A North Carolina restaurant general manager backed an employee who was upset on Saturday after receiving a religious pamphlet regarding a local Baptist church from a guest in lieu of a tip.
Dish servers have been increasingly reporting the practice, in which the pamphlets often look at first like $10 or $20 bills, reports KGW.
Penny Craver, general manager of Dish in Plaza Midwood, told USA Today she felt badly for her employee, who is a student, so looked up the church listed on the pamphlet that was substituted for a meal service tip - Harbor Baptist Church in Charlotte - and wrote an email to the church's pastor.
The email read "Pastor Simmons: I am the general manager of Dish (restaurant) in Plaza Midwood. Imagine one of my server's surprise when she received a small pamphlet (Every one of us will face eternity one day) instead of a tip when she served what I assume was one of your congregation. Her particular religious beliefs are not discussed at work; however, I do know this pamphlet cannot pay her mortgage or her electric bill. It concerns me that someone would consider a pamphlet fair monetary exchange. Suppose your congregation felt it was sufficient to tithe their personal writings instead of 10% of their income. Your church wouldn't be paying their bills for very long. I think it would be great if you used this in a sermon. Pride, one of the 7 Deadly Sins, is considered, on almost every list, the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins: the source of the others. It is identified as believing that one is essentially better than others, failing to acknowledge the accomplishments of others, and excessive admiration of the personal self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). I think it could be educational for at least one member of your congregation. Thank you very much for your time."
Craver said she printed the email and showed it to her staff because she wanted them to know she "has their backs."
She said she felt compelled to write the email because it was the third or fourth time that particular employee had received a religious pamphlet in lieu of a tip, and she felt it was unfair.
"The waitress works hard, when she's able to pick up shifts between her classes," Craver said, "and those pamphlets aren't helping to pay her bills."
Craver said the waitress was very touched after reading the note, and her employees as a whole "were just happy that I stood behind them."
No response from Harbor Baptist Church was registered so far. Its congregation held their first service on Resurrection Sunday in 1975. It has been known throughout its history as an "independent, fundamental, Bible Believing, Bible Preaching, Baptist Church," according to the church's website.
Ironically, the church's website offers an online giving portal through PayPal.
