Tale of 2 Fast Food Conversations

It's been a while since my last post. I have been working very hard this last week as opposed to hardly working which is my preferred state. I am still a little zombie-fied so I thought I would start with an easy post about two conversations I overheard while waiting in the wrong (meaning slow) queues at two different fast-food joints.

Conversation 1

This last week, I have been sleeping late and waking up early and degenerated to picking up breakfasts at the local fast food joint before rushing off to work. It was here that I witnessed this conversation between two middle-aged sisters and a sweet young thing of a server at the counter.

SYT: "Good morning, can I help you?"

Sister 1: " I want fish. Do you have fish? Do you serve fish in the morning? Where is your menu?"

Sister 2: " Their menu is up on the wall, see? You have only 2 choices. Set A or Set B." (actually, there are 8 choices in the menu on the wall but they look at only the nearest two.)

Sister 1: "that's no use. There's no fish. Why don't you serve fish in the mornings?"

SYT: "Actually, we do serve fish."

Sister 2 :" Then why isn't it on the menu?"

SYT : "Ummm......it is." (trying to point to the other choices on the wall).

Sister 1: "Never mind, if there is fish, I want fish."

SYT: " Would that be just the fish burger or the set?"

Sister 1: " What's in the set?"

SYT: " As it says on the menu, it consists of fish burger, hash browns and a coffee or tea."

Sister 1: "How much is that?"

SYT: " RM 7.00"

Sister 1: " How much if I order each of that separately?"

SYT (exasperated, she lies) : "It's the same price."

Sister 1: "In that case, I'll have the set."

Sister 2 : "I'll have set B."

Sister 1: "But there is no fish in set B.'

Sister 2: "I don't want fish. You want fish."

SYT: "Would you like coffee or tea with your set?"

Sister 1: "Which is costlier?"

SYT (voice creeping up to high pitch, speaks through gritted teeth): "It's a set. They're the same price."

This goes on for a long time, to the dismay of all queued behind them. Later, they actually go back with their receipt and asked why the receipt merely says set, condiments and drinks and asked if the receipt would actually read fish burger, hash browns and coffee. It's a tough life behind the counter of a fast food joint in Kuala Lumpur.

Conversation 2

This happened when a group of us was visiting in Singapore and we had arrived early for a meeting and decided to catch a quick breakfast at a fast food joint. Our server was a young man with a dour expression and dark sleepy eyes.

Me: "I'll have set C, please."

Server: " Yes, sir. Will that be tea or coffee.'

Me: "Tea please."

Server: "that'll be SIN $5.00, thank you."

Friend : " I'll also have set c but can you just give me water."

Server: "Set C comes with tea or coffee."

Friend: "I just want water.'

Server: " Then, sir, you have to order the burger and hash browns ala' carte and I can give you mineral water. that will be SIN $ 10.00."

Friend: "What? No. I don't want mineral water. I'll drink tap water. Just give me set C but no coffee, no tea, just water."

Server: " But , sir, set C comes with coffee or tea."

Friend: " I cannot take caffiene. It gives me gastric."

Me: " Just punch in set C, but just give him water instead of tea.'

Server: "A set is a set. We do not allow changes to a set."

Friend (exasperated) : "forget it. let's just forget it."

Me: "Wait a minute. Just listen. Give him a set C. But when you make the tea, can you pour the hot water into the cup but don't place the tea-bag into the water. Just leave the tea-bag on the tray. Can you do that?"

Server: " Of course I can do that. We aim to please."

And so, my friend got his water with set C and an extra tea-bag on the side. It's a tough life on the customer side of the counter in a fast food joint in Singapore.