Because you’re a cheap, classless bitch, that’s why! Seriously, it’s no secret that if you’re in a large party, most chains run an auto-gratuity at somewhere between 15-20%, usually 18%. This has been the case for a decade or more now, and we all know why that is. The waitstaff has no control over that gratuity add-on in a chain, so why take it out on them? And now this waitress gets shitcanned? Pastor, I hope you become internet famous for this bullshit. I think you will. And I hope the waitress gets hired by someone else quickly. I’ve never worked a day in a restaurant, and I fucking LOATHE non-tippers. LOATHE. THEM. No respect for themselves, or the waitstaff.

I never let it add that when I waited tables.
For two reaspns. Mostly because I thought it was rude. Also because I usually got more than 20% so that would be a reduction.
That only backfired once.
A lot of the chain computers now don’t let you take that out. You’re lucky you were in a decent area tip-wise, but there are places that the auto-gratuity is a necessity because there are so many non-tipping shitbags, in some cases auto-gratuity is on all bills now. Friend of mine used to work in one of the Applebee-type places.
I think people are focusing on the wrong thing. I’ve never eaten with a large party at a restaurant where this policy wasn’t announced in advance. At the point where you’re told that you’ll be charged a fee for service and you accept that service, you’re obligated to pay the fee unless you have a legitimate dispute about the service that you received. What this pastor did wasn’t just poor manners or un-Christian behavior (although it certainly was both of those, too). What she did was attempted theft.