Our cafe vs their restaurant
Today I was working the night shift, meaning that I would be closing up the outlet at around 10pm. Before we started closing, our neighbours opposite us, which is a Chinese stall, had already readied a long table and lined it with cutlery and small plates. Curious, I asked one of the staff why they had prepared a table, since they were already reaching closing time.
She said that it was a staff's birthday today.
Soon after, they brought out a chocolate cake, trays of fried koay teow, chicken curry, fried octopus, cans of Carlsberg, and other soft drinks (I couldn't see what they were, it was too far away). While we were cleaning up after our last few customers, they had already closed the entire shop and had everyone gather at the rear end of the restaurant.
They sang happy birthday to the birthday boy, a Burmese steward, and then had a traditional Yam-Seng before having a feast.
We over at our outlet could only look away as they had fun. I was actually invited to join them in their feast, but I politely declined as I didn't want to anger my management (as going to a competitor's restaurant for a party isn't already insulting enough). Furthermore, I had no face to eat alongside this cheerful bunch of Chinese people, all celebrating a birthday of a colleague.
What went through my mind was how come my cafe didn't have such a party? I remember well that I started working with this cafe officially on the 8th of August. Not long after that, it was my birthday. All I got was a lame rendition of Happy-Birthday from a barista and some jokes hurled at me.
But no, these people in the opposite restaurant took birthdays very seriously. They buy cakes, have beer, and celebrate the occasion. I felt as though they cared about their workers more. Apparently since they had so many staff and since every birthday was celebrated, they got to see a birthday cake at least once a month.
I don't know how their pay system works in their restaurant. I don't even know if they actually earn more as a worker there, but I do know that they have daily meals provided for them; breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sure, they work as hard as us, if not more, but they get meals. Our cafe is stingy with food. We only get Iced Lemon Tea for free. Other meals we are charged at a “reduced rate” of 20% for confirmed staff, and the full rate for unconfirmed staff (i.e. people like me)
Hence, I always eat elsewhere. I never taste the food at the very outlet I work in. Don’t you think this is odd, if not ironic?
Think of it this way. Their food is priced at around 10-30% cheaper than ours. Their customers are mainly middle class Chinese people, while we get all sorts, from Datuks to Datins to VVIP's and Platinum Card holders. Ours is an international franchise, and theirs is just a stand alone outlet. They don't have the "classy tag" attached to their restaurant (although I know that many people would beg to differ, my cafe is known for being a "classy" hang out place, at least among Malaysians)
They serve purely Chinese food while we serve everything from Asian to Western and Middle Eastern. Theirs is more like a high-class hawker stall, whilst ours is more like a wannabe high-class dining cafe.
They have more employees than us and their food is actually COOKED in their kitchen, unlike ours which comes pre-packed from a central kitchen.
And despite all these differences, our monthly turnover and monthly profit is about the same. Surprising isn't it?
Why does this difference occur?
Theirs is run fully by Chinese people. Ours is run mostly by non-Chinese people.
Is it that the Chinese people look out more for their kind as compared to the non-Chinese? I am not making an assumption; I am merely questioning what I see in my everyday work.
I also observed that the atmosphere over there is more like a family than a bunch of people running a business. They actually looked out for each other. They did everything together; had communal meals, celebrated birthdays.... overall I can say that the staff there were proud to be part of the huge family of workers. The cost of feeding and caring for their staff can be considered negligible. Why? At the end of the day, they were happy to be a worker there. Their productivity was higher because they actually felt that they were appreciated.
And everyone who runs a business knows; happy employees mean happy customers, which lead to an increase in turnover and hence, higher profits.
At my cafe, most of the staffs are resentful. Blame it on long working hours and low wages. Heck, I only earn about RM800 a month! We don't get fed, our birthdays pass without being remembered, and staffs are fragmented. We work for the sake of working, and most don't look forward to the next day at work. We don't form a bond with each other in the same way as the people in the opposite restaurant do. We are not proud to be a part of our restaurant as the people there are. Many staffs in the cafe I work in are only temporary, whilst many staffs working in the opposite restaurant have been there for a long time.
They seem united. They seem happy. They seem very much unlike the people in my cafe. Yes, you can see the tired looks on their faces, but you can also see the smile of content. My cafe is almost 100% Malay. Needless to say, I am the only Chinese.
I felt ashamed to be part of my Cafe after what I witnessed today. I'm not saying that I am resentful because I didn't get a celebration on my birthday; I'm saying that overall, I feel that the Chinese opposite us have fully understood what it means to work as a team... that is, to be happy, to enjoy oneself along with fellow mates and to celebrate each other's important occasions.
I'd like to think that all Chinese are like the people opposite. Heck, I'd like to think that the whole world is like that.
They were still singing merrily and chatting loudly when I punched out. I really give them my utmost respect.
I went to 7-11 and bought myself a can of Heineken for my own little celebration. I've not had beer for such a long time that I almost missed the taste of it at the tip of my tongue.
I feel so proud to be Chinese.
She said that it was a staff's birthday today.
Soon after, they brought out a chocolate cake, trays of fried koay teow, chicken curry, fried octopus, cans of Carlsberg, and other soft drinks (I couldn't see what they were, it was too far away). While we were cleaning up after our last few customers, they had already closed the entire shop and had everyone gather at the rear end of the restaurant.
They sang happy birthday to the birthday boy, a Burmese steward, and then had a traditional Yam-Seng before having a feast.
We over at our outlet could only look away as they had fun. I was actually invited to join them in their feast, but I politely declined as I didn't want to anger my management (as going to a competitor's restaurant for a party isn't already insulting enough). Furthermore, I had no face to eat alongside this cheerful bunch of Chinese people, all celebrating a birthday of a colleague.
What went through my mind was how come my cafe didn't have such a party? I remember well that I started working with this cafe officially on the 8th of August. Not long after that, it was my birthday. All I got was a lame rendition of Happy-Birthday from a barista and some jokes hurled at me.
But no, these people in the opposite restaurant took birthdays very seriously. They buy cakes, have beer, and celebrate the occasion. I felt as though they cared about their workers more. Apparently since they had so many staff and since every birthday was celebrated, they got to see a birthday cake at least once a month.
I don't know how their pay system works in their restaurant. I don't even know if they actually earn more as a worker there, but I do know that they have daily meals provided for them; breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sure, they work as hard as us, if not more, but they get meals. Our cafe is stingy with food. We only get Iced Lemon Tea for free. Other meals we are charged at a “reduced rate” of 20% for confirmed staff, and the full rate for unconfirmed staff (i.e. people like me)
Hence, I always eat elsewhere. I never taste the food at the very outlet I work in. Don’t you think this is odd, if not ironic?
Think of it this way. Their food is priced at around 10-30% cheaper than ours. Their customers are mainly middle class Chinese people, while we get all sorts, from Datuks to Datins to VVIP's and Platinum Card holders. Ours is an international franchise, and theirs is just a stand alone outlet. They don't have the "classy tag" attached to their restaurant (although I know that many people would beg to differ, my cafe is known for being a "classy" hang out place, at least among Malaysians)
They serve purely Chinese food while we serve everything from Asian to Western and Middle Eastern. Theirs is more like a high-class hawker stall, whilst ours is more like a wannabe high-class dining cafe.
They have more employees than us and their food is actually COOKED in their kitchen, unlike ours which comes pre-packed from a central kitchen.
And despite all these differences, our monthly turnover and monthly profit is about the same. Surprising isn't it?
Why does this difference occur?
Theirs is run fully by Chinese people. Ours is run mostly by non-Chinese people.
Is it that the Chinese people look out more for their kind as compared to the non-Chinese? I am not making an assumption; I am merely questioning what I see in my everyday work.
I also observed that the atmosphere over there is more like a family than a bunch of people running a business. They actually looked out for each other. They did everything together; had communal meals, celebrated birthdays.... overall I can say that the staff there were proud to be part of the huge family of workers. The cost of feeding and caring for their staff can be considered negligible. Why? At the end of the day, they were happy to be a worker there. Their productivity was higher because they actually felt that they were appreciated.
And everyone who runs a business knows; happy employees mean happy customers, which lead to an increase in turnover and hence, higher profits.
At my cafe, most of the staffs are resentful. Blame it on long working hours and low wages. Heck, I only earn about RM800 a month! We don't get fed, our birthdays pass without being remembered, and staffs are fragmented. We work for the sake of working, and most don't look forward to the next day at work. We don't form a bond with each other in the same way as the people in the opposite restaurant do. We are not proud to be a part of our restaurant as the people there are. Many staffs in the cafe I work in are only temporary, whilst many staffs working in the opposite restaurant have been there for a long time.
They seem united. They seem happy. They seem very much unlike the people in my cafe. Yes, you can see the tired looks on their faces, but you can also see the smile of content. My cafe is almost 100% Malay. Needless to say, I am the only Chinese.
I felt ashamed to be part of my Cafe after what I witnessed today. I'm not saying that I am resentful because I didn't get a celebration on my birthday; I'm saying that overall, I feel that the Chinese opposite us have fully understood what it means to work as a team... that is, to be happy, to enjoy oneself along with fellow mates and to celebrate each other's important occasions.
I'd like to think that all Chinese are like the people opposite. Heck, I'd like to think that the whole world is like that.
They were still singing merrily and chatting loudly when I punched out. I really give them my utmost respect.
I went to 7-11 and bought myself a can of Heineken for my own little celebration. I've not had beer for such a long time that I almost missed the taste of it at the tip of my tongue.
I feel so proud to be Chinese.
Fell from the sky at 1:05 AM
1 Comments:
Sad to read about ur working conditions in Dome but have you ever thought of jumping to Cravings for your job? Well, if they have a vacancy.... and then you are only a temp job in Dome right? Just hang on there...
And of cos, happy belated birthday to you :D
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