Both Yin and Long are migrant workers married to an approximately 12-hour workday, the same stark living arrangements, and no benefits. But they are different in two important ways: 1) One works for a small local business, and the other for an American conglomerate, 2) When they discuss their work and living conditions, the former prefers to laugh, and the other is on the verge of tears.

Why such disparity? It's not about income and benefits- but the psychological and social effects of working for small, traditionally-run businesses and large, often foreign-owned conglomerates with company-wide standards.

And while this phenomena is something food service workers all over the world confront when working for international chains, the difference between Western emphasis on individuality and Chinese emphasis on group harmony seems to make this stress less bearable for Chinese service people in these international chains.

Talking Back

Beijing's small restaurant wait staff is infamously unfriendly and unresponsive. In contrast, friendliness is usually a prerequisite for work at international food chains adhering to foreign customer service standards.
Small restaurant waitress Cai Yun won't be scolded or belittled by her boss and customers. "If they want to scream, I let them scream," Cai said. She describes her reaction to her boss and customers' often demeaning behavior with an impish grin: "I might talk back or make them wait forever for their plates."

Observing her at Jiu Dian, her small Hadian District restaurant, Cai Yun stands chatting with her coworkers. When her boss screams at her in front of everyone in the restaurant, she is unembarrassed. She ignores the shouting, finishes her conversation, and then drags her feet to attend to other customers.

A four-year veteran of the food service industry with much experience in small restaurants, Cai Yun explains that, as a service or manual labor position, waiting tables is looked down on by much of Chinese society. Still, her self-image remains unaffected. Speaking of the the social stigma she faces because of her job, she says, "I won't accept it. Ever since I started this job, I've always known who I am. I won't accept lesser treatment."

Cai's bold protest is foreign to fast-food chain workers. One Subway chain manager, Yuan Yuan, explained that conditioning employ attitudes is entirely in her jurisdiction. During training, employees learn that they must smile and serve customers with a positive, helpful attitude. Voices must remain at a certain pitch- not too loud or soft. Yuan Yuan believes that happy employees, genuine or otherwise, "mean a clientele, which means good business." Encountering disrespectful customers, employees are still expected to maintain a positive and helpful attitude at work.