So recently there’s been this small kerfuffle going on regarding Applebee’s and God. Stranger bedfellows has never been met, I think, and yet here the two of them are, duking it out for the most stupid, unethical, and basically unkind gesture that either of them can make.
Here’s the story.
A woman by the name of Alois Bell, along with at least seven or eight of her friends, goes to Applebee’s for a meal.
Now right off the bat, there’s something wrong with that picture. If you’re going out with that many people, why would you go to Applebee’s? I imagine, at least for me, that with that many people in tow, you are having a celebration of some import. Going to Applebee’s for this celebration is tantamount to going to, oh, say, Taco Bell when you just got an enormous raise.
Don’t get me wrong, Applebee’s is fine, if you’re out shopping and need to take your Mom there, and Mom loves Applebee’s. Or you’re having a shopping spree with friends, and one of them loves Applebee’s for some reason. Okay, so you go, right? But not to celebrate. Am I right?
Regardless why all these folks thought Applebee’s was a good idea, I was rather staggered by the auto-tip that Applebee’s attached to the table of eight (and maybe some more.) No restaurant I am aware of does more than 12% for large parties. Because, yeah, it’s hard to figure the tip, and it’s easier to just calculate it in to begin with. But 18%? Crazy, man.
Then, Alois Bell, a customer, determines that 18% is too high. Okay, that’s her opinion as well as mine; 18% is a little staggering.
But Alois is not only opinionated about tips, she is also, apparently, a religious person and gives a regular tithe to her church. She feels that 10% is enough to pay out, be it to God or anyone. So only does she not pay the 18% suggested by Applebee’s, she also doesn’t pay any tip.
Yes, that’s right. With a table of 8 (and maybe some more), she determines that the waitress, Chelsea Welch, doesn’t get anything, let alone 18%. And then she writes the reasoning for her decision on the receipt for the tab: Alois Bell pays 10% to God, and therefore, the hardworking Chelsea Welch doesn’t get anything.
But wait! It gets worse!
Chelsea Welch, who not only seems to have a sense of humor, was also reasonably affronted by the “my God is more important than your need to deserve any tip from me” message. So she posts it.
Yes, online! To vent her frustration, and whatnot, speaking only the truth. It does no one any harm and points out the less-than-generous actions of one of her customers. There are whole sites dedicated to people complaining about their jobs; this was among the least volatile thing anyone could say, because all she was doing was posting the exact message from one of her customers.
And what does Applebee’s do? They fire her. For what reason? None on the books that I’m aware of. And now she’s not only without a tip, she’s out of a job. As for Alois Bell? She is “ashamed” of herself.
Really? That’s all you have right now? What about some Christian charity? How about some love and kindness? And whatever happened to entertaining angels unawares and all that stuff? How about you, Alois, help Chelsea find a new job, on account of you helped her lose this one.
I’m not making any of this up.
I don’t like Applebee’s and here’s just another reason why I can justify never darkening their doors again.
Also, I don’t like people who use their god to justify unethical and unkind actions. Alois Bell is, by all indications, a pastor at Truth in the World Deliverance Ministries Church. This is how the Christian God wants pastors to behave? There should be some smiting going on, I’m just saying.
P.S. According to yahoo.com “the receipt was part of a total bill of over $200 for a party of 20, which is why the gratuity was automatically added.”
My observation is: who wants to spend that kind of money at Applebee’s?