What is your general impression of the way people treat waiters and waitresses in restaurants, cafes, etc?

Monday 11th August, 06:00 AM JST

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nandakandamanda at 01:37 PM JST - 12th August

The question being 'the way customers treat staff' You must be inferring J on J, right? I would say, in general, fine.

My wife is Japanese, however, and I cannot stand the way she treats the waiting staff. It's as though she senses an opportunity to bully. It looks like discrimination of some kind. I won't go into detail, but the result is that none of my family (my children or I) wants to go out for a meal with my wife,either here in Japan, or back in Europe.

So, general impression, fine. There must be glaring exceptions out there, however.
JesseP at 03:17 PM JST - 12th August

Tipping systems vary from country to country, and if you visit a country and go to a restaurant you should have the decency to tip (or not) accordingly. Whether the system promotes better service or not, if you do in fact recieve good service, then the server deserves to be paid accordingly. I was a cook in the States and would frequently hear the wait staff complain about poor tips. I hate complainers as much as the next person, but you have to sympathize when the said server is making $2.15/hour and being left two dollars on a $75 meal.

I hear many Japanese students of mine say they felt discrimination when they went to a restaurant in the States or AUS. The reason for this is many waiters, from experience, believe that foreigners don't know how to tip. Subsequently these tables are given shitty service. I certainly don't think this kind of racism is acceptable, but it IS understandable. I tell students to say "I know how to tip, would you like me to?" when they experience sub-par service when abroad.

If you plan on traveling and plan to eat in a restaurant while doing so, take the time to learn about your destination's tipping scheme. If that's too much trouble for you then don't eat out.

As to purely interpersonal treatment between customers and wait staff, I think Japan and the States (can't speak for EU and AUS) are like bizarro mirror imagegs of each other. I say thank you when I get ANY service. Menu, thank you. Glass of water, thank you. Check, thank you. As others pointed out, most Japanese diners don't look past the uniform. I think it's just a cultural difference, and I try not to let it bother me, but I know I'd prefer positive interactions in all levels of society regardless of position or role. I teach English, they wait tables. I don't see why one of us should get any more or less respect than the other. But many people here are ready to let off steam after work and they'll take an opportunity to kick a dog, so to speak, if it makes them feel better. Says a lot about a country...
Xennon at 03:48 PM JST - 12th August

In Fukuoka, and I know youdontknow and westurn will probably disagree but I think the service is wonderful. And perhaps it is because I treat the staff with respect and a smile that I receive this service.

All my foreign and Japanese friends likewise treat the staff with respect and joke around with them which I believe improves the service and the all around atmosphere.

A simple "gochisosoma" followed up with an "oishikata" (provided the food actually was good) on the way out and the next time I/we go back the service is even better.

On the other side of the spectrum though I do occasionally see staff being treated like dirt and it makes me want to smack the customer around.
Taka313 at 05:51 PM JST - 12th August

Whenever and wherever I eat out, I ask for my food, I don't place an order. I say "please" and "thank you" whenever service is given. I consider it a rule of thumb to treat everyone who has the opportunity to spit in my food with the upmost respect. I worked as a chef in high school and college. I've seen how rude customers are "taken care of."

Taka
majimeaussie at 06:02 PM JST - 12th August

I try to be polite and most of the time I think the Japanese are polite - I do cringe a bit when they call out "Sumimasen" so loudly but in Japan that is not impolite. Also I like the service in Japan as they generally try hard to be polite, fast and efficient (within the limits of the rules of the restaurant).

For the issue of tipping I prefer that it is not an obligation. I like to have it that a reasonable wage is included for the person and a tip is given to show appreciation of good service. For those of you who like tipping there is nothing stopping you tipping good service in Japan. On rare occasions I have done it for very good service and the staff appreciate it.

To JesseP with your comment "I hear many Japanese students of mine say they felt discrimination when they went to a restaurant in the States or AUS. The reason for this is many waiters, from experience, believe that foreigners don't know how to tip." I think I should point out that Australia is a non tipping country.
blvtzpk at 06:31 PM JST - 12th August

I am though happy you got your chance to complain about the States and all the horrible people there. Good for you.

Ambrosia: A cheap shot if there ever was one. I was being civil about your post and made an observation about one person. I have family in the US as well. Completely unnecessary in a polite discussion.
bongoboy at 07:33 PM JST - 12th August

I don't like the "I'm your buddy" act of so many food servers in the States, and tipping sucks. I like the way Japanese restaurants pay their servers a decent wage and they simply do their job.
the_sicilian at 09:33 PM JST - 12th August

Cleo,

You misconstrued my comment. What I said, "treated like hired help" should have been translated more like, "similar to what rich people do to their hired staff; butlers, maids, house cleaners, etc...". the point I was trying to convey is people in Japan generally do not treat restaurant workers with any regard, let alone anything above that.

So when I am in the US, I treat a wait staff very nicely. If they are having a bad day, and try to take it out on me, their tip suffers. Hell, I left a single penny for a party of 7, and the guy chased me out the door. His boss understood why we did it too, and apologized profusely.

I don't think its too much to ask for customers to treat the wait staff at a restaurant with some dignity. You may be surprised at how good the service may be. And if its bad, the manager would like to know....

Addiu
usaexpat at 05:38 AM JST - 13th August

I think for the most part people treat servers the same here as anywhere in the world. People who are too self important tend to dump on servers while those of us under no such dillusions try to interact in a polite way. I've never had rude or particularily bad service here and when issues have arisen they have been handled well. As an aside my son has severe allergies to a number of things including eggs, milk, tree nuts and beef. I have never had as many problems in Japanese retraunts as I have in the States. In Japan if I inquire what is in a particular dish if the server doesn't immediately know they will ask the cook or chef. In the states invariably I will get: "I'm not sure we purchase those pre-packaged" and then I have to ask to see the bag box etc. so I can read it for myself. I am generally pleased with service in Japan and always try to show my appreciation. There are definitely times I wish I could tip.
ambrosia at 04:33 PM JST - 13th August

blvztk: Now, I've never seen that behavior outside the US and NEVER in Japan. A cheap shot if there ever was one. I was being civil about your post and made an observation about one person. I have family in the US as well. Completely unnecessary in a polite discussion.

Okay, if you want to pretend your comment was about one family only, I'm happy to play along.
blvtzpk at 05:29 PM JST - 13th August

Ambrosia: Look, I can't stop you reading into what I have written. If you want to scan it that way, fine, but if you think I'm extrapolating one person's tendencies to that of the cultural behavior of over 300 million people, then you've got some very serious issues with rhetorical conventions. If anything, with your comments you've come across as extremely thin-skinned and smug at the same time. Good day to you.
USARonin at 05:02 PM JST - 14th August

People who don't treat waiters in a genteel manner eat a lot of spit sandwiches.

USAR
KaptainKichigai at 02:33 PM JST - 15th August

"My philisophy is this; Tip Everybody.."-Steve Martin., Why not? Cab drivers, Barbers, Pizza Delivery Guys, Waiters etc...tip everyone in the service industry...if you got it, that is, share it.
Nippon5 at 02:07 PM JST - 16th August

Sorry to those who dont agree with my belief that tipping would create a better waiter/waitress interaction, but I like some personallity in my wait staff and not the robotic I hate my job wait staff I have seen here in my 5 years in Japan... Any one can clear the table or bring food, but I want personality and animation in my wait staff.
lipscombe at 09:21 AM JST - 29th August

tipping is irrelevant, but glad it doesnt exist in Japan. on topic, the majority of customers in shops/restaurants think no eye contact and an occasional grunt is polite enough,I disagree and treat all staff with manners a smile and a thank you.