There are sighs and then there are sighs.
Some are subtle and some – like the one I heard from a Burnaby restaurant worker earlier this week – are so filled with anguish and pain that you actually feel it.
This server at a local chain restaurant let out the sigh when I asked her about if diners were mainly behaving themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“’Mostly’ I guess is the word, but it’s the ones who don’t who make you forget about the good ones,” she said.
Then she let out that devastating sigh as she told me this was her final shift at this restaurant. She was quitting because of the bad behaviour of some customers that went beyond the normal crap servers – especially women – are forced to endure in order to ensure they receive a tip that makes the difference between making rent and not.
She split the behaviour into two main categories:
- COVID “clowns” – her words – who refuse to follow the restaurant’s protocols, either by making a joke of it or being angry and conspiratorial about it. These folks actually get in her face without masks with a passive-aggressive energy that is frightening. She says her restaurant managers are supportive and will step in. That’s not the problem. The problem is that someone getting in your face and breathing on you during a pandemic just wounds your psyche.
- The second type are those who know servers are suffering from a steep drop in tips as restaurant traffic drops so they put extra pressure on the staff to do things or meet impossible standards – all with the threat of not receiving a tip. “They think they can get away with anything,” she told me. “This abuse isn’t worth it. I’m not the only one quitting.”
As if things are tough enough for workers who deal with the public.
It’s ridiculous. And frustrating considering that there are a lot of people out there who support and follow the rules.
A new Insights West poll found many in B.C. are in favour of even stricter restrictions and lockdowns if things continue to get worse in our province but are not necessarily in favour of more government support for different industries that are suffering.
The poll found “there is strong support for additional measures that have been announced by Dr. Bonnie Henry in combatting the spread of COVID-19 during this second wave,” said a news release. “There is overwhelming support for keeping social gatherings limited to households plus their ‘safe six’ in this current wave, as 87% of residents support this initiative, including 66% who ‘strongly support’ it. However, there is a strong belief that mask-wearing should be mandatory rather than suggested, as 85% of British Columbians think it should be mandatory in all indoor spaces within the province, including 68% who would ‘strongly support’ this initiative. Similarly, high levels of support exist for mandatory mask wearing in elementary/middle schools (83% support, including 62% ‘strongly support’), and in high schools (84% support, including 67% ‘strongly support’).”
I’m in the camp of making masks mandatory in indoor public spaces so happy to see this much support.
If only more people would show some respect for the people taking their food orders.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
