Chelsea Welch-Fired Applebee's Waitress- Heroic "Statement On Behalf Of Wait Staff Everywhere'

[kpete]

Chelsea Welch, the US waitress who was fired after she posted a picture of a tip receipt on Reddit, wrote for us:

I was a waitress at Applebee’s restaurant in Saint Louis. I was fired Wednesday for posting a picture on Reddit.com of a note a customer left on a bill. I posted it on the web as a light-hearted joke.

This didn’t even happen at my table. The note was left for another server, who allowed me to take a picture of it at the end of the night.

Someone had scribbled on the receipt, “I give God 10%. Why do you get 18?”

I assumed the customer’s signature was illegible, but I quickly started receiving messages containing Facebook profile links and websites, asking me to confirm the identity of the customer. I refused to confirm any of them, and all were incorrect.

I worked with the Reddit moderators to remove any personal information. I wanted to protect the identity of both my fellow server and the customer. I had no intention of starting a witch-hunt or hurting anyone.

Now I’ve been fired.

The person who wrote the note came across an article about it, called the Applebee’s location, and demanded everyone be fired — me, the server who allowed me to take the picture, the manager on duty at the time, the manager not on duty at the time, everyone. It seems I was fired not because Applebee’s was represented poorly, not because I did anything illegal or against company policy, but because I embarrassed this person.

In light of the situation, I would like to make a statement on behalf of wait staff everywhere: We make $3.50 an hour. Most of my paychecks are less than pocket change because I have to pay taxes on the tips I make.

After sharing my tips with hosts, bussers, and bartenders, I make less than $9 an hour on average, before taxes. I am expected to skip bathroom breaks if we are busy. I go hungry all day if I have several busy tables to work. I am expected to work until 1:30am and then come in again at 10:30am to open the restaurant.

I have worked 12-hour double shifts without a chance to even sit down. I am expected to portray a canned personality that has been found to be least offensive to the greatest amount of people. And I am expected to do all of this, every day, and receive change, or even nothing, in return. After all that, I can be fired for “embarrassing” someone, who directly insults his or her server on religious grounds.

In this economy, $3.50 an hour doesn’t cut it. I can’t pay half my bills. Like many, I would love to see a reasonable, non-tip-dependent wage system for service workers like they have in other countries. But the system being flawed is not an excuse for not paying for services rendered.

I need tips to pay my bills. All waiters do. We spend an hour or more of our time befriending you, making you laugh, getting to know you, and making your dining experience the best it can be. We work hard. We care. We deserve to be paid for that.

I am trying to stand up for all of us who work for just a few dollars an hour at places like Applebee’s. Whether a chain steakhouse or a black-tie establishment, tipping is not optional. It is how we get paid.

I posted a picture to make people laugh, but now I want to make a serious point: Things like this happen to servers all the time. People seem to think that the easiest way to save money on a night out is to skip the tip.

I can’t understand why I was fired over this. I was well liked and respected at Applebee’s. My sales were high, my managers had no problems with me, and I was even hoping to move up to management soon. When I posted this, I didn’t represent Applebee’s in a bad light. 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. But because this person got embarrassed that their selfishness was made public, Applebee’s has made it clear that they would rather lose a dedicated employee than an angry customer. That’s a policy I can’t understand.

I am equally baffled about how a religious tithe is in any way related to paying for services at a restaurant. I can understand why someone could be upset with an automatic gratuity. However, it’s a plainly stated Applebee’s policy that a tip is added automatically for parties over eight like the one this customer was part of. I cannot control that kind of tip; it’s done by the computer that the orders are put into. I’ve been stiffed on tips before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the “Big Man” used as reasoning.

Obviously the person who wrote this note wanted it seen by someone. It’s strange that now that the audience is wider than just the server, the person is ashamed.

I have no agenda here. I seek no revenge against the note writer. I have no interest in exposing their identity, and, at this point, I’m not even sure I want my job back. I was just trying to make a joke, but I came home unemployed.

I’ve been waiting tables to save up some money so I could finally go to college, so I could get an education that would qualify me for a job that doesn’t force me to sell my personality for pocket change.

http://guardiancomment.tumblr.com/post/42024491123/chelsea-welch-the-us-waitress-who-was-fired-after

[RedstDem]

1. wow that is really good statement

I wish they (servers) had a union or some such that would put an end to receiving starvation wages.....

[Hekate]

74. There is a union; good luck getting organized though

The Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE), was a United States labor union representing workers of the hospitality industry, formed in 1891. In 2004, HERE merged with the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees (UNITE) to form UNITE HERE. HERE notably organized the staff of Yale University in 1984. Major employers contracted in this union include several large casinos (Harrah's, Caesars Palace, and Wynn Resorts); hotels (Hilton, Hyatt and Starwood), and Walt Disney World. HERE and later UNITE HERE were affiliated with the AFL-CIO until September 2005, when the General Executive Board of UNITE HERE voted in to leave the AFL-CIO and join with the Change to Win Coalition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Employees_and_Restaurant_Employees_Union

Back in the early '70s my ex was a bartender at a major hotel, and many of the hotels were organized by the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union. The union contract made a huge difference in our lives -- we had medical, he had a retirement plan. Tips were an essential part of his wages too.

[MADem]

2. I hope Crapplebee's continues to feel the heat! nt

[homegirl]

149. Law suit

Applebee's fired her for exercizing her First Amendment rights. She should sue them! A quick call from the ACLU would put the fear of a federal lawsuit in Applebee's upper management. In the meantime don't patronize Applebee's.

[mythology]

176. Applebee's isn't Congress

It's Congress who is prohibited from passing laws about the freedom of speech not Applebee's.

It does represent why we should move away from the tip system, although I think waiters and bartenders at higher priced restaurants would object because it would subject them to greater taxes on their tips which might otherwise be underreported.

[tk2kewl]

3. Well said Chelsea

she seems pretty sharp, best of luck to her

[1983law]

114. I'd hire her if I was in that business.

Loyal, and hard working people are hard to find, and even harder to keep. Applebees loss.

[msongs]

4. playing the innocent victim. how nice nt

[daleanime]

13. Exactly....

how dare she be anything other then a food serving robot.

[EOTE]

28. +1 LOL.

Yeah, how dare someone expose an asshole for being an asshole. Doesn't Assholes Anonymous ensure that that's not supposed to happen?

[Lacipyt]

155. There Is Such A Thing

as "right to privacy." Call me old fashioned, but I am a libarian, and believe that customers do have a right to expect that from an establishment no matter how big a jerk they are.

Had the server not, say, posted the receipt with the person's name and signature, I think she'd probably still be waiting tables at that establishment.

[ljm2002]

30. I wish I could reply to hidden messages...

...there's one in this thread somewhere that I'd like to reply with a +1000...

[dbackjon]

42. [phone]

Sometimes messages need to be hidden.

Other times, the hidden message should be celebrated.

[laundry_queen]

80. This is the 'other time' for sure. nt

[union_maid]

124. +1000 from me, too

I don't know if I would have had the objectivity to hide that if I were on the jury. Since I wasn't on it, I'll just say that the sentiment seems right.

[tosh]

144. +1000.

Same thoughts from tosh.

[FSogol]

52. Yeah, it was spot on!

[tavalon]

57. I know what you mean

That was a well deserved smackdown he delivered to a comment that was left up. At least if we can't reply we can still see it and know our allies or our enemies. In this case, he's an ally.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

76. Yep.

All that needed to be said.

[donheld]

97. +1000 on top of yours.

[LanternWaste]

72. you're not an idiot.... are you?

You may want to look up the word 'victim'. And 'innocent' and probably all the other words in the dictionary... as no one other than an idiot would infer from her missive that she's "playing" or a "victim", or considers herself "innocent"

And you're not an idiot.... are you? I'll simply presume you're "playing" too. I used to also, but then I had to go and become an adult. You may wish to try that sometime... if you haven't already, and are simply "playing innocent"

You're quite nice, too...

[abelenkpe]

88. Wow

Kinda lost respect for you for that. Good job.

[Scootaloo]

102. +1,000for Trumad

[stonecutter357]

133. UMADTHO!

TROLL

[MineralMan]

137. Please detail any guilt you feel she may have.

She posted an insulting bill comment from an asshole. It wasn't even her table. So she got fired. I'd have given her a bonus if it were my restaurant. Restaurants who do not have some degree of support for their staff when a customer is being an asshole are places I will not choose to go.

My former wife was a cocktail waitress while we were still in college. An asshole ran his hand up her inner thigh under the skirt of the outfit that was the uniform in that place. So, she emptied a full Mai-Tai glass in his face. He went to the restaurant manager, who promptly threw him and his entire party out of the restaurant and banned them from ever coming back.

That is how restaurants should treat their staff when customers are assholes.

[KurtNYC]

5. This is a little all over the place -- "just a joke" vs public appeal on why tips are

needed vs. 'trying to protect everyone's identities' vs '(they) wanted an audience.'

IMHO they should have left out this line: I was just trying to make a joke, but I came home unemployed.

The point about how it was another server that got stiffed is new information and it changes the dynamic of this story because it now seems that this WAS more about just seeing the odd humor of claiming to give money to an eternal all-seeing entity versus giving a couple bucks to a human being with rent to pay.

From the first time I saw it, it has reminded me of Bono's line in Rattle and Hum: The God I believe in isn't short of cash...mister.

[Sheldon Cooper]

11. It's actually not new information about the other server.

This was known last week. And I don't really think it changes a whole lot.

[Egalitarian Thug]

6. K&R I wish I were a customer so I could let them know that I'm not any more. n/t

[robbob]

67. Contact them anyways...

"I will never eat at your restaurant again....". They won't know that you never eat there, or ever intend to, anyways....

[politicaljunkie41910]

7. I hope the Pastor, if she really were one, is proud of what she did and can live with herself.

She sure didn't bring anyone to Christ with her actions. If I were a member of her "flock", I'd be out of there lickety split.

...The person who wrote the note came across an article about it, called the Applebee’s location, and demanded everyone be fired — me, the server who allowed me to take the picture, the manager on duty at the time, the manager not on duty at the time, everyone. It seems I was fired not because Applebee’s was represented poorly, not because I did anything illegal or against company policy, but because I embarrassed this person. ...

[progressoid]

34. It's all good. This happened for a reason - to bring more people to the Lord!!1!

http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=69016&sitesection=stltoday_spl_fea_sty&VID=24296562

[hamsterjill]

35. And (this part says it all for me)...

"Obviously the person who wrote this note wanted it seen by someone. It’s strange that now that the audience is wider than just the server, the person is ashamed."


To me, it was the pastor's stupidity for leaving the note in the first place. And I do believe it was simple embarrassment over the note becoming public that resulted in her making such a stink about all of this. The pastor goofed by writing the note, and was not big enough to admit her mistake and take her comeuppance for it.

[Phillip McCleod]

73. same here. THIS ^^^^^

[fasttense]

125. Exactly right hamsterjill

I've done stupid things in my life. And like this pastor, some of the very stupid things I've done have come out to a larger audience. It made me cringe. It made me wish I had never done it. I admitted the wrong I had done and bore the mockery. It was deserved.

But I did NOT try to retaliate because the stupid thing I did was exposed. I did not try to fire anyone, I did not seek revenge. I grinned and bore the disparaging comments and went on in life. That is what a Real Christian does. They admit their wrongs, apologizes and vow to do better. They don't try and make others suffer for their own mistakes.

Trying to get revenge against someone who exposes your own stupidity only makes you even more stupid. This pastor needs some serious counseling.

[JimDandy]

138. Well said.

We've probably ALL 'been there, done that'. How we handle it makes the difference.

The pastor's congregation should fire her because her behavior, both the original tip remark and her retaliation, are not counsel worthy.

[DhhD]

142. This is like finding a note on the floor, it becomes public property. It is like making a

statement. Dropping or leaving a piece of paper with nothing on it is like a, no comment statement.

When students find notes, they become public property; no copyright. Notes can be copied by i-phones and posted on the internet.

[noamnety]

148. i hope i never do business with you.

I would avoid doing business with anyone who thought a personal note to an employee on a receipt meant my receipt was now public property.

[SidDithers]

8. Pastor Bell, about the people who have stopped attending her church...

I feel sorry for all the people who don't want to come to church because of my actions.

http://www.heavy.com/regions/2013/02/alois-bell-top-10-facts-you-need-to-know/

Sid

[TrogL]

47. Want a real eye-opener - read the comments

Racism, sexism, weightism (is that word?).

[NightWatcher]

9. Everyone should have to work as a Server for 6 months

Then they'd appreciate any service they got from these shit chain restaurants.

I miss the days when most tips were cash, then you didn't have to report them. Now with most people using plastic you have to report every nickel. I used to work a good double shift and be happy with $120 for 12 hours. That's $10 an hour and nothing to brag about.

Tip your Server.

[MynameisBlarney]

14. I have thought about that

but I don't have the personality to be a server.
I'm a BOH type of guy.
I've worked as a cook or dishwasher for over 10 years here and there.
I have mad respect for ANYONE that works for a living in a restaurant.

If I can't afford to tip and tip good, I don't go out to eat or order in.
(unless it's an accident, but I always make it a point to come back and overtip the server)

[dangerdoll]

32. yes!...and housekeeping staff!

TOTALLY agree. I've long said everyone should be required to work as a restaurant server and hotel housekeeper at least once in life. Just a couple of months in each makes a person a much more understanding customer, and a more generous tipper.

[dbackjon]

44. I've done both

Couldn't do the housekeeper (this was a summer job in Yosemite) long because all the bending killed my back.

Washed dishes, bussed tables, worked fast food and restaurants. Definately an eye-opeing experience.

[Starry Messenger]

41. I used to say that about retail too.

People don't know how hard those jobs are until they've done them.

[JI7]

78. i always tip in Cash, even if i use the credit card to pay , for the tip i leave it in cash

i thought most people did that but i guess not.

[abelenkpe]

90. I always leave a tip in cash too

Figured it was the best way to make sure the waiter actually got the tip.

[LiberalFighter]

170. I believe that is the best option after reading the Stained Apron

You risk having the tip not going to the food server if you place it on the credit card.

[wilt the stilt]

158. ding ding ding we have a winner

I was a waiter for 10 years at very nice establishments including the Brown Palace in Denver. We even waited on James Watts the day before he was going to Washington to be Secretary of the interior. I have nothing but respect for servers and bartenders and anyone who live by tips.

It is a very exhausting tough physical job. It also teaches you almost everything about people and fake the look of interest. It also teaches you service.

[SCVDem]

10. I ate out and asked my waitress if she heard of this

Totally viral in the restaraunt business is the impression I got.

3 buck tip on a 12 dollar breakfast and I'm unemployed.

No excuses!

[The CCC]

29. I ate out and asked my waitress if she heard of this

25%? WOW. 15-20% is a good tip for good service. 25% for super excellent in a high end restaurant. And yes I have worked in restaurants.

[SCVDem]

31. It was a Cocos

They have a new cook that knows how to use butter!

The service was great and it started my day off on a high note.

That's worth a lot in itself!

Priceless.

[Booster]

84. My nephew & I recently ate at Coco's. I ordered an "over 55" breakfast & my nephew told the

waitress he wanted the same thing. She whispered to him that she'd give it to him for the same price. She asked him if he was a Marine (he has that look), he said he was & she said so was her husband. Because she didn't have to give him the senior price, when we left I gave her a $10 cash tip on a bill that was $20. My nephew also told her to thank her husband for his service. We both felt really good about the whole thing and she was exceptionally nice and the service was great. I always tip 20% even if the service isn't that great. I know I couldn't do their job.

[yardwork]

62. I often tip 25% or more on checks for low amounts.

20% of a $12 meal is $2.40. I am fortunate to have a good job. I am not going to count out change. I'm going to put down three dollars, or add $3 to my credit card bill.

I don't judge people who can't afford to do this. I'm saying that people who can afford to round up on relatively low bills ought to do it.

[bluestate10]

81. I tip 30% regardless of the amount. My tips can go as high as 40%. My Mom was a server,

I saw how hard she worked and how beaten down she was at the end of work. But she fixed meals for me and my siblings, kept us clean and in school. I tip people that clean hotel rooms that I visit well also, they have hard, demanding jobs also. I always tip cabbies well and get a surprised look along with a hearty thanks. Money is fungible, I find more importance in treating people that work hard well, out of respect for my parents, who worked hard to set me up for the life that I have been able to build.

[ChampagneLace]

121. I leave a minimum $20 for a $2.11 coffee.

As the owner of a taxi company, and having been a cab driver, I know exactly what it's like to work for tips. I refuse to go out if I cannot tip extremely well.
I go out for coffee every morning at the end of my shift and won't leave less than a $20. I know most of my servers rely on that money to make bills and they give me excellent service every time I go in.

[JimDandy]

140. Good for you! Welcome to DU!

[pangaia]

131. You'd make a terrible bankster.

[MynameisBlarney]

12. I would rather eat convenience store hotdogs of questionable age

than eat the swill they serve at places like Applebees.

[MineralMan]

134. That is irrelevant to this.

Your choice of restaurants has no relevance to tipping.

[MynameisBlarney]

139. Correct.

Applebees still sucks though, lol

[NICO9000]

15. How Christian of her!

These workers don't even earn federal minimum wage, fer crissakes! I always tip 20% pretty much all the time. The service has to be pretty bad for me to tip at 15% and I haven't had bad service in a restaurant for years now.

on edit: right on, Chelsea!

[BadgerKid]

16. "Why fired" is because restaurants don't want to lose customers.

There would have to be a critical mass (say poor economy or boycott) for customers to stop eating out. My own observation, it seems as if more people are eating out these past few years.

Shame on the scribbler and shame on Applebee's.

That said, we usually tip 20%. And in the future, we'll be sure it's cash.

[leftyohiolib]

17. at this point i'd say f. it . and post his name and everything i could find about him

[rustydog]

18. I'm sorry, how is this "heroic" by any measure?

She posted a comment on the "internets" to possibly shame the pastor for not tipping her and was fired for her actions which reflected badly on the restaurant.

Heroic?

[trumad]

23. reading comprehension

Not one of your strong suits?

[supercats]

20. Nicely Written!

I truly feel for Chelsea Welch. She by no means deserved what happened to her. Her story is deeply felt by me and I really hope there is a silver lining at the end of this story, meaning somebody with the means and authority reach out to her with a helping hand....a better more profitable job, educational assistance etc. etc. etc. she deserves better than what she got. Shame on Applebee's!!!

[calimary]

117. Welcome to DU, supercats!

Glad you're here! I really feel for this server. Restaurant workers work like dogs. They're on their feet ALL DAY. ALL DAY! When do they get to sit down? And they have to deal with all manner of humanity in all manner of moods and upbringings. That's hard work even when the customers are pleasant and not too demanding or flat-out assholes. I always try to tip extra. Those folks work hard for their money. Reminds me of a story I heard Donna Summer tell once - about "She Works Hard for the Money." If I remember correctly, she got the idea while in a fancy ladies' room that had an attendant posted inside. Women would come and go and sometimes leave a tip while she collected used towels and wiped up water splatters and kept things neat. Donna Summer said she looked at this woman and thought - "SHE works HARD for the money." And then she got the idea for the song.

I waited tables in college. SOOOOO many times - big table full of people and they ordered all kinds of shit and asked for special stuff and kept me hopping. I busted my butt for those people. And they left nothing on the table for me when they departed. That was SO disappointing and demoralizing.

And besides, this is the internet. They do more than just talk among themselves.

http://www.servernightmares.com/

[Starry Messenger]

21. k&r

If you write nasty notes to service people and sign your name, then it is logical you want to be known for your actions and views. The customer's ego was hurt that her meanness became national news. Too bad.

[FredStembottom]

27. Important point.

The snot-nosed "pastor" started the publicity by seeking it.

[patrice]

110. Why would anyone who claims to represent God do anything that they would not want others to know?

Does not compute.

[Sancho]

22. I think the Pastor was being a smart ass, and was wrong...

without going into a theological debate, there is no reason to connect a tithe of one's income to any particular bill for a waitress. On that I agree with the server. There are plenty of good Biblical reasons to see oneself as the server who washes the feet of others instead of someone commanding the service of others.

Calling up and demanding that folks be fired is particularly wrong...the Pastor should have asked for forgiveness for the stupid note in my opinion. I don't think there's any way to see paying the waitress as a sin, but going after the restaurant staff gives some insight into the personality of the person who wrote the note; seems pretty and arrogant to me.

I hope Chelsea goes to college. She seems to be able to think through issues, she seems motivated, and she can organize her thoughts in writing. I think she'd be a good college student.

[Paladin]

24. K&R. Great Statement. (nt)

[matt819]

25. Wow, There is some kind of nasty going on in these comments

Little trouble with empathy, folks?

[dorkulon]

61. Empathy? For a self-righteous jerk who laughs about stiffing her waitress?

Yeah, geez, what is wrong with me?

[matt819]

91. Wow, I'm right.

No. I'm talking about the waitress. The number of people here who condemn her is astounding. And your inability to recognize this in my comment is, well, it just speaks to my original comment.

After 11+ years here, maybe I need to take a break.

[Exultant Democracy]

26. A system dependent on tipping degrades us all.

[Hekate]

75. Maybe so, but in the meantime, tip your server because they need it.

[SCVDem]

33. Many years ago

I flew into Portland from Japan. The bar had a notice that it is customary to tip in America.

Tipping is not a Japanese custom is what the bartender explained.

[samsingh]

36. kick

[Duer 157099]

37. Everyone is missing the point

God needs a raise. 20%

I mean, He's only been getting 10% for, what, thousands of years! Talk about stagnant wages!

[Cha]

51. I know, huh? How long has it been "10%"?!!!!!

[dickthegrouch]

55. Waitresses give far better service than god

More direct
more reliable
more personable

10% for crappy service from god seems not to be getting good results

[Dont call me Shirley]

66. That's 10% of total gross income! It goes up as your income does.

Some mega-churches charge 15% on your total income.

Disgusting practice!

[Nevernose]

83. God's obviously bad with money

And if he does exist and is indeed omnipotent and all-powerful, then why the fuck does he need MY money? Seems like if he existed and gave a shit about hungry people or more tax-free real estate, he'd take care of it his own damn self. If God exists, he sucks at his job, the lazy fuck. Why haven't we fired this guy yet?

[meeshrox]

38. I pray to dog I'll never have to work in the restaurant business again.

I had enough of that hell in my college years to disrupt my sleep every night (serving in my sleep). That being said, it's strenuous work for little pay and there are plenty of asshats whose attitudes you just have to grin and bear. Now that I am out of college and have a 9-5, I tip above 20% unless the service was poor, then it's 15-20%.

I am glad Chelsea is sharing her experiences and made such a salient point: "But because this person got embarrassed that their selfishness was made public, Applebee’s has made it clear that they would rather lose a dedicated employee than an angry customer."

It's so sad that society in general seems to have such a lack of compassion when these events happen to dedicated employees. Thanks for sharing, kpete!

[AverageJoe90]

39. Kudos to her for standing up.

I can't understand why Applebee's would fire this lady. The customer was being a jerk.....and in fact, Ms. Welch even went as far as to protect the customer's identity; that's not only a sign of real courtesy, but frankly, that was above and beyond the call of duty. Had I been in her shoes, I wouldn't have been as polite.

I do hope she either gets her job back or gets another one with a better manager.

[Skelly]

128. How did she protect the customer's identity?

I seem to be one of the few people who understand why this young lady was fired.
First off, I am a server.
I am also a follower of Reddit and Imgur (where the receipt was originally posted).
Servers frequently post receipts written on by customers (both snarky comments like the pastor's, also nice ones usually with mega tip added).
All block out name of restaurant and name of customer.
This server did not block out the name of the customer and it was extremely easy to read.
The only thing this server was looking for (in posting the receipt) was UPVOTES on the site it was posted (why people post to the site). She was not being heroic. She was not trying to right any wrong. She wanted on the front page.
That she still does not understand the consequences of what she did (would you really want to patronize an establishment whose servers post your name and who knows what else on the internet?) makes me sad. As I said in a previous thread on this subject, if you wish to remain employed in your current position, do not do something that puts your employer in a bad light.
For a server to post personal information about a guest on the internet, puts that restaurant in a bad light.

The next time you go to a restaurant and hand over your credit card to the server who takes it out of your sight, just imagine all of the things they could do with it and realize the trust you have just put in that server. If a server abuses that trust for one person, she would do it for others, including mine.

[Purplehazed]

145. Right on

Skelly you hit the nail on the head.

Poor Chelsea and apparently some others don't get it. A "dedicated employee" who causes national embarrassment vs. an a**hole customer who is spending money in your establishment.

Pastor Alois Bell seems to be a real jerk, but you can't earn your wages with 100 dedicated employees and no customers.

[Rider3]

40. Applebees is an awful restaurant, anyway

Every time I've eaten there (2 or 3 times), I got sick. No one should work there OR eat there! There are much better places to go. And, this pastor? She ought to be ashamed of herself. Not just for her behavior, but for getting someone fired. The waitress didn't do anything illegal or against the rules. She was fired only because the pastor insisted she be out of embarrassment. Anyone who listens to this pastor needs to go out and find another one.

[griloco]

43. So what's the problem? Good Christians follow Jesus's path

and He didn't tip at His Last Supper.

[dbackjon]

46. Yeah, but he got crucified for it

[griloco]

69. lol n/t

[BlancheSplanchnik]

45. She is one smart woman--she deserves a lot better than Crappleby's

She's got Rev. Phoneychristian's number, too.

[ismnotwasm]

48. Awesome

K&R

[Cha]

49. Applebee's messed with the wrong waitress..

I really liked the part about "tithing" that was baffling to me, too.

I am equally baffled about how a religious tithe is in any way related to paying for services at a restaurant. I can understand why someone could be upset with an automatic gratuity. However, it’s a plainly stated Applebee’s policy that a tip is added automatically for parties over eight like the one this customer was part of. I cannot control that kind of tip; it’s done by the computer that the orders are put into. I’ve been stiffed on tips before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the “Big Man” used as reasoning.

She writes well.. I think she'll be an asset in college.

[Apophis]

50. I'm glad she wrote this.

Servers don't get paid nearly enough for all the BS they have to put up with.

[Kalidurga]

53. This is a great letter

It should be used as a tool on how to write a statement. It includes everything the motive for posting the bill, the reason she didn't block out the signature, who she was in the drama. I am saving this just in case I need to write some kind of statement myself.

[appleannie1]

54. Many chains total a waitresse's sales at the end of the shift and deduct 15% from their hourly wage

whether they received that amount of tip or not. So if a waitress is stiffed it costs them money to wait on that table.

[druidity33]

56. Actually, that's illegal. nt.

[Heddi]

68. That's happened to me at several restaurants I've worked at

They take your tips and after tipping out to all the bussers and cooks and bar staff they take whatever % out of my tips and I get the rest. Then my $2.45 (or whatever) an hour paycheck woudl normally be 0.00 or 5.00 a week because of taxes

[appleannie1]

160. Yes. That is exactly what they do.

[JI7]

58. This seems to be a Common Thing among certain Religious people

i'm not talking about everyone. but usually the ones who are so open about how God loving they are and how good they are.

i have known a few people like this. they are always going on about what good people they are. but they usually treat workers like crap and i mean ones who work in low paying jobs like applebees, some retail chain etc.

i don't know what it is . maybe they feel their believing in God and just being so open about it makes them better than other people and makes it ok to treat other people badly.

i have heard from a few people that those large church groups who come in and say prayers before starting the meal usually don't tip anything unless it's required.

[ceejdre82]

92. I couldn't agree with you more!

It is hypocracy at its finest, to say the least.

[jsabrown3]

95. Ask Any Server at The Cracker Barrell

The "after-church" crowd are the stingiest customers of all.

[ScreamingMeemie]

98. Welcome to DU jsabrown3

[Populist_Prole]

96. Some think faith alone makes them "A good Christian"

I guess this is why I know so many religious sorts that are some of the nastiest, meanest "one way" SOBs I've had to deal with in daily life.

[Scootaloo]

103. Sunday lunches are - pardon the term - godawful

A bunch of pious do-wellers coming out to have the special, and htye will leave notes like this, or little prayer cards, or, fuck, who knows what.

[Skittles]

59. it was wrong to post personal info online

but I bet a lot of other cheap fucks will now think twice before writing a snarky note to justify cheating waitstaff of tips

[KitSileya]

60. I really hope things work out for her.

I really do. She didn't deserve this at all. So hopefully she'll manage to go to college and get the job she wants in the end.

As for tipping - I tend to overtip, if there is such a thing. Compared to my Norwegian wages, American wages are ridiculous, especially waiter's wages. Horrible. So I usually tip at least 30% - if a bill comes to $15 or $20, that's insanely cheap by Norwegian standards, where I would most likely have to fork over $30-50, (the equivalent of less than an hour's work for me, tho' granted I am well-paid in a general sense rather than the CEO sense.) I can afford to add $5-10 in tips, and still come out ahead. When it comes to the cost of things, I try to compare how long you would have to work for something to earn enough to buy it rather than just the currency exchange. Waiters earning $3.50 an hour would have to work several hours to earn enough for a meal at Applebee's if they didn't get tips from their customers. A disgrace, if you ask me.

[steelhead77]

63. Mr. Pink

This "pastor" needs to watch the first 15 minutes of Reservoir Dogs and then resign her pastorship or whatever it's called. My hope is that Chelsea finds a better job as a result of this.

[PATRICK]

64. One error in her presentation

It is hard to believe that the low road hypocrite who left the note was "ashamed". Enraged is not only more likely but 100% verifiable in the sadistic reaction. In this country where most decent people are debt and wage slaves and privilege breeds assholes like swamps breed mosquitoes an eloquent defense like this where none is needed for the former and accomplishes nothing with the latter is the only sermon worth hearing.

[joanbarnes]

65. Well said, I boycott Applebee's if it makes you feel better, and I ALWAYS tip.

[zentrum]

70. A working class heroine...

..speaking for hard working people everywhere. We built this country!

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

71. Being a Christian, I am not to judge the pastors actions.

Being a Christian, the pastor should forgive. the servers actions.

[SCVDem]

85. Try to buy food

with forgivness!

Using religion is a piss poor excuse for anything since we all don't agree with each other!

Being an atheist, I don't have these problems.

I believe in the Golden Rule!

Why don't Christians?

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

89. Being a Christian, I don't have these problems either.

I believe in the Golden Rule.
The only reason I brought this up was the fact that the pastor was the one so upset. if I were judging, which I am not, it would be up to the pastor to forgive the servers and to put herself in the place of the servers and leave a tip for them.
We are asked for two things, to love one-another and to forgive one-another, sounds like the Golden Rule to me.
Peace be with you.

[1983law]

115. Yep.

And start praying for forgiveness for her selfishness, piety, and being judgmental.

[Martin Eden]

77. The angry customer represented Christians in a far worse way ...

... than the fired waitress represented Applebee's.

[Tab]

79. The big problem is that she's blaming customers for not tipping her so she can have a living wage

When in reality, we should have a system where the RESTAURANT pays a living wage.

If you're a waiter/tress at a high-end restaurant, you might make plenty of money, but at a more average to mediocre restaurant, you're probably counting change at the end of your shift.

Something wrong with a system where the minimum wage for such workers is $2.75 to $3.50 or whatever it is locally. In a big city, that'll barely pay for the gas to get to and from work.

[EleanorR]

87. "Like many, I would love to see a reasonable, non-tip-dependent wage system for service workers..

like they have in other countries. But the system being flawed is not an excuse for not paying for services rendered."

From her statement above.

[ybbor]

86. So well said!

[McCamy Taylor]

93. I hope this encourages everyone to join a union. A union would not put up with this crap.

[patrice]

111. Hi, McCamy Taylor! You're right!!

[levp]

94. As I posted...

... in the related thread, someone has started a donation project to help Chelsea out:
www.indiegogo.com/projects/assist-chelsea-welch

Consider it a virtual "Addl. Tip" receipt line!

[cyberswede]

100. WTF are you talking about?

[OriginalGeek]

104. No, Pastor Whats-her-name

we didn't think that because there is no evidence of it.

[uppityperson]

106. What studies do you mean? Give us a link to reputable source.

[OriginalGeek]

107. You were there?

lmfao. Don't you think the pastor would have included that in any of her statements if that were the case?

"the studies" LMFAO.

And for white servers like Chelsea to think that black patrons slight them tip-wise

You sure pretend to know a lot about Chelsea.

[JI7]

108. only right wing trolls

[Iggo]

109. Wow!!!

[Scootaloo]

101. A-fucking-men!

[RainDog]

112. k&r n/t

[1983law]

113. Well written and reasonable.

The POS customer? There are consequences for having a big mouth.

[nvme]

116. The Dickless Prick

I hate it when these shitbirds hide behind the skirts of the church. The besmirch the good that so many Christians do. On the whole, most of the general public suck ass. They expect to have their ass wiped and kiss because that is what they have to do to survive in their miserable lives. I have served your filthy rat children;I have watched as you let them run wild in a dining room. (which in terms of danger are almost as bad as construction sites.) If one of the little vermin get harm you lawyer even after you have been warned to keep them seated. I would love to give them a psychic slap to make them see they putting their kids in harms way by letting them run loose.

An asshole like that guy who claims to be a priest and says something fucked up like that to me I will send them to hell double quick. I have worked for $2.45 for a shitload of years. I love the work I love making people feel welcome. I enjoy helping people discover the foods they like. I tell jokes when they are called for I go above and beyond to give a great expierence. tip me poorly you suck. Write that kind of shit and I will smack your f%$^#jking mouth.
I am not advocating violence or anything I am promoting SHOW PEOPLE RESPECT!

[Nine]

122. Filthy rat children?

Most of the general public suck ass and have miserable lives? Yes, you must be a wonderful server. You sound like a real "people person."

[elias7]

118. She violated a customer's privacy no matter how you slice it.

In my job ( working in a hospital), I would be fired for violating someone's privacy in that fashion, no matter how much they might deserve it, no matter what my intent was. I might even lose my license for privacy violation.

No matter how loudly Chelsea plays her violin, I still feel she committed the greater offense. Call me a douchebag.

[Nine]

119. I agree with you.

Democrats are supposed to value privacy. Democrats are supposed to value the rights of consumers. Democrats are also supposed to value principals above personal feelings.

[noamnety]

120. I'm in the minority here that agrees with you.

Given the intelligence in the rest of her statement, I find this disingenuous: "I can’t understand why I was fired over this" and this pretty unbelievable given that she published the customer's signature: "I worked with the Reddit moderators to remove any personal information." If the reddit moderators worked with her to get it to that point, it makes me wonder if she originally tried to submit it with the credit card number.

I also have an issue the whining that it wasn't even her table, as if she thinks that makes her less accountable for publishing a customer's signed receipt.

I'm sure the two of us will get beaten up here for saying that. Doesn't change my view on privacy issues. I'd be pissed if a company published my signature on a receipt, regardless of whether I'd written anything else or not. Heck, I'd be pissed if they were just publishing when and where I was there.

[Skelly]

129. I am a server

If I did what this server did, I too would be fired, and should be. That she still does not understand what she did wrong is sad. I was hoping she would learn from this.
Bottom line, she broke company policy... "Applebee's social media policy, which forbids employees from sharing "internal Applebee's happenings" without permission from an executive".

[jtuck004]

147. As long as it's just stiffing a waitress, and a woman, no problem, eh?

What do you want to bet if they told Michael J. Archer, the CEO, that they were going to pay god and not him this week that the story would be all over the WSJ, not just some two-bit Reddit site, company policy be damned? Good little corporate fascists always believe in the policies. For example, Kerr-McGee didn't want information getting out about the murder of union activist Karen Silkwood. Lot's of corps and governments have policies about not releasing information, especially where they are profiting from the mistreatment of others. But as Jay Gould taught us, they can always hire the other half, because kissing ass is the way up, eh? Typical management attitude.

EVERYONE up the line got paid more than the shitty little amount this waitress got, the one who did the front line work, and, frankly, if this preacher woman didn't want it made public she shouldn't have been stupid enough to put it in writing.

It's really too bad that Applebees doesn't have a corporate policy against their employees getting screwed over by cheap thieving bastards.

[noamnety]

157. Supporting privacy rights doesn't make you a corporate fascist.

That's an absurd interpretation of people's concerns about having customer signatures and receipts published without their consent.

[jtuck004]

186. Supporting corporate profits over someone's ability to make a living wage does.

The privacy crap is just a dodge, a distraction. If the right reverential wanted it private she shouldn't have written a sarcastic note and left it in public for all to see. And she did.

Buffoon.

The issue is the human being who got stiffed, and disrespected. The rest of this is just protecting profits and not talking about how dehumanizing and how unfair it is to the waitress that got stiffed.

But you are right. Supporting and taking the side of corporate fascists doesn't make one a fascist any more than say, hiding the crime of pedophilia by coaches makes people pedophiles either.

But it doesn't make them right.

[noamnety]

189. This isn't profits vs. employee rights.

It's about an employee's right to photograph and publish my receipt vs. my right to expect that a receipt is treated as sensitive information that belongs to me and the business. A snarky note on the receipt does not change that.

Also, your statement about the waittress getting stiffed is inaccurate. The customer paid an 18% tip. Not that it's relevant to the issue - just pointing out the inaccuracy of that comment.

[jtuck004]

191. That sound like the naive reasoning I see when people post something here and are suprised

when someone else answers them. "I wasn't writing to you".

If they wanted it private they could have handed a note to someone and asked them to keep it private, given it to an attorney to keep in a box. etc. Not leave it on a table, and walk off, which I read was the case.

Most of my teachers in public, private, and military schools were just average do-what-they-were-told folks, but a few stood out, among them an English teacher in 8th grade(?). I tried to sneak something by on a test. Ms. Black taught me right there and then that I should never put anything in writing I don't want to be held accountable for. Perhaps the buffoon from the article hadn't learned that yet. Which makes me seriously question her position as the learned leader of a congregation. The idea that she might be a moral leader had already been left in the dirt, imo.

The account I read said the waitress got stiffed, but perhaps not.

Still an idiot to write it. And fuck Appleseeds or whoever they are and their corporate policies

[noamnety]

192. Your English teacher's advice is wise.

And it would have been good advice for the pastor. Not because the employee had a right (legally or morally) to publish the receipt, but because we have to consider there's always a potential for an ABUSE of trust.

That doesn't mean the server was ethically right to publish it. Any employee of any business has an obligation to not publish receipts without a customer's knowledge or consent, and in a restaurant it's common practice to leave them on the table - that's NOT considered giving consent for the company or its employees to publish the bill. I'm shocked people are claiming that leaving your paid bill on the table is equivalent to "making it public."

I'm equally shocked that people are applauding the server's argument that if a customer writes a personal note to an employee, it must follow that the customer wants it published. That's messed up.

Aside from that, it's against corporate policy to take personal photos of it. Even if they really really wanted to.

There are a lot of reasons people might not want their location or habits to be published. A server has no way of knowing whether the customer is in hiding from a stalker. They don't know if the customer is out with a friend (either innocently or not) and a jealous spouse or ex will become violent because of it. There's just no way of knowing what the impact will be on a person, which is why the assumption should always be that the customer's privacy has importance.

[obama2terms]

123. That was very well written

I hope there's someone who can help her out financially. I'm glad I quit going to Applebees when there was these two dumb parents who kept on taking their baby's toy away and making her scream and cry, people were leaving in droves yet the manager wasn't doing anything even when people complained. We just ate and paid quickly and got the hell out of there.

[Walk away]

126. First of all, if you're not leaving a 20% tip you are an asshole.

The only excuse is terrible service and even that better be really bad. Even if you're poor you should just wait to go out to eat until you can pay for your meal and decently tip your server.

The problem with organizing is that many servers make excellent tips, far more than a set salary will ever pay them. The waitresses at my local breakfast diner make upwards of $50 an hour on the weekends and the customers treat them like the gold they are. Any place that serves liqueur around here easily tops that. How are you going to get them to settle for $20 an hour so that Denny's wait staff has a set salary?

[elias7]

127. Disagree.

Although I invariably tip 30% regardless of service, I think characterizing those who don't leave 20% as assholes is absurd.

My understanding is that a tip is gauged upon the quality of the service. If service was par, convention dictates a tip of 15% or so, and you are not an asshole. If service is substandard, you are not an asshole for tipping even less.

No one has commented on the possibility that the service at appleby's sucked. And the waitress had no incentive to serve graciously since there was an automatic 18% tip added to the bill. So appleby's are assholes too, since they only added 18%, not 20%.

I tip 30% for personal reasons (I assume you respect my privacy) regardless of service.

[Skelly]

130. "And the waitress had no incentive to serve graciously since there was an automatic 18% tip added"

Not necessarily. In fact, it can work the exact opposite.
I serve in a higher end restaurant where 18% is added to EVERY bill. I, and every other server, verbally point out to each guest that an 18% gratuity has been added to their bill for their convenience. The majority respond with, "Oh, oh, ok. that's great" and just leave it at that. Ironically, if it HADN'T been included, many times they WOULD have tipped 20% (I guess because it is easier to figure out in their head). Since a gratuity has been added, they just leave it at that. SO, we really work to get that extra 2%.

If you work on salary, does that automatically mean you have no incentive to do the best that you can at your job?

[elias7]

146. Gratuity: A sum of money given to someone as a way of rewarding them for their services.

I don't know what the average tip at Appleby's is, nor do I know what quality of service was provided by that server on that day. It just seems to me that people have really been highly judgmental without having a ton of information in this case.

Like I said, I tip 30%.... to reward good service and to give incentive to those who provide poor or average service. I figure that that kind of tip can really make a server's day, so I do it.

But, in the end, it is a reward and should be earned, not expected.

I grant you that incentive to do a good job is not necessarily connected to the promise of reward. I certainly don't work that way, and I imagine most people don't either. It doesn't take a paycheck to have pride in your work.

But we don't know what the pastor's experience of her service was that day, and Appleby's is not high end, so an included 18% tip may have come as a surprise to someone on a limited budget. It may have been that the pastor didn't feel that high a gratuity was justified (she did pay it, though). I strongly believe she had a right to complain without having her identity revealed to the public, however.

Chelsea needs to own that error. In my world, breaching patient privacy may constitute a HIIPA violation, as is a punishable offense.

Meanwhile, automatic 18% gratuities piss me off, because then I have to calculate an additional 12% and somehow add that to a bill where the gratuity has already been filled in.

[Skelly]

154. I agree

The server was wrong in what she did. I do hope she learns this because next time, it may be with an entire career she loses.

I too do not like the 18% automatically included, both as a server and a patron.
As a server, I think I am actually getting less tips. It is easier for most people to figure out 20% in their heads and put that down. When the 18% is included, they leave it at that.

As a patron, whenever a gratuity is automatically included, I just ignore it, cross it out if necessary, and put in my own amount (if is always more than 18%). You do not need to do the math. The server can do it for you.

[elias7]

193. Didn't realize you could do that...

Cross it out, then start at the beginning again. I'll do that.

If I run across you as a server, I'll give you 35% for that tip. Thanks...

[JimDandy]

151. An automatic % added to every bill is no longer a gratuity

it's the actual price of the meal. I really object to this practice of hiding part of the total cost in order to 1. appear to have competitive prices (the place I waitressed in college paid minimum wage with tips on top of that and their prices were competitive to restaurants that didn't pay fair wages) 2. hide the fact they aren't paying their staff appropriate wages.

Gratuities are for excellent services, they were never meant to make up for the cheapness of a "high-end restaurant' owner. The states and localities that make exceptions for this practice in their minimum wage legislation need to be targeted to stop this practice.

[Skelly]

153. Maybe back in the day

But it doesn't really matter if the restaurant is high end or low end (in the cost of a meal), in the current era, in most states (some, though very very few states require minimum wage even for servers) "gratuities" ARE meant to fill the gap between wage paid and wage received. Even European guests realize most servers in the US do not make minimum wage.

Personally, I do not like the gratuity included. I think I am tipped less when it is included. However, I do not have the authority to change the policy. Few servers do, so I never penalize a server that works in a restaurant that has this policy by just leaving the 18%. I would have tipped 20% if it wasn't. The management isn't going to care if I don't tip that extra 2%.

[Walk away]

187. I guess you didn't bother to read my entire post.

And I really don't see how your privacy is an issue. It makes no sense to me.

[tavernier]

132. I have been to countries where servers do not work for tips, only for wages.

The service staff don't have to be personable, and for the most part, they aren't. You receive your food in a very business-like manner, and no one tries to make your dining experience pleasant. Fortunately, many of these countries have caught on to American travelers and realize that they might get slipped some extra coinage for being gracious. I'm all for the tipping system: I like friendly service and great treatment, but at the same time, I understand that there are two people in that relationship and both have to contribute their share.

[Nine]

135. You only need to imagine a slight variation on the story to understand why the waitress was wrong.

What if a server thought a receipt was humorous because the customer made a spelling error in a handwritten note, "Thanks for surving us," or a double entendre "Thanks for servicing me."? What if the server found the receipt humorous because the customer ordered some high-calorie "gutbuster" dish with a heavy dessert but also got a diet coke and a small salad with light dressing? What if a server wanted to shame a customer who left only a 15% tip and was perceived as being too demanding or unfriendly? Actually, that's not too far off from what actually happened. I once forgot to leave a tip and made a special trip back the next day to drop it off. What if the server had published my receipt in the meantime? And what about other workers? What if a supermarket cashier publishes a receipt where someone has bought a lot of junk food using food stamps? Once you say it's ok for workers to violate customer's privacy if the customer "deserves it," you are opening the door to maybe a lot more than you realize.

[rhett o rick]

141. You make a good point. We should judge on a case basis. nm

[Nine]

143. No, we should consistently stick with the principle that businesses respect customer privacy. (nt)

[rhett o rick]

150. Ah to be in that bubble. Since when did businesses "respect" customer privacy? Dont you get spam

email, unwanted solicitation and phone calls. Businesses dont give a shit about our privacy. They dont like to be embarrassed.

I vote for the employees right to speak out and against the companies right to censor.

[Nine]

152. The employee was not speaking out against the company.

She was a part of the company, and she violated a customer's privacy, which means the company itself violated the customer's privacy. You obviously object to companies that violate consumers' privacy, and so do I. A company can't just say, "Well, we won't violate your privacy... but our employees are free to do what they want." Businesses need to set policies that protect customers, and they need to enforce those policies by firing employees who choose not to comply.

[Robb]

156. Why?

Serious question; why do you think it is in a company's best interest to set a policy that protects the privacy of jerks?

Applebee's clearly decided that was the direction they wanted to take here, and it really hurt them. Why do you suggest the next company do what Applebee's did?

[Lacipyt]

159. Serious answer

Because a business stays open due to the support of its customers.

Would you go to an establishment where the attitude was, "If we think you're being a jerk, we're going to do what we can to publicly humiliate you!"

There are ways to deal with a customer who engage in jerky behavior. Mocking them on the Internet, and posting their signature for all to read, isn't one of the them.

If you can't grasp that I don't know what to tell you.

[Nine]

163. yep

I posted my response before I saw yours, but good answer.

[Robb]

165. So do you think Applebee's "won" this episode, too?

You guys should take your show on the road. Seriously?

[noamnety]

168. I don't think a win was possible for Applebees.

And that's one of the issues - the waitress put them in a no-win situation.

Option 1: They keep her on staff, and people are outraged that applebees allows servers to photograph their receipts, credit card numbers and signatures (let alone publish them).

Option 2: They say that's against corporate policy, and some people will interpret that as "supporting obnoxious bad tippers," instead of supporting the privacy of obnoxious bad tippers.

[Robb]

171. They had several points where they could've minimized the damage, and they screwed up each time.

Really, this is basic public relations stuff. Like first week on the job basic.

This story had very minimal appeal until they fired her. They were still at "gift cards for everyone to make it go away" level before they did that.

At a bare minimum, they could've gone into "we're reviewing the situation" mode for a few weeks and quietly done whatever they were going to do once the spotlight shifted.

It was painful to watch, and it's going to be the subject of "Donny Don't" white papers throughout the industry for years.

[noamnety]

174. a gift card was never going to fly.

Hey, our employee made you a national joke. Let me give you a free dinner as compensation.

That is an unacceptable and insulting response.

If you saw an employee just taking a photo of your credit card number with their personal phone, how would you react?

[Robb]

175. The "national joke" was already waning at that point.

How many insulting credit card slips have we seen just on DU in the past six months? A dozen? The story was over, but Applebee's fanned the flames.

The good pastor went to the restaurant looking for everyone involved to be fired; she almost certainly could've been placated with a big enough gift card and a "we'll take this seriously and look into it" response. And a decent follow-up in a week or two. That's how you interact with the public when in the spotlight: deliberately.

Instead she got nothing but a mixed message from management and stormed out, Applebee's fired their employee who already had enough internet juice to qualify as a platform, and the rest is history.

[Nine]

181. Do you think Applebee's should have ignored its own policy or not have had the policy to begin with?

If the former, would you eat at a restaurant that tells you it can take your private information and share it publicly?

If the latter, would you eat at restaurant that blatantly fails to enforce its own policies? Would you expect such a place to be lax about some things but meticulous about, say, making sure employees wash their hands and follow other health and safety protocols?

You know, the customer obviously paid by credit or debit card. For all we know, the card company requires certain privacy policies to be in place and enforced for any business it partners with.

[Robb]

182. Applebee's "ignored its own policy" at will. To wit:

[Lacipyt]

184. I think it is fair to assume

if Mr. Swartz complained about this being posted online, that person would lose their job.

I give my credit card, sometimes ID to servers. I expect them to use that information to process payment and not take my name down to talk about later online.

I'm sorry, but that's really what the issue is for me: Did the server violate that trust? The answer is, absolutely.

[Nine]

169. Why don't you care more about whether they did the right thing than about how it affected sales? nt

[Lacipyt]

173. Winning and losing

are for games, and I don't think anyone "won" in this scenario.

Maybe if the server, I don't know, called the Pastor and apologized for publishing her name without permission, and let her have the chance to apologize about the rude note she left...

As I said, there are ways to deal with customers who are jerks. Calling them out on the Internet, without offering a chance to tell their side of the story, is not one most companies use. For obvious reasons.

[Nine]

161. Wow. So you think we should give up all expectations of privacy when we do business with a company?

Who says it hurt Applebee's? If I were an Applebee's regular and they chose to side with the server, I would make sure to never go there again because I would know my privacy was not going to be respected.

Go to my post #135. In which of those scenarios do you think there is justification for violating the customer's privacy? I can guarantee you that whatever you answer, someone else will have a different opinion.

[Robb]

164. You don't think it hurt Applebee's?

You think people are rallying to Applebee's to support their newfound privacy policy?

[Nine]

167. I don't know if it did or not.

I think the ideal scenario for them would have been not having to deal with this in the first place. I think there are probably plenty of people like you who will applaud this server for what she did and boycott Applebee's for firing her. Had they stood by her, I think there are plenty of people like me who would have made a mental note to not eat at Applebee's. I won't speculate on which stance would have worked better for them in the short term because I don't care. I do think that in the long term they would have lost customers if they continued to show themselves as willing to violate their customer's privacy.

And I would bet anything that all of you celebrating what this server did will someday be responding to a different story about the violation of a customer's privacy with outrage. And how will you justify this inconsistency then? Oh yeah. It's ok if someone thinks the customer is a jerk. What noble, Democratic principles.

[LittleGirl]

136. As a former waitress and cook

I agree with everything this person wrote except for not blurring out the customer's name. That part is why she got fired. A person's privacy was invaded but otherwise, she speaks with resolve and I think should go to college.

[Yuffiek133]

162. What she doesn't tell you....

Having worked in a restaurant where waitresses and bussers are paid not 3.50 an hour, but 2.50 an hour, and still have to share their tips, I would still come home in just a FOUR HOUR SHIFT with over 150.00 in tips! She is bloating herself up to make it seem like she's a great god-sent waitress, or she is actually a pretty terrible waitress. 150.00 in four hours is almost 40.00 an hour! No freaking way if she's worth her weight in salt she only earns "9.00 an hour". What a crock of shit.

[Nine]

180. I don't agree with that.

I don't dispute that serving is a difficult job. I think servers at high-end establishments probably do make good tips (which are taxed as income, by the way) while servers at low-end establishments may be barely scraping by. None of that is relevant to the fact that this server violated company policy by exposing private customer information.

[Laelth]

166. k&r for labor. n/t

-Laelth

[LiberalFighter]

172. The pastor imo should be banned from Applebees

If she isn't going to respect the workers then she isn't going to be a good customer.

[Sivafae]

177. I don't understand is why Applebee's didn't take the correct course of action for an unpaid bill.

The person didn't pay their full bill. It is a stated policy that there is a automatic gratuity of 18% for parties over eight. So if this person didn't pay that 18%, then they didn't pay their full bill. Which, if memory serves, is a crime.

Just sayin'.

[Nine]

178. The bill was paid, including the automatic gratuity.

I don't know whether the customer was trying to reduce the total when she wrote a zero there, or whether she was just trying to make a statement of protest. The bill was for the food plus gratuity and when she signed the slip, she agreed to pay the total. She also left an additional six dollars in cash.

[noamnety]

179. i think they did pay the full bill

Including an 18 percent tip.

[noamnety]

183. Here's the policy that would have triggered firing:

Internal theft of a guest’s credit card information poses a serious threat to the profitability
of the company. Any act of internal theft will be investigated and prosecuted.

following list identifies acts of internal theft that will result in immediate termination and
prosecution:
? Illegal/unauthorized use of guest credit card.
? Theft of guest credit card.
? Storage of credit card numbers.
? Selling or sharing credit card information.
? Any fraudulent behavior or conduct detrimental to the best interest of the
employer.

Even without publishing the receipt online, the corporate policy - which seems to me to be a reasonable one - is that if you take a photo of someone's credit card numbers, thereby storing a copy on your personal camera, you are immediately fired.

I don't see a footnote saying *unless the customer is an ass.

From: http://www.jsvapplebees.com/docs%5Chourlymanual.pdf

[athena]

185. Nice try.

These days, no receipt has the credit card number printed on it.

[Lacipyt]

188. How about this

From page 25:

Hourly employees are prohibited from using Cell Phones, Smart Phones and/or PDA’s. Cell Phones, Smart Phones and PDA’s are not to be used by hourly employees at anytime while on duty. Employees are prohibited at all times from using Cell Phones, Smart Phones, PDA’s or any recording device to record images (still or video) or audio of any activity in or on any Company property unless expressly authorized by the Company.

[noamnety]

190. My receipts generally have a portion of the card number.

And a server should not be allowed (and in fact ISN'T allowed) to photograph that for personal use. Not EVEN if there is a snarky note on it.

"Your truncated card number isn't enough to steal, but those digits "should still be treated as sensitive, confidential information," says Jamie May, chief investigator at AllClear ID, an identity protection company. Scam artists who get their hands on even part of your card number can use it to phish for the whole number by posing as your credit card issuer or utility company over the phone.

Read more: http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/9-things-to-know-about-credit_card-receipts-1273.php#ixzz2KGTGHJRZ

Please feel free to post the last 4 of all your credit cards here along with your real name though, to demonstrate that you don't feel it's a security problem.

[Sammy234]

194. Unbelievable Stupidity

I am astounded at the sheer stupidity of some of those trying to support this young lady. Chelsea made a really bad decision; to post personal information about a customer online. She gave the restaurant NO CHOICE but the get rid of her. I was a waiter for many years - the occasional bad tip is PART OF THE JOB. You suck it up and deal with it, you don't try to shame or embarrass the customer. Especially on the internet. Just imagine having worry about a waitress who reacts like this because she's mad about her tip! The restaurant has to honor their customers - that's the nature of their business!
Chelsea is very lucky she is not being sued for the substantial damages she has caused both to the pastor and the business, especially after starting this campaign of trolling on their website. Chelsea should have considered this a life lesson and MOVED ON.