frankv:

 

JAFAs! :rolleyes:

 

 

 

OMG!!! Racism.. How do you know they are from Auckland?

They might have been visiting from another NZ city!?

That's it, I am calling the Herald.

networkn:

frankv:

JAFAs! :rolleyes:

 

OMG!!! Racism.. How do you know they are from Auckland?

They might have been visiting from another NZ city!?

That's it, I am calling the Herald.

 

Didn't seem racist - I figured they were using that 'label' to identify the customer.

If I got a receipt and it said 'Tall white guy' I would have been mildly amused.

I actually wish cafes and restaurants would put prominent numbers on their tables.

There is often that silly game of trying to indicate what table you were at when settling the bill.

Maybe not helped by that NZ custom of getting up from the table and going to the cashier to pay. Overseas they bring the bill to you and settle at the table.

Personally I prefer our system - you dont have to sit there 10 minutes after you have asked for the bill then another 10 minutes while they much about with the Credit card or change.

Anyway - Use big numbers on every table - problem goes away.

I think they've got a right to be upset. Yes they are a Asian family, but they were born here (according to the story). To my mind, that makes them kiwi's\New Zealanders.

If they'd been a Maori family, and a derogatory term was used, would this be different?

If you're a plus sized person, and the waitress used 'fatty' or some other derogatory term, i bet you'd b up in arms over that, so how is this scenario any different?

WyleECoyoteNZ:

 

I think they've got a right to be upset. Yes they are a Asian family, but they were born here (according to the story). To my mind, that makes them kiwi's\New Zealanders.

 

If they'd been a Maori family, and a derogatory term was used, would this be different?

 

If you're a plus sized person, and the waitress used 'fatty' or some other derogatory term, i bet you'd b up in arms over that, so how is this scenario any different?

 

 

 

If a Maori person had been referred to as Maori and got upset, well that's on them.

There is a *massive* difference between the insulting "fatty" and the factually correct "Asian". If you can't see the difference, then I suspect you may need to do some research.

Customer themselves admitted they were Asian.

If they chose to get upset with that, I have no sympathy.

networkn:

 

WyleECoyoteNZ:

 

I think they've got a right to be upset. Yes they are a Asian family, but they were born here (according to the story). To my mind, that makes them kiwi's\New Zealanders.

 

If they'd been a Maori family, and a derogatory term was used, would this be different?

 

If you're a plus sized person, and the waitress used 'fatty' or some other derogatory term, i bet you'd b up in arms over that, so how is this scenario any different?

 

 

 

 

If a Maori person had been referred to as Maori and got upset, well that's on them.

 

There is a *massive* difference between the insulting "fatty" and the factually correct "Asian". If you can't see the difference, then I suspect you may need to do some research.

 

Customer themselves admitted they were Asian.

 

If they chose to get upset with that, I have no sympathy.

 

 

 

There is a very very big line between name calling and describing someone.

If a person is Maori and born in America, I'd expect it to be acceptable to call them Maori or American.

If a person is Asian and Born in NZ, I'd expect it to be acceptable to call them Asian or New Zealander or indeed even Kiwi.

The only way this could be construed as racist is if they consider the term "Asian" to be racist, which in my opinion it isn't.

This is a case of people seeing racism that isn't there.

It actually annoys be a little that the restaurant threw the employee under the bus. I don't think the employee did anything wrong, and don't believe there was anything to apologize for.

There is a big difference between being offensive and someone getting offended. These days the latter happens far more than the former, and it's not helped by the automatic knee-jerk apologies for non-existent transgressions.

robjg63: Anyway - Use big numbers on every table - problem goes away.

Paul1977:

 

It actually annoys be a little that the restaurant threw the employee under the bus. I don't think the employee did anything wrong, and don't believe there was anything to apologize for.

 

There is a big difference between being offensive and someone getting offended. These days the latter happens far more than the former, and it's not helped by the automatic knee-jerk apologies for non-existent transgressions.

 

The fact people acknowledge and apologies for these interactions actually fuels the fact they accept it as racist. If only people told these baiters pushing an agenda to go get effed like they should be. 

Sorry, but people still retain the right to take offence. Just don't make it my problem. 

gzt:

robjg63: Anyway - Use big numbers on every table - problem goes away.

No numbers required. Most restaurants use a table chart.

I disagree - would be much simpler with visible numbers.

YOU (the customer) dont know what table number it is and have to try and indicate where you were seated - sometimes seems to create confusion. 

I'd actually look at this slightly different. I think it's valid to apologise, not for the behaviour, but because someone was offended. It's possible to say to someone "I'm sorry you were offended by this", which isnt to say "I'm sorry we made a mistake and you were offended". 

Also, sometimes it's easier to apologise, than to deal with the consequences for the apology. Arguing with the customer is rarely a good look. 

I recently ate at a fine dining restaurant, which specialises in shared food (think tapas but not quite). 3 Dishes turned up, and had serving utensils for us to move food from the central plate to our own plates. My friend and I (who are not a couple) were happy to share food.

4th Plate turned up, its a large single carrot, and there are no utensils, so I ask my waiter for a serving device. His response was that one wasn't required. I asked again saying I felt it was. He said it was a dish intended to be shared and utensils wouldn't assist with that. I again asked politely for serving utensils. He then got exasperated with us and reached over and picked up my friends cutlery and went to cut the dish in half. We stopped him to which he got upset and got a spoon out and handed it to us. Thankfully another waiter came along with a proper serving utensil (who cuts carrots with a spoon!?).

Bottom line was he was in the wrong for 3 reasons. 1) For assuming  we were happy to share food *and* cutlery, which I would expect only those in a pretty intimate relationship may be prepared to do. 2) For touching my friends cutlery which I've never experienced before ever. 3) For failing to take into account that even if I *was* being utterly unreasonable, it was at worst, 2 extra items to wash.  There is a 4th one, but in my old age I can't recall what it was to be. 

It was an excellent night out with amazing food, but I'll remember that experience for a long time.

robjg63:

 

Anyway - Use big numbers on every table - problem goes away.

 

This is symbolist, putting an implied and surreptitious ranking on the tables and their occupants. I think they should use colours. Five coffees for the yellow table. ;) ;) ;)

frankv:

 

robjg63:

 

Anyway - Use big numbers on every table - problem goes away.

 

 

This is symbolist, putting an implied and surreptitious ranking on the tables and their occupants. I think they should use colours. Five coffees for the yellow table. ;) ;) ;)

 

 

 

That will open up a different can of worms :D

frankv:

 

robjg63:

 

Anyway - Use big numbers on every table - problem goes away.

 

 

This is symbolist, putting an implied and surreptitious ranking on the tables and their occupants. I think they should use colours. Five coffees for the yellow table. ;) ;) ;)

 

 

 

Oh yikes, can you just imagine it. LOL.