why is chinese delivery place so RUDE on phone?

[Ira Humperdink MD]

I have a rather nice chinese (cantonese)
restaurant that I often get delivery from in an upper-middle class
neighborhood in new york.
This restaurant is very popular, both for in-house dining and delivery.
Their delivery service is amazingly fast and reasonably priced, which
is why its so popular.
But I've always been astounded at how rude the cashier on the phone is
-- and it's just one
person, it seems to be everybody at the restaurant.

What I mean by rude is:
They never say "hello", just "What would you like?"
Then, as I place my order, they always answer with short 2-word
question, like
"Anything else?"
If I say, "No" then they don't say good-bye or anything like that.
They just say 'That's it?" Then hang up "click."

I've noticed that other chinese delivery places are very curt and don't
make any niceties
like "hello" or "good bye" either!

don't chinese say goodbye on the phone? Don't they know they can make
more $$$
and get higher tips
if they are more courteous to their customers?

[namso]

You must have communication problems. You need to take "CSL" class.

[PeterL]

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
I have a rather nice chinese (cantonese)
restaurant that I often get delivery from in an upper-middle class
neighborhood in new york.
This restaurant is very popular, both for in-house dining and delivery.
Their delivery service is amazingly fast and reasonably priced, which
is why its so popular.
But I've always been astounded at how rude the cashier on the phone is
-- and it's just one
person, it seems to be everybody at the restaurant.

For someone who hates the Chinese so much, you don't seem to be able to
get away from the Chinese.

Go buy some Chung King stuff from your grocery store and forget the
take out.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
They never say "hello", just "What would you like?"
Then, as I place my order, they always answer with short 2-word
question, like
"Anything else?"
If I say, "No" then they don't say good-bye or anything like that.
They just say 'That's it?" Then hang up "click."
I've noticed that other chinese delivery places are very curt and don't
make any niceties
like "hello" or "good bye" either!
don't chinese say goodbye on the phone? Don't they know they can make
more $$$
and get higher tips
if they are more courteous to their customers?

[Ira Humperdink MD]

a) this still doesn't answer my original question: chinese don't say
goodbye on telephone??

b) home delivery is faster and cheaper than chung king, although chung
king is less greasy.

[PeterL]

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
a) this still doesn't answer my original question: chinese don't say
goodbye on telephone??

So from your one experience with one take out place and one person
answering the phone you generalize to all Chinese?

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
b) home delivery is faster and cheaper than chung king, although chung
king is less greasy.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

PeterLee, go read my OP again. Did I say one restaurant?? I
specifically said multiple restaurants and multiple phone answers.
Duh...

[Anli Bei]

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
a) this still doesn't answer my original question: chinese don't say
goodbye on telephone??

Have you ever been to a Mc Donalds drive in? Do you think these low
payed people are polite? In Europe they get 6€ an hour, and they get
also the advice from their bosses to work quick and efficiant. I would
not want to do their stupid jobs, and I think in your Chinese
restaurant things are the same.
If you don`t have any other problems in life, you should be happy and
praise god.;-)

Anli

[Ira Humperdink MD]

do you think these low payed people are polite? In Europe they get 6€ an hour, and they get also the advice from their bosses to work quick and efficiant. I would not want to do their stupid jobs, and I think in your Chinese restaurant things are the same.

if I were their boss, I would tell them "We are here to make money. If
you are nice to the customers, they will come back more often and tip
more, and bring their friends. Be nice to the customers. If you are
in the kitchen, you can be rude, I don't care. But if you are
answering the phone, you represent the restaurant so be nice to the
customer."

[booby]

he may hate chinese people but he certainly loves chinese food...fair
enough.
candidly speaking, a lot of the southern chinese esp hongkongers and
guazhou region have a reputation for being rather uncouth. the northen
chinese are more refined. this can be traced back to the time when the
british ruled hongkong.
whatever it is chinese food is yum yum!!! i love dim sum.

Post by PeterL

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
I have a rather nice chinese (cantonese)
restaurant that I often get delivery from in an upper-middle class
neighborhood in new york.
This restaurant is very popular, both for in-house dining and delivery.
Their delivery service is amazingly fast and reasonably priced, which
is why its so popular.
But I've always been astounded at how rude the cashier on the phone is
-- and it's just one
person, it seems to be everybody at the restaurant.

For someone who hates the Chinese so much, you don't seem to be able to
get away from the Chinese.
Go buy some Chung King stuff from your grocery store and forget the
take out.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
They never say "hello", just "What would you like?"
Then, as I place my order, they always answer with short 2-word
question, like
"Anything else?"
If I say, "No" then they don't say good-bye or anything like that.
They just say 'That's it?" Then hang up "click."
I've noticed that other chinese delivery places are very curt and don't
make any niceties
like "hello" or "good bye" either!
don't chinese say goodbye on the phone? Don't they know they can make
more $$$
and get higher tips
if they are more courteous to their customers?

[f***@gmail.com]

It was a tradition many years ago amongst the Cantonese that saying
'thank you' represented hypocracy. But that northerners or the
mandarin people are very polite.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

This is fascinating. Why is "thank you" a hypocracy? Does this
treatment extend only to
the white man, or are they rude to other chinese too? Hong Kong must
not be a pleasant place
to live if everybody is so rude.

[f***@gmail.com]

The Chinese in HK are mostly the descendants from the poor and educated
southerners. These people are very rude by the standard of the
outsiders. But then again, it depends on the 'class' of people you
talk to. In general, they are rude. When they do others favors, they
don't expect a 'thank you' too. Mind you, inspite of their rude
manner, the HK people are the most charitable people in the world. It
is true, statistics shows that. Do you know that flying eye hospital
named Orbie(?)? More than half of the overheads are supported by the
HK Chinese.

HK is now a multi-ethnic society and amongst the rude people there are
enough polite around.

[i***@yahoo.com]

My guess is that these people are rude because they're bitter about
working less than minimum wage jobs despite their IQs of 120+. A lot of
these Chinese delivery people, cashiers, and other menial workers are
in their position because of an accident of birth. They were born in a
crappy communistic society with limited opportunity, learning a
language that doesn't do them much good in America. Once in America,
they do what they can and that usually means working off-book. That's
better than going on welfare and whining about historical injustice and
a conspiracy of racism. So have a little sympathy, dude. Or else, don't
order from them. Evidently, the food is good enough to overcome bad
service. All that said, I reward bad service by not going back. Isn't
capitalism great?

[Ira Humperdink MD]

ichoor0 wrote:They were born in a crappy communistic society with
limited opportunity, learning a language that doesn't do them much good
in America.

yeah, but the people who answer the phone not only speak english --
they speak near perfect english. you would mistake them for any person
who answers the phone at a middle class american restaurant -- except
they don't bother to say hello or goodbye. Just "whad will you have?
That's all?" <click>
They don't even bother to say "be there in 10 minutes." Just hang up
and then show up in 7 minutes even though you don't expect them for 1/2
an hour given that you just ordered a huge multi-course meal for 4
people! They must have all the food pre-cooked and ready to go.

[J.Venning]

They must then be Caucasian Americans hired only to answer the phone.
That doesn't reflect a good image for your kind either now, does it?
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
yeah, but the people who answer the phone not only speak english --
they speak near perfect english. you would mistake them for any person
who answers the phone at a middle class american restaurant -- except
they don't bother to say hello or goodbye. Just "whad will you have?
That's all?" <click>
They don't even bother to say "be there in 10 minutes." Just hang up
and then show up in 7 minutes even though you don't expect them for 1/2
an hour given that you just ordered a huge multi-course meal for 4
people! They must have all the food pre-cooked and ready to go.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

J. Venning wrote: They must then be Caucasian Americans hired only to
answer the phone.

NOW, we know who the real racist is! Mr. Venning obviously believes
that only whites can speak good english. Did I say they are white? I
said they speak good english. Mr. Venning immediately infers they MUST
be white! Lookie who's the racist now.

(IMOF, I see the phone answerers when I frequent this restaurant, and
they are all asian looking, Mr. Venning.)

[J.Venning]

With people like you around, Mark, anyone would be a racist against
whomever you represent. Incidentally, I am Chinese, and speak, read, and
write English and 6 other languages better than you do.
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
NOW, we know who the real racist is! Mr. Venning obviously believes
that only whites can speak good english. Did I say they are white? I
said they speak good english. Mr. Venning immediately infers they MUST
be white! Lookie who's the racist now.
(IMOF, I see the phone answerers when I frequent this restaurant, and
they are all asian looking, Mr. Venning.)

[Ira Humperdink MD]

I am Chinese, and speak, read, and write English and 6 other languages better than you do.

Just because you're a chinese or speak 6 languages does not mean you
cannot be a racist. You are racist based on that last comment, plain
and simple. In addition to being racist, you lack logical skills too.

[J.Venning]

Which logical skills do you have in mind, Mark?
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
Just because you're a chinese or speak 6 languages does not mean you
cannot be a racist. You are racist based on that last comment, plain
and simple. In addition to being racist, you lack logical skills too.

[J.Venning]

I take it that seasoned racists the likes of you cannot answer direct
questions, Mark Demers (aka Ira Humperdink).
J.

Post by J.Venning
Which logical skills do you have in mind, Mark?
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
Just because you're a chinese or speak 6 languages does not mean you
cannot be a racist. You are racist based on that last comment, plain
and simple. In addition to being racist, you lack logical skills too.
I can't say I recall ever being treated rudely by a fluent English
speaking person of Asian descent working in any kind of customer service
capacity, or ever hearing of one.

i take it that you do not use chinese delivery places.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

who am I? your consultant? i charge $2000 per hour if you want me to
explain things like logic to you.

[J.Venning]

Who you are? You are nothing but an impostor and a racist cyber space
vandal, who harbours hatred and envy of the Chinese ethnic group in the
United States.
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
who am I? your consultant? i charge $2000 per hour if you want me to
explain things like logic to you.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

and who are you? you're not even in the united states and you're
accusing those in america!

[J.Venning]

Correction - I am not accusing "those in America". I am accusing racist
bigots like you everywhere, Scumbag !
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
and who are you? you're not even in the united states and you're
accusing those in america!

[Ira Humperdink MD]

yeah, so why can't chinese call their village something besides
chinatown? and why can't they incorporate into a real town with mayor
like the germans? No organization skills?

[Ira Humperdink MD]

i'm no racist. i'm married to an annoying chinese woman, what a bitch.

[J.Venning]

Mark, you are only married in your wildest fantasies. No woman would
have you, and besides, if anyone did, she (or was it a "he"?) would have
done you in a long time ago.
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
i'm no racist. i'm married to an annoying chinese woman, what a bitch.

[J.Venning]

"Then why don't you have the backbone to resist this coercion???"
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
i'm no racist. i'm married to an annoying chinese woman, what a bitch.

[f***@gmail.com]

Ira wrote:"They don't even bother to say "be there in 10 minutes."
Just hang up and then show up in 7 minutes...".

It is partly a cultural thing but then again that you are making a big
fuss over this to them is also very impolite and petty.

I think you should start a new subject.

[PeterL]

Post by f***@gmail.com
Ira wrote:"They don't even bother to say "be there in 10 minutes."
Just hang up and then show up in 7 minutes...".
It is partly a cultural thing but then again that you are making a big
fuss over this to them is also very impolite and petty.
I think you should start a new subject.

Please don't encourage him.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

You can't handle the truth!

[J.Venning]

You don't know the truth, and do not accept it when presented with it.
You are nothing other than a racist idiot trying to vent your inadequate
life by posting rubbish about ethnic groups on the Internet.
J.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
You can't handle the truth!

[MHK]

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
yeah, but the people who answer the phone not only speak english --
they speak near perfect english. you would mistake them for any person
who answers the phone at a middle class american restaurant -- except
they don't bother to say hello or goodbye. Just "whad will you have?
That's all?" <click>

Well, with no language barrier, their behavior is highly irregular.

I'd contend that their "rude" behavior is in the minority.

I can't say I recall ever being treated rudely by a fluent English
speaking person of Asian descent working in any kind of customer service
capacity, or ever hearing of one.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

I can't say I recall ever being treated rudely by a fluent English speaking person of Asian descent working in any kind of customer service capacity, or ever hearing of one.

i take it that you do not use chinese delivery places.

[f***@gmail.com]

What you say is partly true. In the first place, not every delivery
place is impolite. Secondly not every delivery boy is impolite.
Thirdly, some of these delivery guys make more money than the third
rate engineers in the US. I was once a waiter in Hawaii while going to
school. The amount of tips waiters made enabled them to drive Mustangs
while professor beat-up Toyota.

[J.Venning]

My friends and I travel widely in Europe and America, and we have
patronized Chinese restaurants where the waiters/waitresses were not
Chinese - they were local people hired to serve the tables and do the
cleaning. There are not so many Chinese people living in Western cities as
one might think, and those who are born and raised in the West tend to
pursue professional carriers outside the restaurant business.
J.

Post by f***@gmail.com
What you say is partly true. In the first place, not every delivery
place is impolite. Secondly not every delivery boy is impolite.
Thirdly, some of these delivery guys make more money than the third
rate engineers in the US. I was once a waiter in Hawaii while going to
school. The amount of tips waiters made enabled them to drive Mustangs
while professor beat-up Toyota.

[i***@yahoo.com]

My guess is that these people are rude because they're bitter about
working less than minimum wage jobs despite their IQs of 120+. A lot of
these Chinese delivery people, cashiers, and other menial workers are
in their position because of an accident of birth. They were born in a
crappy communistic society with limited opportunity, learning a
language that doesn't do them much good in America. Once in America,
they do what they can and that usually means working off-book. That's
better than going on welfare and whining about historical injustice and
a conspiracy of racism. So have a little sympathy, dude. Or else, don't
order from them. Evidently, the food is good enough to overcome bad
service. All that said, I reward bad service by not going back. Isn't
capitalism great?

[MHK]

Post by i***@yahoo.com
My guess is that these people are rude because they're bitter about
working less than minimum wage jobs despite their IQs of 120+. A lot of
these Chinese delivery people, cashiers, and other menial workers are
in their position because of an accident of birth. They were born in a
crappy communistic society with limited opportunity, learning a
language that doesn't do them much good in America. Once in America,
they do what they can and that usually means working off-book. That's
better than going on welfare and whining about historical injustice and
a conspiracy of racism. So have a little sympathy, dude. Or else, don't
order from them. Evidently, the food is good enough to overcome bad
service. All that said, I reward bad service by not going back. Isn't
capitalism great?

I don't think it has anything to do with their pay or IQ.

I don't know why, but it does seem true that good customer service is
often lacking from Chinese and Korean merchants (from my experience) when
dealing with them in English (and it doesn't matter what ethnicity you
happen to be; it's the language that seems to be the factor).

Maybe it's the lack of tradition or experience in "retail sales"? I don't
know...

In my opinion, good customer service seems to be going downhill everywhere
as well. Actually, good manners seems to be going downhill everywhere
too.

[J.Venning]

Bingo! I was in CompUSA in Chicago last summer, asking for XP x64 and OS
Longhorn (now out as Vista), and the sales people actually didn't know what
I was talking about - neither were they interested to find out. I mentioned
this to my friends who live there, and they told me right out that you
simply cannot get anyone willing to work as sales people anymore, and those
whom you get are simply not qualified or interested in their jobs. This of
course doesn't mean that every single CompUSA in the United States is
down-right lousy.
J.

Post by MHK
I don't think it has anything to do with their pay or IQ.
I don't know why, but it does seem true that good customer service is
often lacking from Chinese and Korean merchants (from my experience) when
dealing with them in English (and it doesn't matter what ethnicity you
happen to be; it's the language that seems to be the factor).
Maybe it's the lack of tradition or experience in "retail sales"? I don't
know...
In my opinion, good customer service seems to be going downhill everywhere
as well. Actually, good manners seems to be going downhill everywhere
too.

[f***@gmail.com]

MHK wrote:"Maybe it's the lack of tradition or experience in "retail
sales"?

You are right. The absence of 'thank you' is not treated necessarily
as impolite in some eastern cultures.

[MHK]

Post by f***@gmail.com
MHK wrote:"Maybe it's the lack of tradition or experience in "retail
sales"?
You are right. The absence of 'thank you' is not treated necessarily
as impolite in some eastern cultures.

True.

But one can be polite without saying 'thank you'. It's in the mannerism
and tone of voice.

[ggg]

i think it's on purpose but I think they may think that this is my
indulgence, my tiny freedom so I would let them have it. It's not like
you have to LIVE with someone like that.

[kanjian]

there is only one hair falling off your head ,and you conclude that you
are bald.

[p***@yahoo.com]

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
I have a rather nice chinese (cantonese)
restaurant that I often get delivery from in an upper-middle class
neighborhood in new york.
This restaurant is very popular, both for in-house dining and delivery.
Their delivery service is amazingly fast and reasonably priced, which
is why its so popular.
But I've always been astounded at how rude the cashier on the phone is
-- and it's just one
person, it seems to be everybody at the restaurant.
They never say "hello", just "What would you like?"
Then, as I place my order, they always answer with short 2-word
question, like
"Anything else?"
If I say, "No" then they don't say good-bye or anything like that.
They just say 'That's it?" Then hang up "click."
I've noticed that other chinese delivery places are very curt and don't
make any niceties
like "hello" or "good bye" either!
don't chinese say goodbye on the phone? Don't they know they can make
more $$$
and get higher tips
if they are more courteous to their customers?

Maybe it's because they don't speak English too well? Probably also,
because they get slighted the same way outside of the restaurant from
people like you.

Don't take it personally, I've had my share of bad service from Korean
hair cutters and Chinese food places. About a couple of weeks ago I
ordered some Shrimp with Chinese vegetables and pork fried rice, all I
got was the vegetable without one single shrimp. I thought it was a
mistake until I went back the next time.From the way the cooks were
acting I suspected it was on purpose.

[Ira Humperdink MD]

ok, so what did you do to offend the cooks? if they left out the
shrimp, you bet also sneezed into your rice too.

[RichAsianKid]

Chinese food's like porn: great variety, cheap, often dirty, addictive
to some, best enjoyed private/take out, and outlets are found in lower
class sleazy neighborhoods.

Post by Ira Humperdink MD
I have a rather nice chinese (cantonese)
restaurant that I often get delivery from in an upper-middle class
neighborhood in new york.
This restaurant is very popular, both for in-house dining and delivery.
Their delivery service is amazingly fast and reasonably priced, which
is why its so popular.
But I've always been astounded at how rude the cashier on the phone is
-- and it's just one
person, it seems to be everybody at the restaurant.
They never say "hello", just "What would you like?"
Then, as I place my order, they always answer with short 2-word
question, like
"Anything else?"
If I say, "No" then they don't say good-bye or anything like that.
They just say 'That's it?" Then hang up "click."
I've noticed that other chinese delivery places are very curt and don't
make any niceties
like "hello" or "good bye" either!
don't chinese say goodbye on the phone? Don't they know they can make
more $$$
and get higher tips
if they are more courteous to their customers?

[Ira Humperdink MD]

Chinese food's like porn: great variety, cheap, often dirty, addictive to some, best enjoyed private/take out, and outlets are found in lower class sleazy neighborhoods.

Porn outlets are cable tv and the internet -- not sleazy neighborhoods.
Get your facts straight before drawing an analogy.

You're obviously thinking about prostitutes. Yeah, chinese delivery
boys, such as yourself, are like prostitutes. They'll do it for $20,
come to your house late at night, and take orders on the telephone, and
accept credit cards. They'll also give you germs and be rude to the
neighbors. Dont' forget the 15% tip or they'll mutter something rude
as they scurry away.

[RichAsianKid]

Post by Ira Humperdink MD

Chinese food's like porn: great variety, cheap, often dirty, addictive to some, best enjoyed private/take out, and outlets are found in lower class sleazy neighborhoods.

Porn outlets are cable tv and the internet -- not sleazy neighborhoods.
Get your facts straight before drawing an analogy.
You're obviously thinking about prostitutes. Yeah, chinese delivery
boys, such as yourself, are like prostitutes. They'll do it for $20,
come to your house late at night, and take orders on the telephone, and
accept credit cards. They'll also give you germs and be rude to the
neighbors. Dont' forget the 15% tip or they'll mutter something rude
as they scurry away.

Very very patient sigh.......my experience/observation is that Chinese
food and porn outlets are found in lower class sleazy neighborhoods.
Hey, just an obs. Relaaaaaxxxx. May not be true according to you. I
respect that too.

[r***@hotmail.com]

On 22 Jan 2006 20:49:13 -0800, "RichAsianKid"

Post by RichAsianKid
Very very patient sigh.......my experience/observation is that Chinese
food and porn outlets are found in lower class sleazy neighborhoods.
Hey, just an obs. Relaaaaaxxxx. May not be true according to you. I
respect that too.

It would be obvious by now that Ira lives in his mother's basement in
a low rent NYC neighborhood. As unpleasant as it is for him to order
Chinese take out he'd probably starve if he didn't have this service.

She, not he; her, not him