Two Chinese grad students from LSE walked into a half-empty Chinese restaurant in the middle of the equally empty London Chinatown, looking for a quick late-night meal over a casual conversation in Chinese. The restaurant has about two dozen big round tables in a bright-lit atmosphere. Three or four groups of white people were having loud conversations in English over their meals and a few drinks. The two LSE students, seemingly the only Chinese customers at that time, were shooed by the waiters speaking heavily accented English to a small square table in the poorly lit back corner of the dining, skipping past many better tables closer to the entrance.
Perhaps less than a couple of minutes after sitting down, the Chinese were immediately compelled to place their orders for food and drinks. After the food arrived, the staff of the restaurant came to check on our "progress" many times, and as soon as we were done, our table was cleaned and complimentary desserts presented. The two awkwardly felt that "the air" of the place was forcing them to leave, and they had to do so almost immediately after asking for the bill and throwing the cash on the table.
As if the whole situation is staged by the staff, on the long way out of the restaurant, the Chinese customers saw the same few groups of white people (already there before they picked the restaurant) still casually chatting away, all their finished alcohol bottles and empty plates strewn across the now dirty table, yet without the slightest "harassment" from the restaurant staff. The whole episode was, granted, pretty damn efficient, with well-cooked food served in matter of minutes, but somehow leaves a bad taste in the back of one's mouth.
Sure, having an experience like this is not anything particularly unique, and during the festivities of Chinese New Year, every customer in every restaurant on this tiny ethnic strip in the middle of London was hurried in, hurried out in a way for restaurants to capture as many celebrating tourists as possible. But this was a quiet average Tuesday night in a restaurant with spare capacity of at least another 30 simultaneously ordering and eating customers. Why is there such hurrying for the Chinese and what does it mean?
One could conceivably argue that the restaurant staff is taking into account the cultural difference between the Chinese and whites, thereby providing "good service" to both. Chinese people are particular about doing stuff fast (like using the Internet) so they should "like" being rushed to eat. But such argument, by itself, is a stereotype/generalization that the Chinese (or Asians in general) should not ascribe to, especially for those who work in a restaurant and perhaps have seen every kind of people.
Instead, this whole thing could simply be a case of "racism against one's own race." In a world where one can have interesting, lengthy conversations even in a fast food joint in workaholic Japan, to rush people through a meal in a sit-down restaurant can mean little beyond not wanting those customers to be present for a time period more than needed for them to eat the food and pay the bill. Somehow, the restaurant management decided that the "cost" of keeping the Chinese in a half-empty restaurant would be much more than the benefit of their presence making the restaurant seem more popular.
The "cost" in the mind of the restaurant manager could very much be how the Chinese presence would lead to loss of other potential high-paying customers, who are put off by the presence of the Chinese itself. The issue may be the negative image by which Chinese people are perceived by foreigners, which, in a rather culturally unique logical extension, contribute to a loss of "face" on the part of the restaurant itself, as it is not bringing out the "best facade" of itself to potential customers.
With regard to such a view by the restaurant management, the Chinese customers can do little but sigh in dismay. On one hand, it is certainly true that largely because of the negativity surrounding the Chinese government, Chinese people have also been viewed with negative light in recent years. But one the other hand, the behavior of the Chinese people running the restaurant also show that lack of gratitude so prevalent among Chinese immigrants for the support they get from their fellow countrymen in achieving success abroad...
Perhaps less than a couple of minutes after sitting down, the Chinese were immediately compelled to place their orders for food and drinks. After the food arrived, the staff of the restaurant came to check on our "progress" many times, and as soon as we were done, our table was cleaned and complimentary desserts presented. The two awkwardly felt that "the air" of the place was forcing them to leave, and they had to do so almost immediately after asking for the bill and throwing the cash on the table.
As if the whole situation is staged by the staff, on the long way out of the restaurant, the Chinese customers saw the same few groups of white people (already there before they picked the restaurant) still casually chatting away, all their finished alcohol bottles and empty plates strewn across the now dirty table, yet without the slightest "harassment" from the restaurant staff. The whole episode was, granted, pretty damn efficient, with well-cooked food served in matter of minutes, but somehow leaves a bad taste in the back of one's mouth.
Sure, having an experience like this is not anything particularly unique, and during the festivities of Chinese New Year, every customer in every restaurant on this tiny ethnic strip in the middle of London was hurried in, hurried out in a way for restaurants to capture as many celebrating tourists as possible. But this was a quiet average Tuesday night in a restaurant with spare capacity of at least another 30 simultaneously ordering and eating customers. Why is there such hurrying for the Chinese and what does it mean?
One could conceivably argue that the restaurant staff is taking into account the cultural difference between the Chinese and whites, thereby providing "good service" to both. Chinese people are particular about doing stuff fast (like using the Internet) so they should "like" being rushed to eat. But such argument, by itself, is a stereotype/generalization that the Chinese (or Asians in general) should not ascribe to, especially for those who work in a restaurant and perhaps have seen every kind of people.
Instead, this whole thing could simply be a case of "racism against one's own race." In a world where one can have interesting, lengthy conversations even in a fast food joint in workaholic Japan, to rush people through a meal in a sit-down restaurant can mean little beyond not wanting those customers to be present for a time period more than needed for them to eat the food and pay the bill. Somehow, the restaurant management decided that the "cost" of keeping the Chinese in a half-empty restaurant would be much more than the benefit of their presence making the restaurant seem more popular.
The "cost" in the mind of the restaurant manager could very much be how the Chinese presence would lead to loss of other potential high-paying customers, who are put off by the presence of the Chinese itself. The issue may be the negative image by which Chinese people are perceived by foreigners, which, in a rather culturally unique logical extension, contribute to a loss of "face" on the part of the restaurant itself, as it is not bringing out the "best facade" of itself to potential customers.
With regard to such a view by the restaurant management, the Chinese customers can do little but sigh in dismay. On one hand, it is certainly true that largely because of the negativity surrounding the Chinese government, Chinese people have also been viewed with negative light in recent years. But one the other hand, the behavior of the Chinese people running the restaurant also show that lack of gratitude so prevalent among Chinese immigrants for the support they get from their fellow countrymen in achieving success abroad...
Ehh I obviously wasn't there, but I'm suspicious of the amount of "racism" that was displayed, and on the part of non-Chinese, the degree of "negative light" that Chinese are viewed with because of political reasons... But, regardless, well-written.
ReplyDeletewell, I dont know, maybe I am thinking too much into it, but I can assure you, the different treatment for Chinese and non-Chinese was definitely apparent...
ReplyDelete