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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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beison
Joined: 28 Feb 2010
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 Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:04 am Post subject: |
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But the most important question of all, is "Which country can bench the most?"
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geldedgoat
Joined: 05 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:40 am Post subject: |
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| Julius wrote: |
| The attitude is different in the UK. The server is king. |
| Julius wrote: |
| If treating service staff as equals is so hard for you I suggest you join the taliban or whatever. |
Either we all received secret promotions, or the British royalty is worse off than I could have possibly imagined. |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| It's like the person who said they tried ordering a burger without mayo. Really? Is it that big of a problem? Just eat the burger. |
No, if there is that disgusting and nauseating substance known as mayonnaise smeared all over the burger to the point nothing can be salvaged, then I absolutely will not eat it. Further, if I asked for it to not have the cringeworthy birdpoop-like substance in question on it, then I absolutely will not pay for it.
Oh, and I never would order a burger at a fastfood restaurant such as McDonald's. For me, it is something to have on special occasions at a nice grill restaurant. So, there had better not be any mayonnaise.
Honestly, I cannot understand how anyone could ever stomach that crap. But hey, people are free to do what they want. Just don't force me to live by your "anything goes" diet. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
In Korea, especially in rural areas, I swear that sometimes I'm in the old Soviet Union where people are there to frown and provide minimal service without a smile because they're forced to be there. Evidently, they don't know the basic first lessons of capitalism. No wonder these businesses stay small and never grow because their service sucks! |
I live in rural Korea as well, and I can't say I've had similar problems. Putting aside the fact that the "server" (who is often enough the owner) at any given establishment is usually cheerful out where I am, I've also never had any problems getting what I wanted. Once a woman who owns a goat soup restaurant I frequented my first year here was so concerned that I wasn't eating her side dishes that she called her son who spoke English and had him ask me what I'd like. My favorite rice cake store makes a kind of rice cake I like that comes pre-wrapped with four colors per pack (red, purple, green, yellow), each with a different flavor, and when I asked them if they could just give me red and purple, they happily ripped open two packages and combined the parts I liked.
I'm not saying bad customer service doesn't exist here at all, I'm just saying I haven't been on the receiving end of it, so it can't just be a "rural Korea" thing. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| It's like the person who said they tried ordering a burger without mayo. Really? Is it that big of a problem? Just eat the burger. |
My mother could tell me, "Just eat it!" when I was growing up. My wife can sometimes get away with telling me to, "Just eat it!" these days. You know who can't get away with such a command? People I'm paying to make food for me. That's not entitlement, it's just the nature of the transaction: if you want to sell me food I don't like, I simply won't buy it.
I'm sorry if you struggled under the intense burden of special orders when you worked in a restaurant, but I'm not going to pay you to slather disgusting mayonnaise on an otherwise edible food item. If that's "American," then Americans deserve congratulation for having retained the slightest shred of their testicular fortitude. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
| Weigookin74 wrote: |
In Korea, especially in rural areas, I swear that sometimes I'm in the old Soviet Union where people are there to frown and provide minimal service without a smile because they're forced to be there. Evidently, they don't know the basic first lessons of capitalism. No wonder these businesses stay small and never grow because their service sucks! |
I live in rural Korea as well, and I can't say I've had similar problems. Putting aside the fact that the "server" (who is often enough the owner) at any given establishment is usually cheerful out where I am, I've also never had any problems getting what I wanted. Once a woman who owns a goat soup restaurant I frequented my first year here was so concerned that I wasn't eating her side dishes that she called her son who spoke English and had him ask me what I'd like. My favorite rice cake store makes a kind of rice cake I like that comes pre-wrapped with four colors per pack (red, purple, green, yellow), each with a different flavor, and when I asked them if they could just give me red and purple, they happily ripped open two packages and combined the parts I liked.
I'm not saying bad customer service doesn't exist here at all, I'm just saying I haven't been on the receiving end of it, so it can't just be a "rural Korea" thing. |
I've had bad customer service in Seoul. I tink it can happen anywhere. Just luck of the draw.
I bet though that you're a nice guy and that the restauranteurs notice that, and go out of their way to make ya comfortable. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 12:10 am Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
| Threequalseven wrote: |
| It's like the person who said they tried ordering a burger without mayo. Really? Is it that big of a problem? Just eat the burger. |
My mother could tell me, "Just eat it!" when I was growing up. My wife can sometimes get away with telling me to, "Just eat it!" these days. You know who can't get away with such a command? People I'm paying to make food for me. That's not entitlement, it's just the nature of the transaction: if you want to sell me food I don't like, I simply won't buy it.
I'm sorry if you struggled under the intense burden of special orders when you worked in a restaurant, but I'm not going to pay you to slather disgusting mayonnaise on an otherwise edible food item. If that's "American," then Americans deserve congratulation for having retained the slightest shred of their testicular fortitude. |
Like I said, I have no problems doing custom orders, provided they are within the realm of what we have to offer and what our pricing structure and regulations allow. However, the customer needs to understand that the more complex they make the order, the greater the chance of failure.
There were certain custom orders I made that I made it clear to the customer that we would "do our best, but can't make our usual guarantees". The customers were always understanding. There were also some orders that I had to tell the customer that they were physical/logistical impossibilities or utter possible, but utter nightmares. Sometimes they were understanding, other times they were not.
There's reasonable substitutions and requests to leave stuff off. Then there are people who try and turn a quick-service restaurant into their own private kitchen. It's like taking 50 items into the express checkout lane. At that point our attempt to be hospitable to you is significantly impeding our ability to be hospitable to our general clientele. Unless you are dropping some serious cash at our place, I'm going to have to make a judgment call, likely not in your favor.
Managing a food joint is not an easy job. You are dealing with one of the most irrational customers out there- "hungry" homo sapiens. |
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Jodami
Joined: 08 Feb 2013
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| Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 10:44 am Post subject: |
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One of the best things about living in Korea was getting treated great at a lot of restaurants.
Often got free beers, extra portion of meat, free jiggage etc etc.  |
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ATM SPIDERTAO
Joined: 05 Jul 2009
Location: seoul, south korea
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| Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:30 am Post subject: |
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korea is a collectivist country with a high avoidance of uncertainty
it means they dont' like new stuff and worry about people changing the menu
ever try to get personalized food made here? it doesn't happen and koreans are almost offended at the mere thought of customizing your food in the restaurant.
who eats kimbap without the meat? only weirdos
it's the same reaction you would get at a western restaurant if you asked for dog meat lol
they would be shocked and offended cuz that's just how things work here |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:38 am Post subject: |
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| ATM SPIDERTAO wrote: |
korea is a collectivist country with a high avoidance of uncertainty
it means they dont' like new stuff and worry about people changing the menu
ever try to get personalized food made here? it doesn't happen and koreans are almost offended at the mere thought of customizing your food in the restaurant.
who eats kimbap without the meat? only weirdos
it's the same reaction you would get at a western restaurant if you asked for dog meat lol
they would be shocked and offended cuz that's just how things work here |
Exactly.
A complete stranger asking for special treatment is unheard of in this society.
Usually people who try do something different in Korea get hammered into conformity.
And if you want special treatment then first you must prove yourself a loyal and consistent customer. |
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