service?

[Empty_of_Clouds]

That's funny!

There is a tea house in Hong Kong - not sure if it is still there, obviously was when I was there 10 years ago - where the wait staff are all older ladies and who are famous for their bad tempers and intolerance. Every request for service is met with undisguised contempt, everything is too much trouble. And from my experience it does not seem to be done in a jokey way.

Funny thing though is that the tea house attracts a great deal of business, the customers finding it highly entertaining to be abused by grannies. Mind you, a person would likely only go to this tea house expecting the abuse, so it comes as no surprise and you are braced for it.

[oldstoat]

A waitress who was not our server came to the table to compliment him on his suit and began asking him questions about school and such. He revealed he'd been born in Guatemala. She then launched into a monologue about when she worked for the Sheriff's Dept all the Guatemalans were the worst prisoners and in general were of such low quality they should never be allowed in the country since they were all murderers, thieves, etc. She was livid as she showered this on us. This from a young woman who was herself from a Spanish speaking country.

Just nod and smile? I really don't think so, especially if an 11 year old is left anxious about whether he can reveal his origins. That's disgusting racist behaviour

. The waitress can have her opinions- but she shouldn't voice them to her customers. Some of my staff have views I dislike. They're entitled to them- but if they were to voice them to a patient it would be a matter of sacking for gross misconduct.

You know, though the concept of race is hugely outdated and even when it wasn't the definitions were much debated, i think most people would agree Guatemalan isn't race.

Further since you're in England, i'd strongly advise caution against reactionary dismissal of staff - Employment Tribunals cost the employee nothing but can be very costly to the employer.

Also, there is a thing known as context, there is also background and detail, and then of course there is common sense and maturity i.e. not being a pathetic reactionary.

I think you mean reactive rather than reactionary; furthermore the gross misconduct dismissal for this kind of behaviour in my particular context is valid.
As for race, I agree that Guatemalan isn't a race and that race itself is a dubious concept scientifically- but the social concept of racism is very clearly present. Racist behaviour isn't acceptable.

[sharmon202]

Two final words:

We are still dealing with the aftermath of this with my son. He has asked several of his trusted adults as to whether he should tell people he was born in Guatemala anymore. Too bad for him, "Life is crap."

I do the hiring and firing in our business, which could be considered a high end service business. I give warnings on things like forgetting to relay a message, neglecting to sterilize a cot, etc. But in the case of such egregious behavior with patrons, an employee would be out the door immediately. A warning would merely expose us to the possibility of it happening again. Too bad for her, "Life is crap".

Keeping my fingers crossed he doesn’t find out mommy celebrates people that kill kids his age for money as heroes!

This comment to the originator makes no sense at all

[sharmon202]

Well I was grossly exagerating to drive home a point. I was actually threatened with physical violence once by a waiter for really no reason, which was a bizzare experience, so I imagine this could have happened to you. And if you really were the victim of this, obviously as a guest you should feel welcome and not assaulted. But still, I think there are better ways to solve such things.

gross exaggeration does not make a point as you said she was doing. Et Tu?

Also what would you do if this happened to your young son/daughter/wife, etc?
I guess it would be OK and you would laugh it off and not worry about the effect on said relative.

[VertOlive]

Two final words:

We are still dealing with the aftermath of this with my son. He has asked several of his trusted adults as to whether he should tell people he was born in Guatemala anymore. Too bad for him, "Life is crap."

I do the hiring and firing in our business, which could be considered a high end service business. I give warnings on things like forgetting to relay a message, neglecting to sterilize a cot, etc. But in the case of such egregious behavior with patrons, an employee would be out the door immediately. A warning would merely expose us to the possibility of it happening again. Too bad for her, "Life is crap".

Keeping my fingers crossed he doesn’t find out mommy celebrates people that kill kids his age for money as heroes!

This comment to the originator makes no sense at all

Sandy, adhoc is referring to the discussion over on the War Stories thread in this ad hominem attack you see here. I have drawn fire for posting stories of war veterans' lives from my friend ad hoc and the ire has spread to this thread as well.

[SIR]

I think you mean reactive rather than reactionary; furthermore the gross misconduct dismissal for this kind of behaviour in my particular context is valid.
As for race, I agree that Guatemalan isn't a race and that race itself is a dubious concept scientifically- but the social concept of racism is very clearly present. Racist behaviour isn't acceptable.

I certainly don't agree with the person in this example saying what they said... but I can definitely understand the various possible reasons why the staff member wouldn't have been sacked.

The other tactic for the client in this situation is to humour the other side for a moment;
"oh really, please do tell me how being Guatemalan was a cause for certain prisoners having a propensity to being more 'difficult' than others..."

[adhoc]

Well I was grossly exagerating to drive home a point. I was actually threatened with physical violence once by a waiter for really no reason, which was a bizzare experience, so I imagine this could have happened to you. And if you really were the victim of this, obviously as a guest you should feel welcome and not assaulted. But still, I think there are better ways to solve such things.

gross exaggeration does not make a point as you said she was doing. Et Tu?

Also what would you do if this happened to your young son/daughter/wife, etc?
I guess it would be OK and you would laugh it off and not worry about the effect on said relative.

I was trying to show the hipocrisy.

Over here, we deal with this constantly and it’s a different culture. Shock, I know, but different cultures exist. Slovenians are greedy, Montenegrins are lazy, etc. it’s fine by everyone, before you take it your moral duty to be offended for other groups of people. Yeah, we would laugh it off, because we don’t live in a culture of outrage. Again, shock, I know, but different cultures exist.

[Wuddus]

Well I was grossly exagerating to drive home a point. I was actually threatened with physical violence once by a waiter for really no reason, which was a bizzare experience, so I imagine this could have happened to you. And if you really were the victim of this, obviously as a guest you should feel welcome and not assaulted. But still, I think there are better ways to solve such things.

gross exaggeration does not make a point as you said she was doing. Et Tu?

Also what would you do if this happened to your young son/daughter/wife, etc?
I guess it would be OK and you would laugh it off and not worry about the effect on said relative.

I was trying to show the hipocrisy.

Over here, we deal with this constantly and it’s a different culture. Shock, I know, but different cultures exist. Slovenians are greedy, Montenegrins are lazy, etc. it’s fine by everyone, before you take it your moral duty to be offended for other groups of people. Yeah, we would laugh it off, because we don’t live in a culture of outrage. Again, shock, I know, but different cultures exist.

Was the hypocrisy your rant about there being other cultures, while showing intolerance for a different culture to your own, or was that just a bonus?

We all come from different backgrounds, and all have a different perspective. I'm sure that we would between us have dealt with it many different ways. I'm really not sure what your attacks are intended to achieve. What is the end goal here? At what point do you consider you've made your point, and we can all go back to polite conversation?

[Bzzer]

That's funny!

There is a tea house in Hong Kong - not sure if it is still there, obviously was when I was there 10 years ago - where the wait staff are all older ladies and who are famous for their bad tempers and intolerance. Every request for service is met with undisguised contempt, everything is too much trouble. And from my experience it does not seem to be done in a jokey way.

Funny thing though is that the tea house attracts a great deal of business, the customers finding it highly entertaining to be abused by grannies. Mind you, a person would likely only go to this tea house expecting the abuse, so it comes as no surprise and you are braced for it.

I read one story in the South China Morning Post, Police were looking for a waiter, Ho Chin Lee. A late night drinker had gone into cafe, asked for coffee, when it arrived, he said take it away I asked for tea, when that arrived he said he had ordered coffee. Repeat and repeat. In the end the drinker got a cleever in his back.

[Jon Szanto]

In the end the drinker got a cleever in his back.

[Freddie]

In the end the drinker got a cleever in his back.

Ward, I'm worried about the Beaver.
~ June

Fred
Barbara Billingsley can cover my six any time. {freakin'happysmileyfacetimethingie}

[gbryal]

I am a little bummed that Jenny Slate is taking over Barbara Billingsley's role as Nanny on "Muppet Babies". I mean, it had to be SOMEone, but after her command performance, perhaps it shouldn't have been recast.

[SIR]

Over here, we deal with this constantly and it’s a different culture. Shock, I know, but different cultures exist. Slovenians are greedy, Montenegrins are lazy, etc. it’s fine by everyone, before you take it your moral duty to be offended for other groups of people. Yeah, we would laugh it off, because we don’t live in a culture of outrage. Again, shock, I know, but different cultures exist.

I knew a girl from Montenegro once... i never thought of her as lazy, actually the opposite, but then compared to me she could probably only ever hope to command the status of 'laissez faire' at best

[pajaro]

In the small Midwest town I live in, the restaurant service, whether from a fast food or a sit-down restaurant is always great and cheerful. They always surprise us with something good, and we always tip the staff generously.

[jmccarty3]

I serve the public in my job myself, and I am sad to say that there are many people who treat their waitstaff better than they do their physicians. I always try to make allowances when servers are new (it's usually obvious), and I'm happy to help show them how to open the champagne or that stubborn bottle of wine. Waiting on tables is very hard work, and these people depend on tips. I always tip generously, because everyone deserves an encouraging "attaboy" once in awhile.

All that being said, I can't resist telling the story of playwright George S. Kaufman, who hated waiters. Upon hearing that one of his least favorite servers had passed away, he remarked, "God finally caught his eye."

[jmccarty3]

Went to a local restaurant well known for fine food but one the counter was a hand grenade with a number on the pin next to a sign that said "For Complaints, take a number." I immediately left and placed the place on the "Little List".

The owner should have kept that in his private office. In mine, I have a very nice little glazed pottery jar that says, "Ashes of Problem Patients."