Mary's Gourmet Diner - Pray in Public, Get 15% Discount

[wake20]

Saw this on CNN.

This diner gives 15% off if you pray over your meal

The tab belonged to Jordan Smith, who had traveled to Winston-Salem for a business trip and stopped for breakfast at Mary's with two colleagues Wednesday morning.

She tells HLN the group "prayed over our meal and the waitress came over at the end of the meal and said, 'Just so you know, we gave you a 15% discount for praying,' which I'd never seen before."

 

[2&2 Slider To Leyritz]

That's awesome.

 

[Kory]

I see a lot of 15% discounts in the near future.

 

[deacphan]

HAIL SATAN!

 

[Deadbolt]

HAIL SATAN!

They didn't specify who you have to pray to!

I'm going to laugh when someone brings in a prayer mat and gets run out of the building.

 

[deacphan]

yup. really want to go, pray, get a discount, and yell "HAIL SATAN!" if the server tries to remove the discount i get a 20% discount instead!

 

[Biff Tannen]

How much of a discount do I get if I keep my kids in their seats for the whole meal?

 

[ImTheCaptain]

gourmet diner

 

[WakeandBake]

seems like a terrible business decision

 

[DeaconBrews]

This is Breakfast of Course right?

 

[HailToTheDeacons]

This is Breakfast of Course right?

Yup.

If you pray while waiting, do you get a table more quickly?

 

[West End Deac]

I'll pray to whatever god they want me to if it gets me a mug of their sausage gravy. So f'n good.

edited to add (this is a pretty good response, imho):
A flood of questions have come in to Mary's Gourmet Diner's Facebook page since the discount made the news. The restaurant posted a statement to its Facebook page Friday, saying:

There's a lot of craziness going on in regard to the 15% discount. I will not respond to all the posts. I will say that it is not a "policy", it's a gift we give at random to customers who take a moment before their meal. This could be prayer or just a moment to breathe & push the busyness of the world away. Who you talk to or meditate on etc. is your business. I have lived in a 3rd world country, there are people starving. We live in a country with an abundance of beautiful food. I NEVER take that for granted. It warms my heart to see people with an attitude of gratitude. Prayer, meditation or just breathing while being grateful opens the heart chakra. It's good for everyone!!!!

 

[94Deac]

Seems several followers of the "good book" have forgotten Matthew 6:5. Wonder what happens when a burka-wearing Muslim woman recites her Fajr over breakfast.

 

[TownieDeac]

Seems several followers of the "good book" have forgotten Matthew 6:5. Wonder what happens when a burka-wearing Muslim woman recites her Fajr over breakfast.

Based on the above comment, probably a discount and some respect.

 

[94Deac]

Based on the above comment, probably a discount and some respect.

Oh certainly. Without a doubt.

 

[RevDeac06]

Seems several followers of the "good book" have forgotten Matthew 6:5. Wonder what happens when a burka-wearing Muslim woman recites her Fajr over breakfast.

To be fair, that passage isn't a prohibition against public prayer, but rather the intention for doing so.

 

[bym051d]

Based on the above comment, probably a discount and some respect.

Mary's always seemed like an open minded place, not an Evangelical one, so I'm sure you're right.

 

[PhDeac]

To be fair, that passage isn't a prohibition against public prayer, but rather the intention for doing so.

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭1, 5‬ NIV)

Seems like Mary's is encouraging what Jesus discouraged. That reward is a 15% discount. To be fair, they didn't publicize this themselves.

 

[Milhouse]

who gives a shit

 

[DrummerDeac]

I'll pray to whatever god they want me to if it gets me a mug of their sausage gravy. So f'n good.

edited to add (this is a pretty good response, imho):
A flood of questions have come in to Mary's Gourmet Diner's Facebook page since the discount made the news. The restaurant posted a statement to its Facebook page Friday, saying:

There's a lot of craziness going on in regard to the 15% discount. I will not respond to all the posts. I will say that it is not a "policy", it's a gift we give at random to customers who take a moment before their meal. This could be prayer or just a moment to breathe & push the busyness of the world away. Who you talk to or meditate on etc. is your business. I have lived in a 3rd world country, there are people starving. We live in a country with an abundance of beautiful food. I NEVER take that for granted. It warms my heart to see people with an attitude of gratitude. Prayer, meditation or just breathing while being grateful opens the heart chakra. It's good for everyone!!!!

I like their response; hopefully people actually read/hear about it and it has a positive impact (rather than a negative impact from people in the public jumping to conclusions about religious agendas etc.).