Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ilsanman]

I thought I had some bad service in some restaurants back at home, and I have had bad service here, but overall service here is better than back at home.

Last night was my worst to date. So we (me and my wife, another couple, and 2 babies) went to this local chicken kalbi place. It's a bit out of the way, and it's way quieter than those Chuncheon places.

We got there and it was empty. We were greeted by some grandmother who thinks it's okay to speak 반말 (impolitely) to customers. Anyways, we order, and over she comes again to the table. She wants to play with our baby and I said no. The other mother said okay, so she took the baby over to her family's table and doted on her for a bit.

Next the food comes out and we start eating. The grandmother comes over again and starts making comments on how we eat and how much we eat. Then she asks the other baby's father 'Where are you from'? He's Korean, so he said 'I'm Korean'. She said 'You look like a foreigner.' He laughed but I think he didn't like that much.

Then she takes the baby again, against the light and weak objections from her parents. She (granny) continues her comments, all in impolite, lower language, and then gives the baby back and buggers off for a bit.

Just before we left, the granny and a few others (her family I presume) starts squabbling, and screaming obscenities at each other.

Lovely. I won't be going back.

[mistermasan]

went back to my old neighborhood just to see things have changed since highschool. the whole area has turned from lilly white to what the newspapers call "urban". the place looked the same. saw an old familiar restuarant. couldn't resist but going in. same name, different owner/staff.

sat nicely for about ten minutes. got up, found some staff. she acknowledged that they do know of my presence. sat back down. no wait staff came. about ten minutes later i left. saddened to know that my hometown was no longer mine.

bad service is better than no service.

[spliff]

Probably don't wash their hand after having a dump and wiping...

[Atavistic]

Why'd you stay?

[Scarlet13]

My worst experience was in Toronto. Some friends and I went out for dinner. The server was a total biatch. She was rude, she never brought water, we ordered appetizers and never got them, she screwed up the entry, and never refilled our drink orders. And if that wasn't bad enough she followed us out of the restaurant to scream at us for not leaving her a tip! Thing is we has left her a tip it was on the table, she apparently missed it.

I have never seen anyone look so damn stupid! I would have handled it so much differently had I been older and not so conditioned to be polite and respectful. If it happened today not only would she have looked stupid she would have been fired.

[Ilsanman]

We were in the middle of our meal. Should we get up in the middle and just storm out? We'd still have to pay.

The better thing to do is to not go back.

The sad thing is that no matter how we reacted, the old bag would never understand why we weren't happy. She'd chalk it up to 'young punks who don't respect their elders' or in my case 'a foreigner who doesn't understand Korean culture'.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Most times, you should never go into the empty restaurant. Go to the one that has people in it.

[R-Seoul]

[Froggy Parker]

[Thwartley]

[laogaiguk]

[Hanson]

[crusher_of_heads]

[Ilsanman]

It was dead that night but it is usually busy. Just an off-night. Also close to closing time. It's sort of good because it's not like those other chicken kalbi restaurants with tiny tables and stools with tables 2 feet from each other.

Hanson, I didn't let her play with Lina because I don't know this lady. That's what a normal parent should do. Letting the lady walk away with your child may be friendly and convenient, but hardly good parenting. If I knew her, then maybe. But I was hardly standoff-ish. I just said, 'No, I'm okay'.

R-Seoul, you're a fag.

[bassexpander]