Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the eye]

I went for my weekly hamburger fix downtown at Burnham's Burger on the weekend.
Just fair wrning to anyone who goes there, don't let the manager go anywhere near your food!

Here's why.

After I placed my order, i went to the washroom to wash my hands. The toilet stall was occupied at the time....It was the smell that tipped me off. Could have been a chili burger, i dunno, but i was almost knocked off my feet. There was a heavy dose of cigarette smoke to top off the whole experience. Whoever was in there, had been there for a while.

In mid wash, the toilet stall door opens and out walks the manager leaving a solid wake of fresh aroma.
He acknlowledged me and walked directly out of the washroom.

As there was no soap in the bathroom, i had to chase him and ask him to get me some. He did, but still didn't think he needed it as well.

I washed my hands.
When i sat down, i kept my eye on him, thinking he might use the kitchen sink to wash.
He didn't.

The server brought my food, and i asked for some Jalapenos. For some reason he had never heard of such a thing, and had to ask the manager for them.
The manager took a small bowl and dipped it into a big jar of peppers and brought it to my table.

It grossed me out and i refused to pay, citing the whole crap, smoke and go incident.

I got a sorry from the manager, but he still didn't think it necessary to wash his hands.

[identity]

poppy peed on my sofa!

[Newbie]

While this story IS completely believable, this being Korea and all where I comfortably say that about 95% of the men I've seen in the bathroom did not wash, I must ask if it actually happened to you or if you just watched Seinfeld? (hence the "Poppy" reference)

[the eye]

Yes, i've seen the 'poppy' episode.
However, i'm quite capable of separating that from the realities of life.
Of course it really happened.

[Homer]

the eye...the question you should really ask yourself now is....how many places have I eaten where this behaviour was par for the course?


Each time you go in a restaurant now...think about that as your food is served...

Did they wash their hands?


I think you have to put this out of your mind or eat only food you have personally cleaned, prepared and sterilized...

As one who worked in restaurants while doing my undergrad I can tell you that what you saw is the tip of the iceberg...it is best not to think too much on that.

[seoulsista]

This may sound strange, but can you give directions. My boyfriend loves burgers and he doesn't wash his hands after he shits either. Seriously.

[Dev]

I like what was written in a book called Fast Food Nation. He goes into talking about how the fast food companies in America prefer the least educated people they can get. They like people who have few job prospects to lure them away. The major fast food companies led by McD's design their cooking machines to be as automated as possible so that the jobs require very little training. If any employees get out of line, the companies are only too happy to fire them because they get some kind of allowance from the gov. for the training of new employees. They make money every time they fire and replace workers.

The writer in the book finishes by posing the question "Do you really want the dumbest people in America handling your food?" I suppose it's the same story everywhere including Korea.

The Eye, if you want to help everyone out, you should try to contact Burnhams' head office and tell them your story. I am sure that they are a growing chain because my buddy told me that there's another location in the basement of Debec Plaza.

[the eye]

[jacktar]

[Homer]

[the eye]

sure, no doubt....but i'll bet you can't name one example where an employee did anything like that in plain view of customers.

what goes on behind the scenes is one thing, but you would have to be an ape to do such things when people are right there in front of you.

[Corporal]

Dirty managers be warned, The Eye sees all.

[Dev]

At home, you sometimes get the silly treatment. I mean food servers wearing latex gloves. I think there's nothing wrong with people using their hands so long as they're washed. The gloves are just a PR stunt in my opinion.

[Natalia]

I have seen, or have male friends who have seen, the chefs of a number of Indian restaurants doing just this. Nobody I knew in India (and I was there for years) did much hand washing after toilet visits, which is one of the reasons why, as a general rule, I give Indian restaurants a wide berth. And it's not being discriminatory, it's a simple fact.

If I'm desperate for Indian food (not really an issue for me), I can make it myself and eat it in the saftey of my own house.

[jlb]

Having worked in a few restaurants in Canada, fast food and nicer ones, I can tell you that hygiene is just an illusion. When you're trusting your meal to 15 year old kids getting paid minimum wage or high school drop-outs who only care about getting the next hit then there is bound to be some sketchy stuff going on in the kitchen.

If you're worried about it, eat at home. All restaurants are lax sometimes, even the nicer ones.