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You might recall that just last month, an Asian-American resident adviser at the University of California, Irvine who took a few of his students out to Chick-fil-A and was handed receipts identifying one as "Ching" and another as "Chong."
And can we ever forget the story of Mark McHenry, an African-American man who regularly patronized the Landmark Steakhouse in Corona del Mar, California? In December 2010 (during Corona del Mar's annual Christmas Walk), McHenry received a couple of charming receipts that used the N-word to describe him.
We could go on. Like the Domino's that handed three little girls a receipt that read "[N-word] don't tip." Or the guy who picked up his drink from a Starbucks barista in a cup ID'ing him as "Big Dick" (though whether this was meant as an insult or a compliment is still unclear).
It's not that fast-food employees shouldn't be free to bitch about rude customers. Hey, you're getting paid 12 cents an hour to work in a room so heavy with grease it coats your shoelaces and stiffed for dollar tips. Complaining, even ranting, should be the right of all who are forced to greet members of the public with cheerful smiles.
But please, in 2012, let's refrain from racist and other toxic insults, and instead express contempt for customers in the time-honored way of servers everywhere: with a simple, old-fashioned sneer.
Image source: Papa John's receipt from Twitter
If they deserve a tip- they get a tip. If they did an excellent job they get a really good tip. I hate tip jars! I want to tip the exact person who served me not split it with those who don't do their job well. I also hate having a tip automatically put on my tab. They are NOT my employee. I do not recall ever having been told that I was required to subsidize the running of the restaurant on top...+READ
If they deserve a tip- they get a tip. If they did an excellent job they get a really good tip. I hate tip jars! I want to tip the exact person who served me not split it with those who don't do their job well. I also hate having a tip automatically put on my tab. They are NOT my employee. I do not recall ever having been told that I was required to subsidize the running of the restaurant on top of my meal. Do they not get paid well?? Take it up with the boss like I do. I don't get tips at work. Perhaps they need to change their line of work? I have been singled out and described on a Chinese web site as the "Happy Fat Lady" and that I like Chinese people. I am a driving examiner with the Ministry of Transportation. I didn't like it but it wasn't meant to be rude. They actually had a lot of good things to say about me too. After some of the scary dangerous rides I've had I think I deserve a tip!!! lol...-COLLAPSE
Personally, I don't distinguish between hurtful verbal attacks. In North America we have a real sensitivity to racism, but the truth is that people have wide-ranging sensitivities to the plethora of verbal abuses. A racist might verbally abuse someone and illicit a lukewarm response, whereas someone insulting the same person's mother might invoke a murderous rampage.
With that being said, I'd...+READ
Personally, I don't distinguish between hurtful verbal attacks. In North America we have a real sensitivity to racism, but the truth is that people have wide-ranging sensitivities to the plethora of verbal abuses. A racist might verbally abuse someone and illicit a lukewarm response, whereas someone insulting the same person's mother might invoke a murderous rampage.
With that being said, I'd like to say one simple thing: Maybe this woman was being a total bitch and the teenager just needed to get out some frustration.
I don't condone that kind of behaviour, but I certainly understand it, especially when its acted out by a teenager. When people get angry they often reach for the first hateful thing they can conjure up which often ends up being racist, but that doesn't necessarily mean the person is a racist, only that they're angry.
A racist comment != being a racist
Let's not equate the two.-COLLAPSE
I once ran a bar tab in our local Chinatown. When I paid it off I asked for the slip it was written on. The bartender/owner gave me a funny look but gave me the paper. I had the bartender at another place translate: Bald-headed white guy.
Should they stoop to racism? Of course, no. Should they call someone out on not tipping or being a "Big Dick"? HELL YES!! After all that servers have put up with for a $1?! If someone doesn't let you know how awful a customer you're being, you'll just go on misbehaving to some other server somewhere else. At least you know not to drink your coffee when it has been so labelled. Of course I know...+READ
Should they stoop to racism? Of course, no. Should they call someone out on not tipping or being a "Big Dick"? HELL YES!! After all that servers have put up with for a $1?! If someone doesn't let you know how awful a customer you're being, you'll just go on misbehaving to some other server somewhere else. At least you know not to drink your coffee when it has been so labelled. Of course I know how to my order my cappuccino sans double shot of saliva in it, with a smile :)-COLLAPSE
Wow...I usually think we are too politically correct and too sensitive to everything, but yeah, these definitely crossed the line. That restaurant in Corona del Mar deserved to be sued.
Food eater,
It is offensive to say black folks don't tip as a general rule because THIS BLACK PERSON tips well. You cannot possibly tell which one of us will tip well. If you treat me badly because you automatically assume that I don't tip well, then you won't get a tip.
I always tip a minimum of 15%. If you are really good, you get 20 to 25% and a positive comment card.
Clearly it's a freeform field ... in the case of Starbucks, they often write by hand on the cup.
How is it possible for these clowns to put in some invented name? I've never got a receipt with my name except when sometimes paying with a card - and they surely can't change that.
The n-word is called niggr. Don't make me say that word in my own head. Either say it or don't. Also, in my experience as a server and bartender for many years, black folks don't tip well as a general rule. That's a fact, no offense.
So let's see, those folks who think the customers are being too sensitive would be fine handed a receipt that says, oh, "White prick" on it.
Agreed, the people who wrote these receipts need training, and they and possibly their bosses should be docked pay at a minimum. There's nothing amusing about making racist remarks or disparaging your customers. Verbally or in writing.
My first jobs were in fast food chains and movie theaters. Somehow a bunch of teenager paid minimum wage managed to get food delivered to hundreds of people a...+READ
Agreed, the people who wrote these receipts need training, and they and possibly their bosses should be docked pay at a minimum. There's nothing amusing about making racist remarks or disparaging your customers. Verbally or in writing.
My first jobs were in fast food chains and movie theaters. Somehow a bunch of teenager paid minimum wage managed to get food delivered to hundreds of people a shift without calling anyone names.-COLLAPSE
1. The statement, "Hey, you're getting paid 12 cents an hour to work..." discredits the entire article. The author can't even be bothered to look up the minimum wage? It is of course easier to resort to hyperbole.
2. No one is holding a gun to the heads of these employees; if they don't think they're making enough money they should get some training and find a higher-paying job. I've worked in...+READ
1. The statement, "Hey, you're getting paid 12 cents an hour to work..." discredits the entire article. The author can't even be bothered to look up the minimum wage? It is of course easier to resort to hyperbole.
2. No one is holding a gun to the heads of these employees; if they don't think they're making enough money they should get some training and find a higher-paying job. I've worked in these jobs myself and never felt I was owed anything. What the hell is happening in this country.
3. Further to the above, these employees should hold their insults regarding "Chinky eyes"and related -- soon enough we'll all be employed by Chinese companies at the rate we're going. Wake up.
4. I find it appalling that anyone in a customer service capacity would insult customers like this. As for reporting it to the manager -- antipathy and lousy customer service stems from management. Don't expect sympathy there.-COLLAPSE
@mrbigshotno.1: how is it stupid to bring attention to racism? and why are you trying to victim-shame by saying the girl enjoyed the attention? in what situation does anyone enjoy the attention brought by racism? and not all teenagers are miseducated morons.
@chatombreux: in what situation is it normal to say that someone's eyes looks chinky in a descriptive sense without it having a connotation...+READ
@mrbigshotno.1: how is it stupid to bring attention to racism? and why are you trying to victim-shame by saying the girl enjoyed the attention? in what situation does anyone enjoy the attention brought by racism? and not all teenagers are miseducated morons.
@chatombreux: in what situation is it normal to say that someone's eyes looks chinky in a descriptive sense without it having a connotation to race? i don't mean the Shakespearean "chinky". The contemporary use of "chinky" nowadays can't be split from its derogatory meaning. It doesn't matter if someone was brought up that way, not knowing better. The same situation could be applied to the N-word. It just can't be justified.-COLLAPSE
As a waitress, I find this kind of behavior particularly offensive. Even on my own notes the most I write to identify people (and only to myself) is things like "Tall guy" "blonde girl" etc. I don't identify people as "fat" or "ugly" or use racial slurs, that's just ridiculous. These people should be fired and in any situations where they receive tips, the customers should a) definitely NOT tip...+READ
As a waitress, I find this kind of behavior particularly offensive. Even on my own notes the most I write to identify people (and only to myself) is things like "Tall guy" "blonde girl" etc. I don't identify people as "fat" or "ugly" or use racial slurs, that's just ridiculous. These people should be fired and in any situations where they receive tips, the customers should a) definitely NOT tip and b) complain to a manager. But hey, I guess if I'm not doing this stuff I already have a leg up on some of my customer service competition.-COLLAPSE
There should be firings over this. The manager that hired these offending employees should be fired because he or she hired someone who was so stupid that they put offensive comments in writing... and then handed it to the customer!
Plenty? 7-12 an hour is plenty?
So glad I'm rich, then.
When cocktailing an event, it is hard to find people in a stand up situation, I would write words like Bitchface in my notes, but never where the customer could see. Just for my own notes. And never a racist remark, everyone can be a Bitchface some time or another.
i'm asian, and at the starbucks in the orlando airport, the cashier was asking every customer for his/her name to write on the cup. she didn't ask for mine. when i received my coffee, 'china' was written on the side.
I was chaperoning a bunch of teen girls after a dance competition, and the restaurant offered to do separate checks. Some of the identifiers were fine - big red sweater, bushy hair, etc. But there were a couple, fat black girl, fat white girl, that particularly made me angry. I made the waiter do them over - I wasn't going to hand the girls checks with names like that!
let's see, Iran going nuclear or insulting receipts. Get over it
How about we just go back to using a number, do we really care if they call out #4 or "Jane"? People are going to interject wise assed stuff everywhere when they get a chance especially teenagers working in a fast food joint. Furthermore, The gal in the "chinky eyes" situation said she wasn't that offended but did bring it to the manager attention and it was handled, should have been case closed,...+READ
How about we just go back to using a number, do we really care if they call out #4 or "Jane"? People are going to interject wise assed stuff everywhere when they get a chance especially teenagers working in a fast food joint. Furthermore, The gal in the "chinky eyes" situation said she wasn't that offended but did bring it to the manager attention and it was handled, should have been case closed, but no she then had to post it all over the place and have her 15 minutes of fame, just as stupid.-COLLAPSE
Oooh...we're soooo sensitive.
Can we please just stop saying the phrase "N-word"? So ugly and hateful.
I know I'm going to offer an unpopular idea, but I think that not everyone who uses a slur to describe someone necessarily realizes they are slurring the person and may not even be racist in the long run. It may not even occur to them that the comment is racist in nature (chinky eyes - not the N word. We ALL know that one is.) How does one use physical characteristics to identify a customer...+READ
I know I'm going to offer an unpopular idea, but I think that not everyone who uses a slur to describe someone necessarily realizes they are slurring the person and may not even be racist in the long run. It may not even occur to them that the comment is racist in nature (chinky eyes - not the N word. We ALL know that one is.) How does one use physical characteristics to identify a customer without sometimes pointing out an ethnic trait? I'm not saying it's OK to do. I'm only saying that I think sometimes it wasn't meant to be racist.-COLLAPSE
We all know racism is bad. So I think the rule should be, if you are gonna tell a racist joke, please make sure it is extremely hilarious.
The "N" word? Are you refering to the word Negro? Google it all you want my friend but there is no such race as black.
An old fashioned sneer? Actually the time honored way of servers is.........
a thumb in the soup.
Should be an asterisk after "plenty" there, friend.
Fast food employees get paid plenty; they are not waiters and waitresses.