Mouthing Off | No restaurant can afford lazy, brainless service staff – but that’s the reality when so few want to work in hospitality
- Rude service was once the hallmark of certain Hong Kong dining institutions, and a tourist attraction, but that simply doesn’t fly today
- Sadly for the hospitality industry, finding and keeping well-trained, high-quality service staff has become a problem. The fact is, nobody wants these jobs
On a particularly slow weeknight a couple of weeks ago, I went to a mid-range restaurant. As my friend and I entered, there were only a few other tables occupied. I pointed to a secluded corner, but the server stopped me.
“That table is for four people. This one here is for two,” she says, redirecting me, with the least amount of enthusiasm possible, to the smaller counter. It backs up directly against another table where there are already diners enjoying a meal.
“Really?” I thought in my head but resisted speaking out. “Who doesn’t enjoy sitting with their back against someone else’s chair when most of the room is free?”
As the young server seemed oblivious to my annoyance, I had to bite my tongue to not make a scene. “I’m just here for a quick bite, not for the world-class service,” I told myself.
This is a pet peeve of diners. Most establishments could avoid it if they trained their staff to pay more attention to customer satisfaction, or imagine themselves in the other person’s shoes.