If you have watched TV, read a newspaper or are an avid Internet reader, odds are that you have seen signs, t-shirts, and bumper stickers emblazoned with the tagline, “Feel the Bern.” As Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign has grown, so too has the ‘Feel the Bern’ movement. While the catchphrase is a favorite among Sanders’ supporters, it appears that those words can also be used to “burn” restaurant workers.
One clearly disgruntled and confused restaurant customer decided to show off his lack of political science knowledge by telling his bartender to “Feel the Bern in your pocket” in lieu of leaving a tip.
I’ve seen a lot of excuses used for not leaving a tip. Employing a receipt as a means of attacking a presidential candidate, and one’s political beliefs, is new.
The freedom to have different political views make us the great country that we are, but to use that as a reason for stiffing a waiter or bartender of a tip is just wrong. If the offending customer truly wanted to make a point about socialism, he could have written:
"Here’s a standard tip. Per your democratic socialist views, I expect you to share this tip equally with every member of your staff."
Now, of course, such a note would still be offensive, but at least the principle behind it would have been accurate. In it’s current form, the receipt is little more than an ignorant affront to our political process and Bernie Sanders’ supporters, not to mention a financial blow to the bartender.
This story has a silver lining, though. Rather than letting the rude customer’s words have a lasting negative impact, the bartender donated the exact dollar figure of the bill (with an appropriate tip) to the Sanders campaign.
Talk about ‘Feeling the Bern!”