Representing the church is just as much a part of a pastor’s responsibility as the pulpit is. Most pastors realize this and try their best to positively represent their church in the community. Sadly, one type of pastor who doesn’t is a Scrooge Pastor.
A Scrooge Pastor is the type of pastor who goes to a restaurant, gets great service, but still leaves a lousy tip. This gives his church, other pastors, and Christianity a bad name. What waiter or waitress wants anything to do with a church whose pastor just ripped them off? Why should they be interested in a Jesus whose followers are cheapskates?
Lousy tips burn bridges of opportunity to reach people with the gospel.
Fortunately, most pastors are good tippers. And if you aren’t, change it or never go out in public. To help you in your quest to positively represent Christ through good tips, Get Rich Slowly has an excellent list of guidelines for tipping. A few good ones include:
- Barista - No tip required, though many suggest throwing coins into the tip jar.
- Delivery Person (including pizza) - 10%, $2 minimum
- Waiter - 15% for adequate service, 20% for exceptional service. For poor service, leave 10% or less. It’s okay to leave nothing for exceptionally poor service, but only if you’re sure it’s the waiter’s fault.
Church Relevance’s Opinion: I prefer 15% for poor service and 20%+ for adequate and beyond. Remember, you are representing your church. - Hotel Housekeeper - $2 to $5 per night, paid daily or as a lump sum at checkout. (Most sites suggest you tip daily.)
- Cab Driver - 10%, $2-$5 minimum
- If you use a coupon or gift certificate, calculate your tip based on the total before discount.
- If you take up a restaurant table for a long time, tip extra.
- Tip discreetly.
- When in doubt, tip.
For the youth pastors: If the youth group takes an outing to a restaurant, either educate them on the importance of tipping or plan on covering the tip yourself. Waiters and waitresses dread waiting on youth groups, but you can change their perspective.
The bottom line is - Don’t be a scrooge.
Being a former barista, I would say that most baristas recognize area pastors, since coffee is the drug of choice for most conservative Christians and because pastors do a lot of meetings in coffee shops. Baristas also know which ones don’t tip. I’d say if you get any coins back definitely drop them in. Baristas notice things like that!
Excellent post. Why not go above and beyond this and make someones day occasionally? Jesus tells us to use our money to make friends
(luke 16:9)
I always remember and follow what my first pastor told me. He said that you never know if the waiter/waitress is having a horrible day and what a generous tip might do for them. He always tips 20%, no matter the level of service, and that’s a practice I’ve followed ever since hearing him say it. It’s especially important, I think, when you’re visiting the same restaurants time after time.
I agree completely with Tim. I worked as a barista for two years– and area pastors were widely known not to tip.
As you say, “Lousy tips burn bridges of opportunity to reach people with the gospel.” Baristas are going to be the people that pastors most often come into contact with.
Since many pastors tend to be regulars in coffee shops– I would argue this is one of the most important places to tip. Additionally, my suggestion to pastors would be: if you get a free drink, throw the money you were prepared to pay in the jar.
Great input! It is good to hear the barista’s perspective.