There is this scene in Fawlty Towers in “The Hotel Inspectors” episode, which epitomizes what I see in terms of current english service in takeaway food places. In the scene, Manuel comes into the dinning room with a load of napkins. He then puts the pile down then, then proceeds to take one to a table, then scurries back to repeat the exercise several times.
So often in a fast food place, I see several people dealing with one order, while customers wait patiently, if boiling inside. Occasionally if I feel it is taking too long; so long, I am starting to feel anger boil up. Usually something mildly sarcastic like “I am really sorry to interrupt you, but I came in here to buy some food”. Nothing more biting than polite sarcasm! Contrasts wildy with my experience in New York, where the guys behind the counter were impatient with my lack of decision speed – they proactively sought out customers to deal with. It was so refreshingly quick and simple to order. Large complex orders were digested and delivered without sweat or stress. In this country, we treat people who serve food as at the bottom of the wage and career ladder. I guess we get what we deserve.
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