Why did waiter specify our race when we ordered?

[viney40 10]

I had a job as pot washer at the Golden Dragon on the Moor when I was a lad, Don't know if its still there. Back then they used to write down English customer or Chinese customer on the tabs to make make sure they gave out the right menus. It was nothing sinister.

[truman 10]

I had a job as pot washer at the Golden Dragon on the Moor when I was a lad, Don't know if its still there. Back then they used to write down English customer or Chinese customer on the tabs to make make sure they gave out the right menus. It was nothing sinister.

 

I think the OP said that they'd already ordered so had had the menu...

[viney40 10]

I think the OP said that they'd already ordered so had had the menu...

 

Sorry, my mistake.

[CrazyWomble 10]

In the case of the black couple, the article specifically stated that, at the time of ordering, they didn't have a table number.

 

I wasn't talking about the black couple.

 

In the case of the Chinese restaurant, it seems that they do table service so will presumably have table numbers so there is no need to identify customers by their race.

 

In the Slug and Lettuce case, most pubs that serve food have a way of identifying tables - usually by giving the customer a number to display. Whilst 'black couple upstairs' is an accurate description, the point of the story is that they were the only couple dining so there was no need to put any further description other than 'couple upstairs'. I cannot imagine that had they been white, the description would have read 'white couple upstairs'.

 

Whilst I do not condone taking these minor cases to the press to seek some kind of compensation, it does highlight the fact that a lot of people still define black people by the colour of their skin first.

[HeadingNorth 11]

Whilst 'black couple upstairs' is an accurate description, the point of the story is that they were the only couple dining so there was no need to put any further description other than 'couple upstairs'.

 

What makes you so certain that no other parties were going to arrive?

[CrazyWomble 10]

What makes you so certain that no other parties were going to arrive?

 

What makes you so certain that any other couple to arrive wasn't also black?

[remyrobson 10]

Just to clarify, I'm not complaining or moaning. Hubby and I have eaten in lots of chinese restaurants around the world and haven't experienced this before. If it is to identify to the chef how to serve/prepare the food then I would prefer to be asked rather than automatically having my meal 'Anglicised', hubby in particular despises the so called chinese food most places serve! If it is for research purposes then I'm not that bothered. Either way I would eat at Jabu again

[viney40 10]

I would just like to say that I have worked with Chinese, White, Black, and Asian in my time, and found good friends in them all. Do onto others as you would do onto yourself. If we all did this then the world would be a better place. Live and let Live, Peace.

[pinetree 10]

The waitress at a chinese restaurant we ate in today wrote (in Chinese) '2 english people' on the order? My hubby, who is half Chinese and cantonese and mandarin are his first languages, asked her why but she evaded the question and spoke in Chinese from then on.

 

Just wondering what purpose it served, we were the only people in the restaurant at the time. Has anyone ever encountered this before?

 

If your husband speaks both cantonese and mandarin, why didn't he just ask the waitress?

Or you could ring the manager and ask?

[HeadingNorth 11]

What makes you so certain that any other couple to arrive wasn't also black?

 

I am not claiming certainties, you are.

[viney40 10]

Wow Guys, chill out. I'm sure this was just a minor missunderstanding. What realy counts is that you ate your meal and enjoyed, had a few drinks, had a chat and a laugh. Life's too short. Enjoy.

[CrazyWomble 10]

I am not claiming certainties, you are.

 

At the time the food was ordered there were no other couples so the description was unnecessary. No one could have known the ethnicity of any other couples that may have arrived after but if another black couple had arrived the description would have been useless.

 

My point is that using a description of a customer, based on skin colour or anything else, as a means of making sure that food gets to the right table is not foolproof and risks offending people so why use it?

 

I do think that in the grand scheme of things this is a pretty trivial matter and not really worth reporting the in the national press but I can understand why the couple took offence.

 

Just to be clear - I am talking about the couple in the Daily Mail article, not the OP.