Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, November 23, 2011
Chow / Religion Here's a Tip: Go with God
Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Nov 23, 2011 at 11:08 AM
After his customers had left, a Redditor who works as a waiter was approaching the empty table and saw a ten-dollar bill tucked under the plate. "As a waiter, I make $2.65 an hour," he writes, saying he was "stoked" to see such a huge tip. Then he realized that the $10 bill was a fake, and on the back was evangelical Christian literature. Here's part of what the bill says:
The Christians didn't leave any tip besides the tract. Wow. Wow. Go read the whole thing. The Reddit comments are here. "I have never been more atheist," the waiter writes.
(Via Daily Finance, which explores whether Christians are bad tippers.)
3
My mother tells me my deceased aunt and uncle used to do this....no they didn't die of food poisoning. Karma doesn't really exist, either.
4
Heh. I love the advice from the first reddit comment: take it to a church and deposit it into a collection dish.
6
Passing counterfeit currency is a federal crime, even if it is utterly bogus on one side. Perhaps they paid with a credit card, so you can append their names to the counterfeit bill you turn in to the Secret Service, who investigates these matters.
7
Pretty funny.
Also, as far as statistical research, the studies would be more interesting if they compared different denominations of Christianity, or if they at least acknowledged differences in denominations.
Also, as far as statistical research, the studies would be more interesting if they compared different denominations of Christianity, or if they at least acknowledged differences in denominations.
8
i used to be a christian, and the only reason i never left those at a table was because i never knew where to get them.
now i am an athiest and am SO glad that there's at least one evangelical sin in my former life that i don't have to atone for.
now i am an athiest and am SO glad that there's at least one evangelical sin in my former life that i don't have to atone for.
9
these customers cannot return to this restaurant. if they do, the wait staff is obligated by the waiters code to do all manner of horrible things to the food they are served.
some things are better than money, like not having waiters drop piss and snot in your food, which is bought and paid for by at least a 15% tip. if you would like to accept body fluid free food and drink in this restaurant, tip the waiters, believing and receiving in the waiters code.
some things are better than money, like not having waiters drop piss and snot in your food, which is bought and paid for by at least a 15% tip. if you would like to accept body fluid free food and drink in this restaurant, tip the waiters, believing and receiving in the waiters code.
10
Don't worry, they'll tip you when you get to Heaven.
Mind you, money will be useless there, cause Jesus isn't a Capitalist, but ...
Mind you, money will be useless there, cause Jesus isn't a Capitalist, but ...
11
The same people who say a tip is optional and must be earned are generally the same people who think waiters should be exempt from minimum wage laws because they make tips. Those are the opinions of people I have gone to church with – the people most likely to leave those tracts - the people who are told to give all that they have to those less fortunate and yet still vote republican because think of the babies!!
So does religion make you an asshole, or are assholes drawn to religion?
So does religion make you an asshole, or are assholes drawn to religion?
12
Wow, if I knew that I didn't have to tip if I believed in Jesus, I would have believed to Jesus ages ago.
15
@9: "some things are better than money, like not having waiters drop piss and snot in your food"
Seriously, though. It's fun to discuss this with coworkers, but anyone who actually adulters food is disturbed/unhinged and doesn't deserve to have that job. No amount of customer harassment deserves that response.
Seriously, though. It's fun to discuss this with coworkers, but anyone who actually adulters food is disturbed/unhinged and doesn't deserve to have that job. No amount of customer harassment deserves that response.
16
I want to get a bunch of these fake bills, then leave a big pile of them in the collection plate at some Sunday service.
17
I am so sorry. As a Christian myself, I say this is just wrong. These people should have left a tip. I also don't beleive that the "bait and switch" of the pamphlet is a good idea. It sets people up for disapointment as they read the message. Jesus is not into that! I am sorry that they robbed you! I wish I could make it up to you.
20
If I saw someone do this I'd call them out. I hate free riders of any kind, and if you go to restaurant and don't tip, you are a free rider.
21
Someone in my college dorm had one of those for some reason, and we would leave it lying around to fuck with people. Once, I left it on top of my books at a study session, and when I came back from the bathroom, someone had stolen it! About 5 minutes later, a girl in our group came storming back and threw it at me while chiding me for tricking her. ...needless to say, I never left her alone with any of my belongings again.
24
@11, in my experience it's the latter. Assholes are drawn to religion and usually have to overcome their cynicism to believe. They manage to do it because the religions they seek out make such a great stick with which to beat people.
Barbara Ehrenreich wrote in Nickel and Dimed that her least favorite customers when she waited tables were the Visible Christians who came in all smug and shiny after church on Sundays, ran her ragged, and then left Bible tracts in lieu of tips.
Barbara Ehrenreich wrote in Nickel and Dimed that her least favorite customers when she waited tables were the Visible Christians who came in all smug and shiny after church on Sundays, ran her ragged, and then left Bible tracts in lieu of tips.
26
@24: That's one reason people become religious. In my experience there are two others: Their whole family was religious, and they never really critically examined the tradition; or they're uncomfortable making their own decisions and want someone else to tell them what to do with their life.
27
It's sad that the religion is blamed for what some people do in it's name. Perhaps this wasn't the action of Christians, but rather that of A$+h0les without a conscious.
28
@25 - i'll save you the time: life is really hard and really unfair when you're poor. the end.
(not to discount the work ehrenreich did in researching the book, or her writing. she does a great job of showing the little, every-day injustices that make up for a death by a thousand papercuts for so many people in this country. but it's nothing you don't already know if you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth, and she doesn't really offer anything by way of a solution or new way forward.)
(not to discount the work ehrenreich did in researching the book, or her writing. she does a great job of showing the little, every-day injustices that make up for a death by a thousand papercuts for so many people in this country. but it's nothing you don't already know if you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth, and she doesn't really offer anything by way of a solution or new way forward.)
29
I hope the waiter remembers their faces. Next time they come in calmly take their order, wait about how long it would take for that order to be made, then bring them out a Richard Dawkins book, or Origin of the Species on a plate. Seems only fair.
Of course, the waiter should probably only do this if they think they can easily find another job.
Of course, the waiter should probably only do this if they think they can easily find another job.
30
@26 Some people actually live their faith in a spirit of love, charity, forgiveness, etc., but they don't stand a chance against the assholes.
31
I saw this happen at the Dinosaur Barbeque in Syracuse NY several years ago. A party of six, I think, left the waitress no tip, but one of those pieces of TP.
My buddies and I tried to make up for it.
So Christian.
My buddies and I tried to make up for it.
So Christian.
32
This anti-Christianity things is tiresome. Since at least the 90's. We get it; the church has a lot of power and is convservative.
But ultimately some people don't tip; some of those people are Christians and some of of those people aren't. When some dude wrote a snide comment on a credit card receipt and didn't leave a tip, no one bothered to find out if he was atheist. So unless you are telling me that Christians are less likely to tip than non-Christians. them this is just drive-by hating.
The problem with NALT-Obligation as a line of thought (i.e., it's up to Christians to actively fight against stances that other people at other churches take on behalf of a third group of people) is that's completely unreasonable.
When the San Antonio alternative weekly says there should be a border fence, is it up to the Stranger to devote an issue to disavowing the other paper's stance every time the topic arises? Or more bombastically, when some young gay kid goes on a meth bender and bangs 18 other dudes at a bathhouse while taking a dump on a picture of their parents; is it up to some mid-40's married gay man to loudly and frequently proclaim that homosexuals "aren't all like that"? Does Barack Obama need to explain that not all African-Americans are illiterate every time a black kid from the projects fails a reading exam?
But ultimately some people don't tip; some of those people are Christians and some of of those people aren't. When some dude wrote a snide comment on a credit card receipt and didn't leave a tip, no one bothered to find out if he was atheist. So unless you are telling me that Christians are less likely to tip than non-Christians. them this is just drive-by hating.
The problem with NALT-Obligation as a line of thought (i.e., it's up to Christians to actively fight against stances that other people at other churches take on behalf of a third group of people) is that's completely unreasonable.
When the San Antonio alternative weekly says there should be a border fence, is it up to the Stranger to devote an issue to disavowing the other paper's stance every time the topic arises? Or more bombastically, when some young gay kid goes on a meth bender and bangs 18 other dudes at a bathhouse while taking a dump on a picture of their parents; is it up to some mid-40's married gay man to loudly and frequently proclaim that homosexuals "aren't all like that"? Does Barack Obama need to explain that not all African-Americans are illiterate every time a black kid from the projects fails a reading exam?
33
When I was a tract leaving arsehole, I also left a cash tip, at least. Usually = to whatever the fake tip was.
So, there's that, at least.
So, there's that, at least.
34
@32: some atheists are certainly assholes, but I've never heard of an atheist printing up an anti-religious tract and leaving it as a tip. That's a level of arrogance I've never seen in an atheist.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt (although you're cutting it close with that comment about the illiterate black kid from the projects) and assume that you are a true NALT: an open-minded Christian who loves everyone as a brother, etc. I tried to be a NALT too for a while, a few years ago. The problem is that the bigoted assholes are way more motivated, and way more successful, at running things and controlling the message. It might be worth it to you to stay and fight the good fight from the inside. For me it wasn't.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt (although you're cutting it close with that comment about the illiterate black kid from the projects) and assume that you are a true NALT: an open-minded Christian who loves everyone as a brother, etc. I tried to be a NALT too for a while, a few years ago. The problem is that the bigoted assholes are way more motivated, and way more successful, at running things and controlling the message. It might be worth it to you to stay and fight the good fight from the inside. For me it wasn't.
35
@32: I think it depends also on the stream of Christianity that each person is involved in. If you're donating money regularly to the Catholic church, you have responsibility to be equally involved in fighting all of the bad shit they do. If you're involved in a progressive, help-the-poor, we-marry-gay-couples sort of church, then spending your energy saying, "I disagree with Maggie G" seems like a waste of time.
36
I'm Christian. I tip a minimum of 20% even if the service is substandard,which it is more often then not. There is no such thing as an atheist-drop any one of you overboard in the middle of the ocean and the first thing you'll hear is- PLEASE GOD HELP ME OUT OF THIS ONE. Now that is
some funny shit.
some funny shit.
37
I used to work for Borders (bookstore) and would find those on occasion while cleaning the store at closing time. So disappointing when you make not enough money to think 'Hey, food money, awesome!' and then it's a fake. I would have been much happier to find real money with a Bible verse on it, and much more likely to think kindly of the person who left it for me to find. I assume that if you are proselytizing, you'd like people to think well of you and your religion, right?
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