Tip Evangelism

Have you ever wondered about the tip you leave your server when you leave a restaurant? Have you ever thought about the impact that little extra something has on the person who just spent the last hour or so taking care of your needs? I would imagine that for most people the answer to that is no. We simply leave our 15% and get on about what we were doing without a second thought. But what effect is that having on those people who's livlihood is to serve?
I've been a server for the better part of 3 years of my life. In those three years I've learned some valuable lessons about the people who work in this industry. If you look at your typical waiter or waitress, they are typically either students (high school or college) or single mothers. Now, of course there are some who don't fit this category, but for the most part this is who you find waiting tables. In either case they are people who could use the money, and could use the encouragement that they are hoping to get from the customers that come to their restaurant.
I've noticed a disturbing trend in the years that I've spent serving. There is a particular group of people that servers traditionally do not look forward to serving. That group of people isn't the bad tippers, or the rude customers, or even the demanding ones...but rather that group encompasses all three of those things. The group is: Christians! How sad is this! I've had many a conversation with non-believing co-workers about their faith and/or lack of it, and in almost every case the major contributing factor to why they don't find any value in Chritianity comes from the experiences they've had in serving Christian customers! Their experience has been that, usually, they are demanding, rude, and poor tippers. And it is not as though the servers can't tell who the Christians are! Typically they come out after church on Sunday morning or Wednesday night, and are in suits or nice clothes. It kinda gives them away!.
Among the leading issue alot of servers have with Christian customers is the "tracts" that are left on the table. After having served the table for an hour or so, running around getting countless refills of tea, etc. the server comes to the table only to be greeted by a dollar or two and a small pamphlet telling them how much of a sinner they are! Now, don't get me wrong, I think that as Christians it is our duty to spread the Gospel to others and to call sin sin, but is this the way to do it? I don't think so. For one, unless you've had an extensive conversation with your server, you have no idea whether or not they are already a Christian (so at best you've wasted your money on printing the tract), and in my experience, the tracts are the cheesiest things I've read! Where's the quality?
Now I realize that alot of people see this as fulfilling some "requirement" for evangelism, but really, what've you done? You made no effort. You probably didn't even have much of a talk with the server on the subject, and meanwhile you've ran the server in circles around the restaurant to get you drinks, more bread, etc, and you accompany your "evangelism obligation" with one or two dollar bills on a $30 or more check! Not only have you made yourself look cheap, but you've also done that to Jesus. If you feel the need to use these tracts, please, at least try to determine if the server has a faith or not first, AND, accompany the tract with a $20. I promise, if you put a $20 bill on the table with your tract, you will not only ensure that the server will read it (if only out of curiousity), but also that if they in fact are not a member of a church, and a situation comes up where they feel the need to go to church, they will remember yours because of your generosity.
Now, most people will say that all we are required to leave is 15% and be happy with that, but I would disagree in some cases. Let me explain. If you and your friend, wife, spouse, etc split an entree, you are still causing your server to serve two people, but you now intend to tip them as if they're only serving one. That's not very fair. Also, if you are someone who is very needy, and most of us are, you should probably leave a little something extra on the table.
Ok, I feel like I'm kind of rambling, so let me get back to my point. In one of the easiest ministry fields we come in contact with on a regular basis, we are dropping the ball! Stop thinking about what the least amount of a tip you can get away with is and start looking at it in a whole new way! We have an opportunity to bless the life of someone else, and show them the generosity of our Savior. Here is a truth about the restaurant business...the servers know who the good tippers are and who the bad tippers are, and they FIGHT over the good ones! So, look at it this way, lets say you go to a particular restaurant pretty regularly. Chances are the servers know whether you are a good tipper or not. Now, lets say that most of the servers their are not believers. If you start tipping good, they will see you differently and fight over who gets to serve you. Now, if you get to where you have a "regular" server each week, you have now opened a huge window into their life. You know get a one hour or so "audience" with them each week. As you get to know them more, and they get to know you, they will open up more and be more comfortable talking to you about whatever topic you bring up. Now that you have gained their trust, and they like serving you, you can approach the topic of faith with them, and they will be alot more receptive than if you had simply left a cheesy pamphlet and a dollar on the table.
Some people after hearing this idea, have told me that that's like "buying" their attention. Ok, I'll give you that...in a way it sort of is. But these are people who are making $2.13 an hour from the restaurant and so they depend on the tips they get, so giving them something a little extra is of course going to get their attention. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. You have blessed their lives with what God has blessed you with, and you have opened the door to have the opportunity to share with them the greatest blessing of all!
Look, I'm not writing this to make everyone feel bad about their tips. But the truth of the matter is that Christians have been labeled as among the worst tippers in the country (I think we're right behind foreigners, but it's close!), and that shouldn't be the case! Consider what the possibilities are with something as little as a tip! You could literally change a person's whole day! And eventually their eternity!
You want to see something fun? Next time you go out to your favorite restaurant, leave an extraordinarily large tip...then stick around somewhere inconspicuous where you can watch the look on your servers face when they see how much you left them!! And then watch the difference in the service you get from them the next time!
So the next time you go out to eat, think about how you treat your waiter or waitress. And think about how the way you treat them is reflecting Jesus. Then, when it comes time to leave a tip....think about how you'd like to impact their lives. Don't just try to figure out what 15% is and run out the door, but try to think about how you can make a difference with what you tip them. Sharing the Gospel with them could be as easy as simply being different from what they EXPECT a Christian to be!!

P.S. for my younger friends who are going to say, "but we don't have that much money!" I know this! But you can still go against their expectations by being polite, and not rude! Be courteous and not demanding! And when it comes to leaving a tip, leave the best you can afford to leave. Consider how much money you have BEFORE you order...make sure you have something left for a tip (i.e. if mom and dad gave you a $20 to go out to eat, you probably shouldn't order the $18 meal!).