National Wait Staff Day. Why does the church have a bad reputation, and how can we change this view?
First of all I am very excited about the fact that there is a national day set aside to show appreciation to wait staff. I think that they should get more than one special day for all of the stuff they have to deal with. Waiters, waitresses, hosts, hostesses, baristas; they are the ones who keep most of our worlds going around like clock work. How many of you count on having that perfectly made coffee handed off to you on you way to work at 5am?
"I'll take a grande, four-shot, skinny, no foam, no whip, 3 pump sugar free vanilla, 3 pump sugar free hazelnut, wet cappuccino, steamed to 180 degrees, with four raw sugars, two splenda, a scoch of half and half on the top, and double cup it." I remember when I got that order while I was working the window at Starbucks in St.Louis. I had just started training on the drive through. The lady rattled it off and drove up, leaving me staring at a computer screen full of modifiers and I couldn't ever remember what she wanted. After making the drink for her about four times a week I soon had it down.
Serving people is a job. Making sure everything is cooked right, presented perfect, timely, and dealing with crazy customers from time to time can really weigh on a person's emotions. Thousands of Americas suit up every single day to serve the masses, and many of these people never really get a genuine thank you.
Eating out, and coffee shop meetings have become a major part of the Church culture today. Wait staff see and serve the Church every single day of the week. It would seem like getting to be around and interact with the most joyous, free, and spiritual people would be a wonderful highlight of their day. You would think that, but the truth is quite contrary.
Church people have the worse reputation
Sitting in a national leadership seminar I hear three words that seem to pop up everywhere in management and ministry: Perception is Reality. It is true. When I worked as a Barista at Starbucks in St.Louis, I was shocked to find out the those who claimed to be Christian were, without doubt, the worse people to have to serve. I hate to say it but it is true, and it is a widely shared opinion of wait staff all over.
In 2006 I decided to do my own investigative report on this topic. Over three or four mouths I interviewed many waiters, waitresses, and others working in customer service. I asked them questions to find out how they felt about the Church. I heard a lot of things that was very heard to listen to, but it was a wake up call. Here are three quotes that I got that I felt summed up the majoirty of feelings the best.
"I feel like a super hero. Really, when I am serving Church people I realize that I am completely invisible to them. They don't see me, they see a machine that makes their drinks, nothing more." - Chris Williams, Barista St.Louis
"If we're not in their group we don't exist to them." - Anonymous Barista, Columbia Mo.
"Church people only see church people." Jon F. waiter, waffle house in St. Louis Mo.
When I asked what it was specifically, the response I got back was the same across the board.
- They are cheap - tip horribly, don't tip, or even worse, leave gospel literature that looks like a good tip but is a message telling us we need Jesus.
- They are rude - throw the biggest fits if things are not perfect. They talk down or demeaning to the wait staff.
- They are fake - pray with each other, bring bibles, talk about Jesus loud, and don't realize we see how they act when their Church friends are not joining them for lunch.
One waitress who asked me not to use her name, because she is also a Christian and minister's daughter said, "I am so ashamed of my Christian family. Especially when I see a group come in after Church and they pray, holding hands; letting everyone know they are Christians, and then they are loud, demanding, rude, make huge messes, get angry if something is not just perfect, or their cup is not always full. They are disruptive, not caring about those sitting around them, being the center of attention, then they leave the table and floor around it a total wreck, and leave the bear minimum as a tip. I have told my co-workers many times that Jesus is nothing like His followers. Just makes it hard."
This is a problem, and huge one. The church must correct this view the world is getting of Jesus. They see us and say, "Why follow Jesus, I can't even stand his people." Perception is reality and that is the key to changing this view of the Church. It has to be done on a one on one basis. We have to realize that they are watching us while we are by our selves. They don't care how we pretend to be when we are around others of 'our kind'.
Suggestions on changing perspective
- Be real. Realize that you are being watched at all times and perception is reality. What kind of Jesus are you showing them. The world will only see the Jesus that the Church shows them.
- Be kind. The Church is about reaching everyone one. That waiter or waitress serving you is a real person, and has real needs, and a smile, a kind word, an open ear, and a great attitude can be the thing to turn their day around.
- Tip Good. A waiter told me that they never forget the faces of those who tip good and those who tip bad. It does not matter if your service was awesome or horrible, tip good. When service is good, the tip is expected, when service is bad, the tip shows the love of Jesus.
- Never use gospel tracts that look like money IN STEAD of a tip. This does nothing good. It actually confirms to them their feelings about a cheap, rude Church, and Jesus.
I would like to say thank you to all those who work day in and day out serving the rest of us. I especially want to thank Jeremy, Matt, and the baristas at Mead's Corner. Natalie, Jim, Shawn, Kelsay, Courtney, Ash, Chris, and Kat at Starbucks. Lisa, Adam, Rachel, Casie, Amy, and the other Rachel at Seattle's Best Coffee.
I remember all of your names because you remember mine, and you always make my favorite Venti, quad-shot, extra hot, one inch cream, six splenda Americano perfect. You guys rock!
If you are Wait staff and would like to drop me a line or leave a comment here, please feel free.
Samuel Connelly
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National wait staff day.Why does the church have a bad reputation and how can we change this view?
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