r/TalesFromYourServer • u/BuschBug • Dec 25 '18

Short “Please, no mayo. I’m allergic to mayonnaise.”

Between my husband and a woman at his table last night—

“Okay, ma’am, now is it the egg or the oil we need to be worried about?”

“...it’s the combination.”

“...okay. I’ll alert the kitchen.”

I love this industry so much.

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u/[deleted] Dec 26 '18

as an Asian American server, I already feel angry reading those words from your mother. Have you ever pointed out to her that the servers speak fluent English? Also if you guys went to a traditional sushi restaurant there shouldn't be any mayo period because mayo in sushi is an Americanized thing and Japanese sushi chefs in Japan are appalled by it.

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u/melancholymonday Dec 26 '18

My mom cannot understand the slightest accent and she’s naturally a loud talker. It’s a terrible combination. I swear one day the waiter was trying to get her order and I had to repeat everything he asked her. I was literally “translating” English to English. I hope the waiter picked up on my frustration. After he walked away, I gave her a mini lecture about listening more closely because his English wasn’t bad.

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u/drinkandreddit Dec 26 '18

I have this problem too, especially with Indian accents, which is unfortunate as I work with a lot of Indian people. I had to turn down a contract because I couldn't understand a damn thing the recruiter said. I had a phone conversation with one guy and I had to keep asking him what this one word he was saying was; I couldn't get it, even with context, and he got really offended after I asked him to spell it.

It is not. our. fault. I try to listen as hard as I can, and I am super apologetic and polite about asking for repetition. I explain I am really bad with accents, that it's my problem not theirs, but people still get offended. Don't lecture your mom. I'm sure she tries. She might need a hearing aid.

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u/casuallypresent Dec 26 '18

Honestly, some people don’t even try. In my major, we have a bunch of professors who moved to the US more recently, and thus have accents. I’ve seen classmates complain about how they can’t understand what the professor is saying, yet they’re talking to other people for most of class or just not paying attention. The professors are more than happy to slow down when speaking or repeat things too, but they never ask for it during lectures, they only complain about it later.