We haven't had a conversation about tipping in awhile

[Misfit Toy]

Sure sounds like you took some pleasure there.

When in doubt, ask.

As expanded on in my second post, what I'm glad about is that somebody that dumb won't be anybody I'll ever hand my credit card to. Completely self-centered gladness, I assure you. Why? Because when my card info was stolen a couple of years ago, it was due to a server who was stupid enough to believe somebody she thought was her boyfriend that he needed some data in order to work on a school project.

Any questions?

Questions? Sure. Do you think you could have said what you were glad about the first time? Because "I'm glad they fired the stupid server" is a ridiculously arrogant statement, especially when you complain about "the uninvolved". I say that as someone who had MY card info stolen too. The server in the Applebees incident didn't steal anything.

 

[Jan]

Questions? Sure. Do you think you could have said what you were glad about the first time? Because "I'm glad they fired the stupid server" is a ridiculously arrogant statement, especially when you complain about "the uninvolved". I say that as someone who had MY card info stolen too. The server in the Applebees incident didn't steal anything.

A return question: What part about her being stupid enough to post personal information was unclear? It was right there in my original post.

Anybody taking a moment's thought to what the server did (the *uninvolved* server who wasn't the one stiffed) would understand exactly what I meant. Through the wonders of the interwebs, pretty much everything about that pastor is known and now her signature is out there for anybody who wants to forge it.

Actions have consequences and the server blew it. And if anything ever does happen so that the pastor's signature is forged, it's not the server she'll go after, it's Applebees.

Jan

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't think it's too out of line for Applebee's to have fired the server over what she did. She took a customer's receipt and signature and posted it online and while the data on the receipt won't likely lead to any problems (beyond the PR ones) for the customer or for Applebee's it shows a lack of judgment on the part of the server. I don't think I, personally, would have fired someone maybe gave them a talking to and a write-up but that's how I'd roll A firing still wasn't too out of line.

All said, what the pastor did was a huge dose of assholery and maybe "deserves" being called out on it.

 

[MacLeod]

What is interesting to note is that the company pulled the complimentary note, if they had permission to post it, they wouldn't have to pull it. By pulling it it could imply that permission to post it was not sought.

So on the surface you have two similar offences, if that is the case the same standard has to be applied to the person who posted/authorised the posting of the complinetary letter and they need to be fired. Otherwise it could be a legal nightmare, sure policy might have been breached but if you don't apply it evenly that it's virtually worthless as a policy.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Questions? Sure. Do you think you could have said what you were glad about the first time? Because "I'm glad they fired the stupid server" is a ridiculously arrogant statement, especially when you complain about "the uninvolved". I say that as someone who had MY card info stolen too. The server in the Applebees incident didn't steal anything.

A return question: What part about her being stupid enough to post personal information was unclear? It was right there in my original post.

No, your gladness was perfectly clear. The server's stupidity is what is in question. A signature isn't necessary, or even often used, for identity theft. So posting "personal information" in this case, is code for "the customer's hypocrisy". The customer's attitude was "stupid". She's paying the price for it now.

 

[Jan]

Allow me to award the last word to Misfit Toy. Obviously, despite never having any previous interactions with me, he knows exacatly what I think and feel. From now I'll try to remember to check with you before posting, MT.

Jan

 

[Locutus of Bored]

What is interesting to note is that the company pulled the complimentary note, if they had permission to post it, they wouldn't have to pull it. By pulling it it could imply that permission to post it was not sought.

Considering how incompetently the person running that Applebee's Facebook is handling this situation, I wouldn't draw any conclusions about what it implies. They could just have deleted it in the misguided hope that it wouldn't be brought up again.

I hope that Facebook account is only for that individual Applebee's franchise and not the company as a whole, because if they have such an incompetent PR person handling their public image they're in trouble.

So on the surface you have two similar offences, if that is the case the same standard has to be applied to the person who posted/authorised the posting of the complinetary letter and they need to be fired. Otherwise it could be a legal nightmare, sure policy might have been breached but if you don't apply it evenly that it's virtually worthless as a policy.

While it's wrong to post personal info online without permission either way (if that's what happened), the two actions don't carry the same consequences. No one has ever been harassed by an internet posse for paying a restaurant a compliment for their service, while that is a foreseeable result of posting the pastor's personal information online. If you leave a complimentary note like that, you know there's a good chance the note will be left in public view somewhere (even if only in the restaurant), and you generally have no reason to fear that happening. On the other hand, the pastor would obviously never want her information shared after what she wrote.

 

[doubleohfive]

Saw this and found it amusing...

 

[Amaris]

^

 

[doubleohfive]

Chelsea Welch, the waitress fired by Applebee's, speaks out:

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

Some pertinent highlights:

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.

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 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.

 

[tighr]

Kudos to her for sticking to her guns.

A) She's not angry at the pastor, she's angry at Applebee's management. In fact, she almost feels sorry for the pastor, apologetic that the PASTOR made a mistake. She does not apologize for posting the receipt.

B) She's not sure she even wants that job back. That's good for whoever her next employer is, who will get a quality honest employee.

C) If the pastor didn't want her note to be seen, she wouldn't have written it.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Yeah, this is an odd situation since it was a different employee and she thought it was funny instead of being mad. I thought the ex-employee explained here position very well.

I do have another tipping story to share, though. This person definitely was mad

 

[Maestro]

Probably time for Applebee's to reinstate her. Even if she did wrong, it's time to offer her her job back.

 

[tighr]

I do have another tipping story to share, though. This person definitely was mad

Wow, Scott R. Asshat III. I've probably met that kid, he's a drunk motherfucker.

Probably time for Applebee's to reinstate her. Even if she did wrong, it's time to offer her her job back.

Smart thing for her to do would be tell them to take this job and shove it. Should be fairly easy to get another job as a server, probably at the TGI Friday's next door.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

^If she's on the West Coast... I don't think we have any left!

 

[tighr]

She's in St. Louis.