Here’s a conversation I’ve had more than once at various locations of this venerable establishment:
Food Service Worker: Hello, may I help you?
Me: I’ll have a number three meal with a Diet Coke to go, please.
FSW: What kinda drink you want?
Me: Diet Coke.
FSW: For here or to go?
These food service workers are almost always immigrants. They’re not panhandling for spare change at the front door like the people who were born here. They work hard at a thankless job for an ungrateful public for very little money and in a language not their own.
I will repeat myself as many times and in as many permutations as they require. And without resentment.
God bless them, every one.
Alexandria Daily Photo 
Bravo!
I don’t belive this is a language barrier issue. Not everyone is as quick as a whip as they say.
Topple, have you ever learned a foreign language? I have.
In the beginning your brain is struggling to figure everything out at the speed of snail, while all around you native speakers are talking at the speed of light. By the time your brain has figured out the first few words, the rest of the river of speech that has just flowed over you is down the drain and long gone. I once had to ask directions in French in Paris, after only two semesters of French. I understood the first few words, but the rest of it came at me so fast I couldn’t get it. So I’d say thank you, go as far as I had understood, then I’d have to ask someone else. I think I had to ask four people in four different locations, but I did ultimately reach my destination.
Language issue or not, God bless them every one for taking those crappy jobs.
mariemcc, I happen to be multiligual myself having studied and lived abroad for over a year in Asia. Becoming quite energized in my new surroundings, I took it to be my responsibility to learn as much as I could, this included the rather foreign writing style. To better comprehend and grasp a culture and language that wasn’t quite my own, I had to try as I might to avoid situations that required me to communicate in my mother-tounge. As you mentioned yourself, this task could prove quite frustrating. But having written this, I might reject my original assumption for another more praiseworthy rebuttal.
As I regret they stumbled upon a job injected with repetition and lackluster praise, if anything life teaches us, its that fairness and morality are not a primary concern of life and nature. As I live a secular life without forced-religion, I relish in the support and community of the betterment of the human condition and way of life. Actually, as I write this, I only wanted to submit to my opinion…your entitled to your own!
Topple, thanks for stopping by and thanks for writing! 🙂
Bottom-of-the-drawer jobs are about survival – very often of a family and hope – hope for a better lifew for your kids. And often not your ONLY job. And precarious work – facing the sack at the drop of a hat. And dealing with ATTITUDE from people less willing to be patient like marie. My hat is off to them as well.
There’s a great story here – it’s a story that is well-shared by immigrant countries like the US, Canada , Australia. This is the story of the people in Marie’s narrative:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/hsc-toppers/2006/12/18/1166290475596.html
Tyhe pohoto makes me feel very emotional.
Gracias por tu oportuno, elocuente y equilibrado comentario! And thanks for your kindness…
an immigrant from Argentina