Earlier this week, an Applebee's waitress posted a photo on Reddit of a receipt from an alleged pastor who, instead of leaving the suggested 18 percent tip, wrote "I give God 10%, why should you get 18."
The bill went viral online and was brought to the attention of Applebee's which promptly fired the waitress, according to Consumerist.
At Applebee's and many other restaurants, a gratuity becomes mandatory if the party is more than six or eight people. However, Pastor Alois Bell of Word Deliverance Ministries felt that 18 percent was too much to give.
The picture was posted on Reddit with the caption: "My mistake sir, I'm sure Jesus will pay for my rent and groceries."
Pastor Bell apologized via The Smoking Gun, claiming that "[m]y heart is really broken." She also claims that she left cash on the table worth just over 17% of the bill but that seems strange given that she only gives 10% to God and nothing more to anyone else.
"I originally posted the note as a lighthearted joke," says waitress Chelsea, according to the Consumerist. "I thought the note was insulting, but it was also comical. I posted it to Reddit because I thought other users would find it entertaining."
"I had been well-liked and respected," she explains. "My sales were high, my managers had no problems with me, and I was even hoping to move up to management sometime this year.
"When I posted this, I didn't represent Applebee's in a bad light," she continues. "In fact, I didn't represent them at all. I did my best to protect the identity of all parties involved. I didn't break any specific guidelines in the company handbook - I checked.
