Many a times, I have read reports and heard others talking about the service standards of our local service personnel, or how they would be all courteous and sweet to foreigners but cannot be bothered to display the same kinds of attitude to the locals. My take on this has always been our local service personnel need to be trained in hospitality management per se, be it locals or foreign customers.
However, what I experienced yesterday made me convince that foreigners do get preferential treatment over locals. I was supposed to meet my friend for dinner, but arrived early, so sat down at a cafe to read and had tea. There were hardly any customers at that time of the day, except for a few foreign tourists.
I stood at the entrance and waited for a while before any service staff came to acknowledge me. I told the service staff I preferred al fresco as the interior of the cafe is too dark to do any reading, so he ushered me to a table in the middle of the courtyard. I then ordered English Breakfast Tea.
When the tea came, all I had was an empty teacup and a little pot of tea. Now, which cafe will serve just tea, without any of the condiments and a teaspoon? So I waved to get the staff's attention. I had to raise my hand for a few minutes before he finally acknowledged me. I requested for a tea spoon, sugar and creamer.
The reason the staff took so long to acknowledge me was because he was not even looking at my direction; rather his eyes were focused on a table of four foreigners to the left side of where I was sitting. The moment one stood up, the staff quickly went to serve him, with smiles, asking if they needed anything else.
When a foreigner at another table wanted something, another staff quickly went over and served him with all smiles. Then what about me? Was I not a customer as well? Why did I then have to wait longer for the staff to attend to me, even though I indicated I needed something? And why did the person then attend to me with such a glum look, when he could be all smiles to the tourists just a few minutes ago?
Hmmmm.... is this a case of local xenophobia? Or racial discrimination?
However, what I experienced yesterday made me convince that foreigners do get preferential treatment over locals. I was supposed to meet my friend for dinner, but arrived early, so sat down at a cafe to read and had tea. There were hardly any customers at that time of the day, except for a few foreign tourists.
I stood at the entrance and waited for a while before any service staff came to acknowledge me. I told the service staff I preferred al fresco as the interior of the cafe is too dark to do any reading, so he ushered me to a table in the middle of the courtyard. I then ordered English Breakfast Tea.
When the tea came, all I had was an empty teacup and a little pot of tea. Now, which cafe will serve just tea, without any of the condiments and a teaspoon? So I waved to get the staff's attention. I had to raise my hand for a few minutes before he finally acknowledged me. I requested for a tea spoon, sugar and creamer.
The reason the staff took so long to acknowledge me was because he was not even looking at my direction; rather his eyes were focused on a table of four foreigners to the left side of where I was sitting. The moment one stood up, the staff quickly went to serve him, with smiles, asking if they needed anything else.
When a foreigner at another table wanted something, another staff quickly went over and served him with all smiles. Then what about me? Was I not a customer as well? Why did I then have to wait longer for the staff to attend to me, even though I indicated I needed something? And why did the person then attend to me with such a glum look, when he could be all smiles to the tourists just a few minutes ago?
Hmmmm.... is this a case of local xenophobia? Or racial discrimination?
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