Give me a break today or Why its not my kinda place!
While traveling recently I met my sister( I would call her TwistedSister but I would probably get sued by some 60 year old big haired rocker) at a fast food restaurant in Mobile, Alabama. I won’t say the name of it but let’s just say avoid it if you have a fear of clowns. Well she and I place our order and proceed to wait about 15 minutes. Now keep in mind this is a “fast food” restaurant.
We were chatting and catching up when I said to her “hey its been at least 15 minutes since we ordered and everyone behind us is gone!”
So I motioned over one of the servers or helpers or whatever they call themselves and asked her to check on my order because it had been at least 15 minutes. Well she started talking to me in a very nasty manner telling me that my order was just being cooked because there was big orders. Asking her what the heck big orders placed after mine had to do with mine just being cooked brought a nasty stare and then walked away. I then asked another “server” to get her manager because this was taking too long. Instead of going back and getting her manager, she screams out her name telling her ” some man wants his order and his money back”.
So then a 20 something came out and stood there for at least a minute. Thinking she would eventually ask me what was the problem I didn’t say anything. Finally I broke down and told her the issue, telling her I wanted my money back and I wanted my order, because after all this was not a slow food restaurant. Her response was “At this point I don’t really care”. Well this was too much for my sister, who had been telling me to calm down. She proceeded to ask the manager “You mean to tell me as manager of (famous fast restaurant that reminds you of St Louis landmarks) you don’t really care???” Well the manager quickly changed her tune and gave me my order and my money and we had a good laugh about it.
Now why am telling you this whole story? Well actually Hambone has already touched on this subject and that is the subject of discrimination. This was a group of people at a well know establishment arguing with each other and with me about a damn chicken biscuit, when the whole thing could have been easily settled. They actually argued with me, they argued with their manager and she took it all with the only exception telling me “I don’t really care”. Now you can whine and pout all you want to about how the world treats you. You can say that you were discriminated against. You can complain that someone else got the promotion. You can moan and bitch that the world isn’t fair that other groups of people are treated better. But what you should do before you bore us with all that is think about how you perform your job. Think about how you treat or mistreat customers. Lastly think about the perception you are giving your boss (though in this case, no difference) and why he should promote you.
Being courteous and professional is how you move along in a career. Not acting like a gangsta you saw on the latest rap video.
Oh by the way, I did report the incident to the headquarters of this fine establishment and I was award with two coupons for their Big (burger), in a city I seldom go to. Nice!
If you want edit me? just go to your profile than add description text as many you like. ^_*
Surely you are not implying that rude, discourteous, behavior is more likely in a certain ethnic group?
I was at a high-end restaurant in Chicago years ago. When I inquired with the waitress about the slow service, “problem in the kitchen?” she said in a pissy manner, “I’m sorry I don’t feel in the mood to entertain you tonight, I have the stomach flu but I called in to work anyway.” Just what you want to here.
She was as W.A.S.P as they come, but still rude. In downtown Chicago we have many waiters/waitresses who are “really actors/artists” waiting for “that first big break/gallery show” and they resent that they have to work as a waiter to pay their bills.
1Well that may very well be true where you were at, but where I was at, there was no actors, just gangstas.
Am I implying anything? No.
2I was wondering how long it would take for you to blog about our experience
. I completely agree with twistermuser that this was definitely discrimination. They were nice to other people waiting but we were definitely not in the majority!!
3Speak of the devil! (So to speak) Yes, TS that is quite the understatement.
4Twisted Muser, you mentioned my name in your article, so now I’ll mention yours. You once mentioned about perception. I recently read that the only restaurant in town not to receive a health violation so far this year, is the local Church’s Chicken. So, the other night I went to Church’s for takeout. It was located in a black neighborhood, and of the 8 customers, I was the only white. While waiting for my order, I mentioned to the clerk that it looked like they had a good amount of business, and he said I should see their place on Tuesdays nights; they had a special that offered a wing, a thigh, and a biscuit for .99 cents. He said that on Tuesday nights, the line of customers ran alongside the building and out into the parking lot. Without thinking, I said “I’m glad to know that. So if I come by on a Tuesday night and see a big crowd, I won’t think there’s a shooting or stabbing.” He and a couple of other customers laughed, but I was dismayed at myself. To suggest that the only reason there might be a crowd of black people at a restaurant in the black area of town is because of a violent crime being committed, bordered on bigotry. And it all goes back to what you said about perception. I do want to say this….I was treated very well by the staff and other customers at Church’s, and I definitely intend to return soon.
5Hey Hambone, I mentioned your name because, well you write on the blog! We all say things at times we would love to rewind and start over. I know I have. In the case of me and the TwistedSister…that was not the case. It could not have been more blatantly obvious that we were being treated different.
6OK, I get your point now. Sorry, I missed it with all that Starship Troopers coed shower scene clouding my mind.
Well, you were discriminated against and that sucks. You should have just said, “I have to axe you are you disrespeting me?”
7disrespeCting
8TM:
Obama has stated in the last couple of days that people who don’t agree with him are “enemies”. Sounds like the manager was an Obama supporter. Since you are the enemy, I think you were appropriately treated.
9Thank you sir. I proudly accept that as a badge of honor.
10Ah… Obama, our fearless leader ….wonder if goes to the Golden Arches ?
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