By Michael Martin
Published: 2007-12-14

Yang Yangzi claims that contrast between the small restaurant waiter's dorms and the international food chain service person's apartment illustrates a difference between Chinese and Western social culture. "Chinese culture is socially collective- people depend on each other, but America is very individualistic," he said, suggesting that analogous social cultures separate KFC from the corner Chinese. From an Organizational Psychology perspective, Yang says that the restaurant atmosphere is so stressful that a social network is necessary. "[Wait staff] suffer a great deal of stress in the foreign business environment. They lack a group dynamic. So they are very stressed, because there is no one to support or encourage them."

On not living the dream-- or even dreaming it
Despite having the psychological upper-hand, the traditional Chinese small restaurant waiter are by no means better off than the food chain worker. For the Beijing waitress, a life of food service most often indicates the failure of some bigger, brighter dream. Cai Yun wanted to be a doctor. Hai Yan wanted to be a teacher. Zhang Miao still hopes that one day she will learn another, more fulfilling trade.

And compounding failed dreams is frequent belittlement in a society where service positions are degraded as manual labor. At Beijing's famous Muslim lamb kebob restaurants, waiters are often expected to remain at work while their bosses attend mosque services on Fridays. When one Muslim restaurant worker was asked if he thought it unfair that his boss cared so little about his spiritual welfare, he said, "We are workers- we don't think of these things."

A Dying Tradition?

While verbal comebacks and general disorder may strengthen the waitress' mental health and self-esteem, it's hard to say how much longer Chinese customers will put up with it, knowing that there are more pleasant, welcoming alternatives. Drinking his coffee at the Wudaokou Starbucks, frequent customer Xiao Ku has cast his vote, "Why would I give my money to someone mean?" he says. If the domestic market expects a new standard of customer service-- is it only a matter of time before the corner family-styles start cracking whips? Zhu Zi's manager is unfaced. "We're a small restaurant-- we aren't that serious about regulating our waitress' facial expressions."

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