Applebee’s fires waitress who posted receipt from pastor complaining about auto-tip

**Deb** · 02-01-2013, 12:03 PM

An Applebee's waitress who posted a receipt with a note from a pastor complaining about the automatic gratuity added to the bill on the Internet was fired on Wednesday after the pastor complained to her manager.

Chelsea Welch, the waitress, wrote in an email to Yahoo News that the pastor (who has since been identified as Alois Bell) told Welch's manager at the St. Louis-area Applebee's that the ensuing firestorm had "ruined" her reputation.

"I give God 10%," Bell wrote on the receipt, scratching out the automatic tip and scribbling in an emphatic "0" where the additional tip would be. "Why do you get 18?" (There were more than eight people in Bell's party, triggering the auto-tip.)

Welch, who snapped a photo of the bill from a fellow server and uploaded to Reddit, defended her right to post the receipt. "I thought the note was insulting, but also comical," she told Consumerist.com. "And I thought other users would find it entertaining.”

Bell, a pastor at Truth in the World Deliverance Ministries Church, was not amused, and she called Welch's manager to complain.

“[It was] a lapse in my character and judgment,” Bell told the Smoking Gun, adding she did not expect her easily recognizable signature would be, as her friend informed her, “all over Yahoo. You went viral!”

“My heart is really broken,” Bell added. “I’ve brought embarrassment to my church and ministry.”

A spokesman for Applebee’s said it apologized to Bell for violating her "right to privacy" and confirmed that Welch “is no longer employed by the franchise."

Welch was surprised that Applebee's fired her, "especially because there was nothing specific in the employee handbook admonishing this behavior."
"I had no intention of starting a witch hunt or hurting anyone. I just wanted to share a picture I found interesting," she said. “I come home exhausted, sore, burnt, dirty and blistered on a good day. And after all that, I can be fired for ‘embarrassing’ someone who directly insults their server on religious grounds.”

Welch also isn't buying Bell's embarrassment. “If this person wrote the note, obviously they wanted it seen by someone," she said. “I’ve been stiffed on tips before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the Big Man used as reasoning."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow...193820748.html

**SOS4Prez** · 02-01-2013, 01:01 PM

This guy right here is why people hate religion.

**Troy** · 02-01-2013, 01:25 PM

Ask anybody who works at restaurants what they think of the usual 'Sunday crowds' (I don't even know if this happened on a Sunday, but I'm just referencing) they get, and they'll tell you who they appreciate and, on the flipside, who they don't (due to what's obviously lacking in tips). Uncalled for note. Just a guy showing his ass, really.

Best food service I ever received was in Kingsport, TN at The Longhorn Steakhouse about a year ago... dressed in a regular-ass t-shirt and a regular-ass pair of jeans with a couple of friends clad in regular-ass casual attire as well, surrounded by the uber-dressed-up 'Sunday crowd', and we were practically treated like royalty by the waiter. He thanked us about five times for the tip on the way out.

**SOS4Prez** · 02-01-2013, 01:53 PM

People go out to eat on Sundays? Creepy...

1. Who goes out to lunch? Stupid!

2. Who goes out to dinner on a Sunday? "Hey, we just had a perfectly wide open Friday and Saturday night, but let's choose to go out the night before we go back to work!"

**G-men** · 02-01-2013, 02:07 PM

Do Pastors really find the need to put down that they're a pastor when they sign something?

**Troy** · 02-01-2013, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOS4Prez

People go out to eat on Sundays? Creepy...

1. Who goes out to lunch? Stupid!

2. Who goes out to dinner on a Sunday? "Hey, we just had a perfectly wide open Friday and Saturday night, but let's choose to go out the night before we go back to work!"

Sundays are where it's at, bruh.

**Jerry** · 02-01-2013, 03:03 PM

She won't have a problem finding another job. Someone will hire her on Christian principle alone.

**Deb** · 02-01-2013, 05:25 PM

That would be like me putting a note in the collection plate I already tipped my waitress the nite before.

I think it was all pretty classless.

Why write anything. Why not just leave it on the table. Or how about..God Bless.

02-01-2013, 12:03 PM	#1
Deb Owner/Maid HOF'er (retired jersey) Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 49,555 Reputation: 1574 My Mood: : $536349	Applebee’s fires waitress who posted receipt from pastor complaining about auto-tip An Applebee's waitress who posted a receipt with a note from a pastor complaining about the automatic gratuity added to the bill on the Internet was fired on Wednesday after the pastor complained to her manager. Chelsea Welch, the waitress, wrote in an email to Yahoo News that the pastor (who has since been identified as Alois Bell) told Welch's manager at the St. Louis-area Applebee's that the ensuing firestorm had "ruined" her reputation. "I give God 10%," Bell wrote on the receipt, scratching out the automatic tip and scribbling in an emphatic "0" where the additional tip would be. "Why do you get 18?" (There were more than eight people in Bell's party, triggering the auto-tip.) Welch, who snapped a photo of the bill from a fellow server and uploaded to Reddit, defended her right to post the receipt. "I thought the note was insulting, but also comical," she told Consumerist.com. "And I thought other users would find it entertaining.” Bell, a pastor at Truth in the World Deliverance Ministries Church, was not amused, and she called Welch's manager to complain. “[It was] a lapse in my character and judgment,” Bell told the Smoking Gun, adding she did not expect her easily recognizable signature would be, as her friend informed her, “all over Yahoo. You went viral!” “My heart is really broken,” Bell added. “I’ve brought embarrassment to my church and ministry.” A spokesman for Applebee’s said it apologized to Bell for violating her "right to privacy" and confirmed that Welch “is no longer employed by the franchise." Welch was surprised that Applebee's fired her, "especially because there was nothing specific in the employee handbook admonishing this behavior." "I had no intention of starting a witch hunt or hurting anyone. I just wanted to share a picture I found interesting," she said. “I come home exhausted, sore, burnt, dirty and blistered on a good day. And after all that, I can be fired for ‘embarrassing’ someone who directly insults their server on religious grounds.” Welch also isn't buying Bell's embarrassment. “If this person wrote the note, obviously they wanted it seen by someone," she said. “I’ve been stiffed on tips before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the Big Man used as reasoning." http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow...193820748.html __________________ "And in the depths of winter, I found in me am invincible summer."

02-01-2013, 01:01 PM	#2
SOS4Prez Yea-yuh! HOF'er (retired jersey) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 10,185 Reputation: 2547 My Mood: : $37088	This guy right here is why people hate religion. __________________

02-01-2013, 01:25 PM	#3
Troy Forever mirin' Blue Chipper Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,331 Reputation: 558 : $13690	Ask anybody who works at restaurants what they think of the usual 'Sunday crowds' (I don't even know if this happened on a Sunday, but I'm just referencing) they get, and they'll tell you who they appreciate and, on the flipside, who they don't (due to what's obviously lacking in tips). Uncalled for note. Just a guy showing his ass, really. Best food service I ever received was in Kingsport, TN at The Longhorn Steakhouse about a year ago... dressed in a regular-ass t-shirt and a regular-ass pair of jeans with a couple of friends clad in regular-ass casual attire as well, surrounded by the uber-dressed-up 'Sunday crowd', and we were practically treated like royalty by the waiter. He thanked us about five times for the tip on the way out. __________________

02-01-2013, 01:53 PM	#4
SOS4Prez Yea-yuh! HOF'er (retired jersey) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 10,185 Reputation: 2547 My Mood: : $37088	People go out to eat on Sundays? Creepy... 1. Who goes out to lunch? Stupid! 2. Who goes out to dinner on a Sunday? "Hey, we just had a perfectly wide open Friday and Saturday night, but let's choose to go out the night before we go back to work!" __________________

02-01-2013, 02:07 PM	#5
G-men Administrator HOF'er (retired jersey) Helicopter Champion! Helicopter2 Champion! Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 12,401 Reputation: 2195 : $105024	Do Pastors really find the need to put down that they're a pastor when they sign something? __________________

02-01-2013, 03:03 PM	#7
Jerry East Browns and Down All Pro Flying Steel Champion! Word Search 69 My Body Champion! Shooting Practice Champion! Logo Finder IV Champion! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Behind Enemy Lines Posts: 9,796 Reputation: 2661 My Mood: : $53298	She won't have a problem finding another job. Someone will hire her on Christian principle alone. __________________

02-01-2013, 05:25 PM	#8
Deb Owner/Maid HOF'er (retired jersey) Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 49,555 Reputation: 1574 My Mood: : $536349	That would be like me putting a note in the collection plate I already tipped my waitress the nite before. I think it was all pretty classless. Why write anything. Why not just leave it on the table. Or how about..God Bless. __________________ "And in the depths of winter, I found in me am invincible summer."

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