Lately, I’ve encountered a rather strange situation where people working in the F&B area do know not what ‘utensils’ and ‘condiments’ are.
This has left me baffled.
If you serve food, and especially if you work in a fast food joint, shouldn’t you know what condiments and utensils are?
It’s like a physician not knowing what a stethoscope is.
The most grievous offender? KFC.
On multiple occasions, I asked them for utensils, only to be given a ‘blur’ look.
Me “I want utensils. You know, U-TEN-SILS?”
KFC Staff (Blur look)
Me (Irritated) “Give me fork and spoon lah!”
The staff at KFC are just as oblivious to the term ‘condiment’.
KFC Staff “You want chili or ketchup or not?”
Me “No. No condiments please.”
KFC Staff “Har? You want chili or ketchup or not?”
Me “No! I don’t want any condiments!”
To be fair, this irritating quirk isn’t exclusive to KFC. Mos Burger, Superdog and Mc Donalds also have trouble understanding the term ‘condiment’.
But I’ve found that most of Mc Donald’s staff know what ‘condiments’ are.
I think the most humorous example of a server not knowing what utensils are was when I order take-away from Nakhon (a Thai restaurant near my home).
Me “Also give me 3 sets of utensils.”
Nakhon “Huh?”
Me “UTENSILS. Give me 3 sets of utensils.”
Nakhon ” Orh! The dessert is it?”
Me “What?! No! Utensils! Forks and spoons!”
Nakhon “Orh…”
I find Nakhon’s infraction much more forgivable. Nakhon’s staff are primarily Thai. Since English is not their first language, I can forgive them for not knowing what ‘utensils’ are.
I am immensely curious to know what kind of Thai dessert he thought I was ordering though. Perhaps that was once instance where I shouldn’t have correct him…
