menus when I was a kid.

 

[geraghty]

Since this is a Disney thread I'll add one point. Does anyone know what the automatic tipping policy is at Disney World? I don't think the employee at Applebee's is less deserving than anyone else. I remember every time I sat down at a restaurant in the park whether a buffet, or I ordered off a menu, the gratuity was added and I was expected to pay the entire bill. If you can't afford for someone to bring you food eat somewhere you can serve yourself. I also feel sorry for this server. As a union electrician I have someone to go to if I feel I am not being treated fairly. Unfortunately those in the restaurant industry do not have a support system and are forced into unfair working conditions and often times poor pay. Restaurants have forced their responsibilites onto bussers and servers because they can pay them well under minimum wage. This is their livelihood and they have a right to defend themselves. I tip well and would not be embarassed because someone posted my tip on the web. I hope this server finds a better job.

 

[scoutie]

Why did Applebee's add an automatic tip on to such a small bill?

In the article, it states that parties of eight or more have an automated gratuity to the bill. This is standard at many restaurants. The party was significantly larger than eight.

As a former server who has been given religious tracts instead of a tip before, I hate when God is given as an excuse. Frankly, I feel God would be mortified.

Of course, I agree with the Pastor that if God gets 10%, it should be good enough for a server.

Please. Did God run around getting refills on drinks and bringing food? God doesn't have bills to pay. It seems as though you don't understand the difference between TITHING and TIPPING. The two are not related. At all.

Servers are taxed on what they sell. As I mentioned before, there have been times where my paychecks (I made $2.14 an hour) were zero, because I made "too much" money those weeks (I had busy weeks, where my food and alcohol sales were high....therefore, I was taxed accordingly).

I see, but if the check is split, then it is no longer a larger party.

What? Of course it is. If there are twenty people in the party, and the server is responsible for serving those twenty people, the party is still twenty people whether the checks are split or not. These people are still taking up ALL of the server's section, preventing her from waiting on other people and making money. Anyone who has been a server and has waited on a large party, knows how difficult it is--especially if people want separate checks.

Reading some of these posts make me very thankful that I no longer have to support my teaching habit by serving the public.

 

[scoutie]

I'd like to add one more thing....the cost to run a restaurant is astronomical. One of the ways that restaurants can keep your food cost down is by paying servers less than minimum wage. Paying servers less keeps YOUR food cost down. In addition, there are very few servers who would serve the public by waiting tables for minimum wage. It's hard, it's tiring and many times it's thankless. WIthout tips, these servers could not afford to live. For those of you who morally object to tipping, just stay home.

Generous tippers who were regulars at my restaurant would reap the benefits. There are a lot of mistakes made in a fast paced restaurant environment, and generous customers would get the extra dessert or margarita that was accidentally made.

Does anyone know what the automatic tipping policy is at Disney World?

The policy is stated on each restaurant's menus, and it's generally 15-18% automatic gratuity for parties of eight or more. When we were there in January, our party size was 10 people, and in all cases but one, gratuity was automatically added on. We did add an additional tip on top of the automatic gratuity, but of course, this isn't necessary.

 

[dis-happy]

They all sat together, ordered together and were served food at the same time if they were treated like most larger groups who go out to eat. The server said the computer automatically added the tip, probably because the order went in as one order to the kitchen. Even though they chose to pay separately, the minimum gratuity seems to legitimately apply.

I bet if only a couple of people at a time, here and there, were served their meal that would have been a different excuse used by those trying not to pay the gratuity!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I don't think that what the server (note: I mean the server who photographed the receipt, not the one who served the table) did was identity theft. I do, however, think that what she did should be prohibited under corporate policies designed to prevent identity theft.

I'll use an example that's a spin off of the recent Boy Scouts thread. It appears that the boy scouts have a clear policy prohibiting a boy and a scout master being together in a tent. The purpose of this policy is to protect boys from pedophiles, and I think it's a great policy. However, it also prevents boys and masters being in tents for more benign reasons. For example, a scout master can't enter a boy's tent to help him look for the flashlight he misplaced. The policy is broad to provide the most protection possible, and I support that even though I recognize that some more innocent activities are also prevented.

Similarly, while I don't think that, in this case, the server's intention was to commit identity theft, I do think that a policy that prohibits photographing or otherwise reproducing anything related to a credit card transaction is a good one.

 

[cmwade77]

In the article, it states that parties of eight or more have an automated gratuity to the bill. This is standard at many restaurants. The party was significantly larger than eight.

As a former server who has been given religious tracts instead of a tip before, I hate when God is given as an excuse. Frankly, I feel God would be mortified.

Please. Did God run around getting refills on drinks and bringing food? God doesn't have bills to pay. It seems as though you don't understand the difference between TITHING and TIPPING. The two are not related. At all.

Servers are taxed on what they sell. As I mentioned before, there have been times where my paychecks (I made $2.14 an hour) were zero, because I made "too much" money those weeks (I had busy weeks, where my food and alcohol sales were high....therefore, I was taxed accordingly).

What? Of course it is. If there are twenty people in the party, and the server is responsible for serving those twenty people, the party is still twenty people whether the checks are split or not. These people are still taking up ALL of the server's section, preventing her from waiting on other people and making money.

Reading some of these posts make me very thankful that I no longer have to support my teaching habit by serving the public.

In California, servers are required to declare their actual tips and tax is supposed to be based off of that.

They are also required to be paid at least minimum wage BEFORE tips.

If for some reason, someone got taxed too much, they would get it back at tax time.

Bottom line is it is not my fault that a server didn't negotiate a good pay package with the restaurant.

I think many don't understand that tipping is not supposed to be automatic or considered part of the pay, it is supposed to be a reward for making a customer'a experience more enjoyable for a little while. Tipping by its very nature is supposed to be voluntary. Tithing on the other hand is indeed different, God asks for it to further his work and I dare say he does far more than any server does for us, so really if we got down to it, 10% might be too high for a server if you are comparing things.

Now, I don't believe giving religious tracts instead of a tip is right, but I do believe that as a whole, we have become a society of people who feel entitled to certain things that should be considered bonuses, just because we are doing our jobs.

I still maintain that we should move away from tipping all together. I do my job and don't receive tips for doing it. I get paid a good wage to do so and that is factored into what we charge out clients, why should a restaurant be any different? For those that think service would suffer, I disagree, if I don't do my job properly, I would be fired. Same would happen to bad servers.

 

[cmwade77]

While I don't think that was their intent, it can result in it. And in most states, any act that is commuted by Someone that can result in identity theft is considered illegal. This is why I say it should be reported to the authorities. We need to take identity theft a lot more seriously in this country. If you haver ever been a victim or have known a victim of identity theft, you would understand why I am so insistent about this.

 

[scoutie]

Bottom line is it is not my fault that a server didn't negotiate a good pay package with the restaurant.

Pay package? Are you SERIOUS? Serving jobs are taken by college students or people looking to pick some extra cash. There are a few people who do it professionally, but negotiating a pay package is not possible, or the reasons I stated above (high overhead costs of running a restaurant). When a server asks a manager for a raise, they will likely say, "Your raise is being a better server, because your tips will reflect your hard work."

I do my job and don't receive tips for doing it. I get paid a good wage to do so and that is factored into what we charge out clients, why should a restaurant be any different? For those that think service would suffer, I disagree, if I don't do my job properly, I would be fired. Same would happen to bad servers.

If we get away from tipping as you suggest, that $7 hamburger is going to cost you $14. The overhead cost of running a restaurant is crazy high. There are few people who would wait tables for an hourly wage that a restaurant could reasonably offer.

Also.....I do my job well too. I'm a teacher with a master's degree. I don't expect to be tipped. The difference is that I am paid a fair wage with benefits. When I was a server, it was in college and during my first years of teaching to pick up some extra money to pay off my student loans. I made $2.14 and did expect to be tipped AFTER GOOD SERVICE.

10% might be too high for a server if you are comparing things

I've seen a lot of crazy things said on these boards, but I think this is the craziest. If service is very poor and you're tipping accordingly, that's one thing, but to say that you're not tipping because people are entitled is just ridiculous.

 

[mickeysgal]

Pay package? Are you SERIOUS? Serving jobs are taken by college students or people looking to pick some extra cash. There are a few people who do it professionally, but negotiating a pay package is not possible, or the reasons I stated above (high overhead costs of running a restaurant). When a server asks a manage for a raise, they will likely say, "Your raise is being a better server, because your tips will reflect your hard work." If we get away from tipping as you suggest, that $7 hamburger is going to cost you $14. The overhead cost of running a restaurant is crazy high. Also.....I do my job well too. I'm a teacher with a master's degree. I don't expect to be tipped. The difference is that I am paid a fair wage with benefits.

I've seen a lot of crazy things said on these boards, but I think this is the craziest. If service is very poor and you're tipping accordingly, that's one thing, but to say that you're not tipping because people are entitled is just ridiculous.

Stick around some. This by far, isn't the craziest.

 

[scoutie]

Stick around some. This by far, isn't the craziest.

I look forward to it!

 

[cmwade77]

Pay package? Are you SERIOUS? Serving jobs are taken by college students or people looking to pick some extra cash. There are a few people who do it professionally, but negotiating a pay package is not possible, or the reasons I stated above (high overhead costs of running a restaurant). When a server asks a manager for a raise, they will likely say, "Your raise is being a better server, because your tips will reflect your hard work." If we get away from tipping as you suggest, that $7 hamburger is going to cost you $14. The overhead cost of running a restaurant is crazy high. There are few people who would wait tables for an hourly wage that a restaurant could reasonably offer.

Also.....I do my job well too. I'm a teacher with a master's degree. I don't expect to be tipped. The difference is that I am paid a fair wage with benefits. When I was a server, it was in college and during my first years of teaching to pick up some extra money to pay off my student loans. I made $2.14 and did expect to be tipped AFTER GOOD SERVICE.

I've seen a lot of crazy things said on these boards, but I think this is the craziest. If service is very poor and you're tipping accordingly, that's one thing, but to say that you're not tipping because people are entitled is just ridiculous.

I disagree that we would see an increase from $7 to $14. The more like scenario would be $7 to $8. This is based on the few restaurants that we have already seen out here that do this. They are very successful, their servers are paid well and customers are very happy. When I saw few, I do mean it, I think I have seen three out here that do this.

Also, based on what we see in food prices in other countries that don't tips. So, we know it CAN be done, as it has been done elsewhere.

I think I can count on one hand the number of times a college aged student has served me in the past three years. It is not typical for servers to be college aged out here.

I know California is a bit different, as they have to make at least minimum wage before tips, but it only furthers my point that we can get away from tipping and pay a living wage without increasing prices that much. The food industry out here is thriving, so paying more per hour isn't going to affect the business that much.

If you give me good service, you will indeed get a GOOD tip, but if I sat there for 5 minutes with no drink (at Blue Bayou, the only way I got a refill was to ask for the manager and it was a refillable drink. Of course the service was so bad we ended up with something like a 75% discount. I mean food that was sitting by our table from the time our appetizers came out to about 10 minutes after we finished our appetizers and as a result was cold, when we were done with our meal it took about 15 minutes just to get our check and our server never once checked on us) or it took you 30 minutes to bring back my credit card (yes, this really happened and at Disneyland no less), you have not earned a good tip.

For me to consider service to be good, all you really need to do is make sure my order comes out correctly (I.e. if I order a salad, make sure I get it before my meal or if there was a special request, make sure it was done and if there is a problem that is delaying my order, just tell me and of course cold food should be cold and hot food hot. For example don't serve me a "Sizzling platter" of food that is frozen an yes, that happened at Denny's) and make sure my drink is kept refilled and I am a happy camper.

Now I have had what would be considered extremely slow service, but was still good service, caused by the restaurant being able to run limited equipment had only one server and were extremely busy, but they told us that would be the case when we came in. That day was really hot out and we just wanted to be in air conditioning, so we said we didn't mind as long as we had drinks. They brought a pitcher for us. They also gave us complimentary pie for the inconvenience. Bottom line is the server did the best they could with the situation and earned an excellent tip (I think it ended up being something like 30%). But the server truly did earn her tip. We were there a while and I think just about everyone did something similar. So that server probably made out really well by the end of the night.

And yes, there are many, many examples of excellent customer service. On local restaurant we go to, if you drink is down to about 2/3 full, they being a pitcher and refill it. We went to this same restaurant for a New Year's Eve dinner. DW went to the bathroom and tripped when coming back (her own fault, not theirs) and they gave us the meals for free, we unfortunately didn't have a lot of cash with us, but they still got about 30% of what the bill would have been.

My point here is, servers need to realize that they do need to earn their tips, not just expect them automatically.

 

[Lintasare]

In California, servers are required to declare their actual tips and tax is supposed to be based off of that.

They are also required to be paid at least minimum wage BEFORE tips.

If for some reason, someone got taxed too much, they would get it back at tax time.

Bottom line is it is not my fault that a server didn't negotiate a good pay package with the restaurant.

I think many don't understand that tipping is not supposed to be automatic or considered part of the pay, it is supposed to be a reward for making a customer'a experience more enjoyable for a little while. Tipping by its very nature is supposed to be voluntary. Tithing on the other hand is indeed different, God asks for it to further his work and I dare say he does far more than any server does for us, so really if we got down to it, 10% might be too high for a server if you are comparing things.

Now, I don't believe giving religious tracts instead of a tip is right, but I do believe that as a whole, we have become a society of people who feel entitled to certain things that should be considered bonuses, just because we are doing our jobs.

I still maintain that we should move away from tipping all together. I do my job and don't receive tips for doing it. I get paid a good wage to do so and that is factored into what we charge out clients, why should a restaurant be any different? For those that think service would suffer, I disagree, if I don't do my job properly, I would be fired. Same would happen to bad servers.

Wow...where to start.

For the record, I used to work in payroll and this is how it went.

First off here in NM the servers had to make minimum wage after their tips were added to their hourly wage. If not the restaurant had to make up the difference.

Secondly I don't know any restaurant that negotiates a pay package with a server. Here they make something like $3 an hour and your tips have to make up the rest.

Third, servers don't keep 100% of the tips they make. They have to tip out to the bus boys, bartenders if the restaurant has one and depending on the restaurant the host/hostess that seats the table. I have even hear of unscrupulous managers taking a portion of servers tips as well.

And fourth, tips are considered a part of their pay and not an add on.

Don't like it? Don't go out to eat.

 

[donaldlovesdaisy]

What the so called "pastor " did was rude and she is a cheap twit. I also think it is sad not to tip at least 15% and my husband usually tip 20% for your average good service . If you are that cheap or hard up for money that you can't tip appropriately then you need not eat out. I wish restaurants would make tips included for all parties not just those with 8 or more.

 

[badblackpug]

I agree that the waitress shouldn't have posted the receipts with any identifying information on it. I can see Applebee's position on that.

However, if the entire congregation of 15 people sat together and were served as one party, they were one party, regardless of how they wanted to pay. Here is my Disney example: We went to WDW with a friend and her son. I have 4 kids, we are a party of 6, she has 1, making our whole party 8. We were all on the dining plan, but in separate rooms, so even though there were only 2 people on her check, the 18% gratuity was added because we were a table of 8.

Yes, tipping is voluntary, and is given for the quality of service. This pastor stiffed the server, (because I don't believe for a minute she left cash after that pompous note) not citing "poor service" but citing because the server doesn't deserve more than god. If she has declined to tip citing the service was bad, no one would have faulted her.

By the way, the "pastor" isn't giving 10% to god, she is giving 10% to her church, which she runs.

Yes, you can become a "pastor" online by paying a fee and sending away for the certificate.

 

[geraghty]

One of the ways that restaurants can keep your food cost down is by paying servers less than minimum wage. That $7 burger would cost $8.40 with a 20% tip
The policy is stated on each restaurant's menus, and it's generally 15-18% automatic gratuity for parties of eight or more.

"Q.Are gratuities included with dining plans?
A.No. Gratuities are not included with packages that include dining plans—unless otherwise indicated.

An automatic 18% gratuity charge will be added to your bill for parties of 6 or more"

This was taken from Disney's website. 18% is industry standard now. It is added into some places ex. Spirit of Aloha and Hoop Dee Doo Revue. My point is most people don't know what is actually expected when it comes to tipping. It would not cost that much to add gratuity into the cost of the meal but Applebees and most restaurant's really don't care about their employees. They are an expense and if they can trick some poor, usually uneducated, young man or woman into a false sense of financial security where one's pay is based upon hard work and customer service to make a higher profit than that is what they are going to do.