Conversations with the waiter
I have a feeling there will be no end to the "conversations with the waiter", they are so often memorable here. This one is a submission from a repat that doesn't blog.
Sitting at Square One, one of us orders a hamburger, the other a chicken burger. When the waiter brings out two plates, it's obvious that they are identical.
Me (pointing to friend's plate): Excuse me, what is this?
Waiter: What did you order?
Me: Huh?
Waiter: What?
Me: I want to know what this is that you just brought out?
Waiter: Then tell me what you ordered.
Me (still pointing to friend's plate): Why do you need to know what I ordered before you tell me what this is?
Waiter: Well, how am I supposed to know what THAT is if you don't tell me WHAT you ordered?
Sitting at Square One, one of us orders a hamburger, the other a chicken burger. When the waiter brings out two plates, it's obvious that they are identical.
Me (pointing to friend's plate): Excuse me, what is this?
Waiter: What did you order?
Me: Huh?
Waiter: What?
Me: I want to know what this is that you just brought out?
Waiter: Then tell me what you ordered.
Me (still pointing to friend's plate): Why do you need to know what I ordered before you tell me what this is?
Waiter: Well, how am I supposed to know what THAT is if you don't tell me WHAT you ordered?
Labels: armenia, armenian, conversations, waiter
posted by Raffi K. at 2:17 PM
5 Comments:
Brilliant.
Well, once I ordered a sandwich WITHOUT cheese and it came WITH cheese, so I sent it back and said I'm allergic... It came back 6 more times with cheese, after which the waiter said, "VONTS?"...
lol
These conversation pieces are great...there should be some on the Diasporan side as well. Like for example, I just came back from the dentist, who happens to be Filipino, and as soon as he heard I just came back from Armenia he asks: "Oh you just came back from Armenia, did you go to Raffi's Kebab there and have tahn?" And then I think to myself, only in Glendale will a Filipino ask you that, and only in Glendale will you not think it strange or interesting!
This maybe funny but actually very frustrating. Indeed the waiters in Armenia lack fundamental training of their job. Most waiters have very little knowledge of the menu or have never even once read the menu in its entirety. Also if you pronounce any item on the menu outside of their local accent, they will very likely reply by saying "we don't have that item". This is a problem that businesses in Armenia must seriously deal with if they like to be able to grow their businesses.
Pedro, I think you have a point. Recently I asked a waiter what he would suggest, and he admitted to never even having TRIED any items on their menu. How can the employees be familiar with the menu items if there is no training that entails familiarization with the menu!
But then again my cousin asked for.. "Meg had al Chermuk" (in western) and the guy said "EENCH?" like 3 times before I said JERMUK (his way). Like, what could we be possibly asking for you retard? MUK? (mouse)
Pshhhhhhhh... Maybe I should open a school for customer service!
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