I work part time at a fast food restaurant. I’m southeast asian female. And there was this white male customer wearing a suit who speaks japanese (maybe on his lunch break?)
So, when i served the food to this customer…
(This was in japanese. The conversation goes something like this.)
Me (staff): Thankyou for waiting. Here’s the burrito. (while putting the food down on the table)
Customer: Uhm. You didn’t make an eye contact while giving me the burrito. You were just looking right here (pointing down on the table) with no eye contact.
I didn’t respond to him at first. I was just looking at him kinda confused thinking “Did he just really said that? Am i hearing him right?” Because it was the first time that a customer have ever said that to me while serving a burrito. And i honestly couldn’t believe what im hearing.
(And yes ofcourse i’m looking at the table to see where i’ll be putting down the food.)
Then, he was just staring at me waiting for a reply? So i just said “申し訳ないです？” cause i feel like that’s what he wants to hear or more of a japanese way to say sorry. But clearly he was not happy to the way i responded. Then he was like…
Customer: Did they not teach you this at training??? You should be making an eye contact while serving a food. Is the manager here? Call the manager.
So i just left and went to the manager and tell him what happened.
The manager went to the customer but when he came back, he just told me that the customer was like “No need. It’s fine.” Then that was it.
I was actually kinda shocked. Because personally i’m not going to be upset or anything if a server is not making an eye contact while putting down food on the table for me. I don’t know… Is it just me? Am i really the one at fault here?
EDIT: Just to add.
At first, when he was ordering at the register (coworker (japanese) taking his order. I was behind my coworker) He was joking about the name of one of the drink on the menu. He was saying like “Just a question. If you change the TEA to SHITAI, isn’t it going to be MOMOSHITAI? This isn’t a sexual harrasment or anything. I’m not asking it to you directly.” Kinda like he’s making a joke and explaining to my japanese coworker that don’t worry this is just a joke. So the coworker was just laughing awkwardly…
I didn’t really get what he was saying to my coworker that time. But when he left, the coworker told me awkwardly that the customer was telling a dirty joke.
I’m also very nervous about making this post. Because if he use reddit, he will definitely know that this is him. And he knows where i work.
35 comments
Maybe he likes you and just wanted you to look at him haha
“I was just prioritizing the safety of setting your burrito down, the eye contact was coming thereafter.”
Sometimes, you can win by doubling down on crazy. Youtube Louis C.K. – Guy in Traffic.
“I am getting paid for serving food, if you want eye contact don’t be so cheap and go to a hostess bar.”
You did nothing wrong. That guy is clearly confused or just a plain idiot with probably confidence issues.
This is not normal in Japan, and his behaviour is simply rude.
Idk where he got the notion that any server anywhere has to make eye contact. I would be more concerned about them placing the food down. I wanna give him the benefit of the doubt and say he’s having a bad day, but also he’s an ass who got it into his head that was what was wrong. Seems like he was looking for an excuse to be mad.
It almost sounds like he was trying the neg you, given the way he responded to the manager. Or just a general power trip on someone he thought he could outmatch in Japanese.
Sounds like he was making a move you in a weird and aggressive way.
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he’s the asshole. i would find it super weird if my server does eye contact while putting down my food.
now do tell me more about the burritos in your store.
New account for a day…
Yes, he was being a Ken.
Probably a weird incel thing.
This is the type of shit that would make the hair stand up on the back of my neck as a retail manager. This guy is the reason my youtube recommended has gone to shit since moving to Japan.
In a more upscale restaurant or in a nice retail shop or department store here, he’s actually right. That is part of the minimum expectation for good service here. In a Frijoles, or the equivalent, buying lunch for ¥1,200, no one would necessarily expect it. Now, is it worth complaining about in any retail situation, no. He’s having a bad day or something, someone took a pee on his natto.
What an a**hole.
Just curious, but what is the male version of a “Karen”?
Chad, Terry, other?
Neckbeard vibes
General -no exception- rule: People who treat service staff shitty are shitty people. No reason to second guess yourself.
Even if you broke the golden rule of service whatsoever, there are better ways to say it.
He just wanted to make you feel beneath him. I meet people like this all the time and they think I will be impressed with their pompous attitude towards servers. It’s SDE.
That’s just rude. Sorry you had to deal with an asshole.
Make constant eye contact with him. The whole time you’re serving him food.
Never blink.
Make it a good intense glare too, to be sure he notices.
He was likely venting his personal frustrations, work/family/whatever, on the first person who happened to be nearby, in this case, you.
If it doesn’t happen again I wouldn’t worry about it but keep an eye on it and keep you manager informed in case the thing continues.
Sorry this happened to you. To me this sounds like flat-out racism. His expectations of “service” are none of your concern. The way I’ve heard white people living in Japan talk about SEA employees is disgusting and usually petty complaints about “their service”. This guy is an a-hole and don’t give him too much of your energy
Well, I had to deal with this kind of bullshit regularly for about three years when when I was working in retail in a previous life. Never again.
Unfortunately very common, people abuse the “お客さんは神様” rule.
That guy sucks, sorry that happened to you.
“Sir, this is a Wendys”
I think you dealt with it perfectly. I hope the manager told him to fuck off.
Wow. What a douche. You did fine. Online, offline all they want is a response and to push your buttons. Sorry he ruined your and that poor Japanese staff member’s day. Don’t give him another thought.
Why are the race and gender always so important to people in this sub
Should have put your hands between your legs, big thrust and yelled “SUCK IT”, in a Japanese accent then left.
Fucking cringe… sorry to hear you had to experience that.
He is a loser who leads a pathetic life, don’t let it get to you. Clear incel behaviour.
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Oh God, I know a guy like this. What color suit/shirt/tie? Typical black, or something bespoke?
As a guess this sounds like somebody who feels like a complete failure in life, and was looking to take it out on someone, anyone, that he – incorrectly – thinks has even lower status than himself, someone that can’t talk back or reject him. A quick power trip that made him feel good about himself for just a moment.
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