After Church Crowd at Restaurants

[saturneptune]

I observed something Friday night at a chain restaurant that confirms what we have had threads before about. As I walked away from what I saw, I could not help but ponder why. There was a lot of shouting, screaming and arguing coming from one of the small sections of the restaurant that was not being used. (no, it was not a Baptist Board reunion) The meeting was several waitresses and their boss. These waitresses were having a knock down, drag out about who had to cover the shift starting at noon Sunday, not because anyone had to be anywhere, but because the majority of people coming in from church are the rudest, most demanding, and cheapest tippers of any other time or group during the week.

I have known this for years because of the stories my daughter told me while working at a Chinese restaurant in college. I will not even mention what happens to some of these people's food.

Anyhow, this being a known fact, why is the question. Why are born again Christians, that supposedly just left a service to worship the Lord, turned into a bunch of raving maniacs that set them apart from the world alright, but in the wrong direction? I have thought about this over and over, and cannot understand it. This is not a local phenomina, as I have observed it on trips, and once, it was even mentioned in a Sunday School lesson.

What causes this? We should be the most understanding, gracious, kind and generous tippers of anyone else during the week. In fact, that meeting I mentioned at the first should be arguing about who gets to work the shift.

Any observations appreciated.

 

[Ed B]

I have observed the same thing especially when the after church group is made up of seniors. I think that has more to do with them being seniors than Church people. Seniors are notoriously bad tippers. One of my daughters has worked as a waitress too. She has shared the same frustrations.

I observed something Friday night at a chain restaurant that confirms what we have had threads before about. As I walked away from what I saw, I could not help but ponder why. There was a lot of shouting, screaming and arguing coming from one of the small sections of the restaurant that was not being used. (no, it was not a Baptist Board reunion) The meeting was several waitresses and their boss. These waitresses were having a knock down, drag out about who had to cover the shift starting at noon Sunday, not because anyone had to be anywhere, but because the majority of people coming in from church are the rudest, most demanding, and cheapest tippers of any other time or group during the week.

I have known this for years because of the stories my daughter told me while working at a Chinese restaurant in college. I will not even mention what happens to some of these people's food.

Anyhow, this being a known fact, why is the question. Why are born again Christians, that supposedly just left a service to worship the Lord, turned into a bunch of raving maniacs that set them apart from the world alright, but in the wrong direction? I have thought about this over and over, and cannot understand it. This is not a local phenomina, as I have observed it on trips, and once, it was even mentioned in a Sunday School lesson.

What causes this? We should be the most understanding, gracious, kind and generous tippers of anyone else during the week. In fact, that meeting I mentioned at the first should be arguing about who gets to work the shift.

Any observations appreciated.

 

[Arbo]

Why the bad behavior? Probably because that for two or three hours straight once a week they try to be on their best behavior, and they need a release.:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Thousand Hills]

We only occasionally eat out on Sundays, but when we do I try to be conscious of this. Overall I've tried to do better about tipping in general whenever I eat out, and give at least 10%, but will at times give less when service is bad.

 

[Arbo]

I have observed the same thing especially when the after church group is made up of seniors. I think that has more to do with them being seniors than Church people. Seniors are notoriously bad tippers.

The Great Depression.

 

[Tom Bryant]

We only occasionally eat out on Sundays, but when we do I try to be conscious of this. Overall I've tried to do better about tipping in general whenever I eat out, and give at least 10%, but will at times give less when service is bad.

I hate to say this, but the usual rate is now 15%.

 

[Thousand Hills]

I hate to say this, but the usual rate is now 15%.

What!!!??? 15% are you crazy!!!!???? :BangHead::tonofbricks:

 

[mont974x4]

I remember hearing a sermon when I was a kid where the pastor said Christians should be the best tippers. It didn't matter what day of the week or what restaurant it happens to be in. I agreed with him. We have been blessed in an amazing way, more than any unsaved person can imagine, and as a result we should be the most generous people in town.

 

[annsni]

We give 20% unless the service is really bad.

 

[12strings]

Yes, my wife (who knows such things) tells me that 15% is the STANDARD (not even generous). To be generous would be more, like 20%.

Fortunately, my wife is also a Calculus teacher, so I make her figure out the tip, using my excuse that I haven't had any math classes since high school, and she's had 2 degrees in math.

 

[annsni]

Yes, my wife (who knows such things) tells me that 15% is the STANDARD (not even generous). To be generous would be more, like 20%.

Fortunately, my wife is also a Calculus teacher, so I make her figure out the tip, using my excuse that I haven't had any math classes since high school, and she's had 2 degrees in math.

Hint - Take the total, move the decimal point one place to the left then double. So a $45.00 bill would be $4.50 then doubled to $9. Easy peasy!

 

[mont974x4]

2 degrees in math? I thought you said calculus, not geometry.

OK...bad jokes are free


I don't tip less for bad service, I tip more for good. We don't eat out often so when we do its for something important or a special occasion. When the server goes the extra mile to make it special I like to show our appreciation.

 

[Alive in Christ]

..What they are referring to is probably the phony 2-faced hypocrits that every church of any size unfortunetly has.

Most spiritually minded true born again christians probably understand the situation those hard working waitresses are in and tip appropietly.

 

[abcgrad94]

Sundays typically mean families and friends eating together in large groups, which means they take much longer at the table chatting. If you're at the table longer than an hour, you should tip more. If you have messy little children and the server has to clean up a high chair, floor, and walls after you leave, you should tip more.

Tips should be based on the waiter's service. It has nothing to do with whether or not your steak isn't done or if the cook is slow getting out your order. It also has nothing to do with the restaurant's cleanliness or how many tatoos the bus boys have. It's not the waitresses fault if the place is packed and someone called in sick and you had to wait for your food, so don't punish her. Also, on Sunday's when the restaurants are crowded, don't mumble your order under your breath and expect the server to hear you correctly. Speak up so she can hear you and get the order right. Older folks are horrible about muttering into the menu while the din of voices around them drown out everything they say.

And by the way, 10% tipping went out a long time ago. The average is now 15% to 20%.

 

[DiamondLady]

My standard tip is 20%. We eat out quite a lot on Sunday, my husband tries to take pity on me and take me out as that's my busiest day of the week. I try to look at it like this....large church groups come in. They want to all sit together and fellowship so they'll ask for tables to be pushed together. A table that seats 4 becomes a table that seats 2. A group of ten needs four or five tables. The waitress that would usually serves those five tables, now has 1 table. The average customer is there for about 30 minutes. That church group stays two hours so she misses out on serving, and receiving tips from 70 customers. The average check in a decent restaurant is $10 per person, that's a $2.00 per person or $8.00 per table. So she now has missed out on $140 in tips and probably, if she was fortunate, got $20 in tips from those 10 people.

Maybe now you understand why no one wants to wait on the church crowd who are loud, rude, pushy and demanding on top of being cheap. (which is probably what they were arguing about.) Did I mention I worked at Denny's one year as a server many moons ago.....church folk behavior hasn't changed much since the ice age.

For all you smart phone users...there's an app that will help you figure those tips!

 

[Ed B]

We give 20% unless the service is really bad.

I always give 20% unless service is HORRIBLE. Then I give about 10%. And I do not let the quality of food affect the tip. The tip is how the waitress or waiter makes their living and the only food they generally impact is maybe the pre-meal salad, bread and drinks.

If service is exceptional, such as with a waitress with a very pleasant and entertaining personality and who also has the social awareness not to needlessly interrupt conversations at my table, I have been known to give silly-good tips that approach 40%.

 

[jaigner]

We only occasionally eat out on Sundays, but when we do I try to be conscious of this. Overall I've tried to do better about tipping in general whenever I eat out, and give at least 10%, but will at times give less when service is bad.

Whoa....10&?!?!?!? Been under a rock? As a former server, I ask that you please don't go out to eat until you do some reading on the subject. And if you perceive the service is bad, keep in mind that it's usually not the waitstaff's fault.

I hate to say this, but the usual rate is now 15%.

For acceptable service. 20% for good service.

What!!!??? 15% are you crazy!!!!???? :BangHead::tonofbricks:

No. I can't believe you didn't know this. You were probably one of those tables who handed me three dollars and acted like you were doing me a favor.

We give 20% unless the service is really bad.

Bingo. If you can't afford to do this, you can't afford to eat at a full service restaurant.

McDonald's is probably right down the street.

Also, the server usually has to tip out 3 or 4 percent of their total sales every night to the bussers, hosts, and bartenders. So if a table doesn't tip, the server loses money.

 

[Ed B]

We give 20% unless the service is really bad.

Sundays typically mean families and friends eating together in large groups, which means they take much longer at the table chatting. If you're at the table longer than an hour, you should tip more. If you have messy little children and the server has to clean up a high chair, floor, and walls after you leave, you should tip more.

.

Agree 100%. Every Saturday morning the men in my family and some friends meet for breakfast at a little family owned cafe. We have been doing it for at least 10 years. We always go well over an hour and we tip extra because of that. There is never a line of people waiting to get a table so that is not an issue. We just call it table rent and understand the waitress normally makes money by turning over her tables. Not a problem at this cafe' but we honor it anyway. The local Disciples of Christ men’s fellowship meets there at about the same time each week and they take care of the waitresses too.

 

[jaigner]

Agree 100%. Every Saturday morning the men in my family and some friends meet for breakfast at a little family owned cafe. We have been doing it for at least 10 years. We always go well over an hour and we tip extra because of that. There is never a line of people waiting to get a table so that is not an issue. We just call it table rent and understand the waitress normally makes money by turning over her tables. Not a problem at this cafe' but we honor it anyway. The local Disciples of Christ men’s fellowship meets there at about the same time each week and they take care of the waitresses too.

Good for you. That is a very practical manifestation of grace.

 

[freeatlast]

I observed something Friday night at a chain restaurant that confirms what we have had threads before about. As I walked away from what I saw, I could not help but ponder why. There was a lot of shouting, screaming and arguing coming from one of the small sections of the restaurant that was not being used. (no, it was not a Baptist Board reunion) The meeting was several waitresses and their boss. These waitresses were having a knock down, drag out about who had to cover the shift starting at noon Sunday, not because anyone had to be anywhere, but because the majority of people coming in from church are the rudest, most demanding, and cheapest tippers of any other time or group during the week.

I have known this for years because of the stories my daughter told me while working at a Chinese restaurant in college. I will not even mention what happens to some of these people's food.

Anyhow, this being a known fact, why is the question. Why are born again Christians, that supposedly just left a service to worship the Lord, turned into a bunch of raving maniacs that set them apart from the world alright, but in the wrong direction? I have thought about this over and over, and cannot understand it. This is not a local phenomina, as I have observed it on trips, and once, it was even mentioned in a Sunday School lesson.

What causes this? We should be the most understanding, gracious, kind and generous tippers of anyone else during the week. In fact, that meeting I mentioned at the first should be arguing about who gets to work the shift.

Any observations appreciated.

Exactly what is it about these, "bunch of raving maniacs," as you put it that makes you think they are born again?