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While recently eating out with newly arrived friends from the US, what I thought at first was just another typical Turkish dining experience made me examine some of the differences between the Turkish and American attitudes in restaurant management.
It was not until the end of the meal when the rather chatty waiter who had been serving us throughout the evening invited himself to join us for an after-dinner tea that I realized this would never happen in the US. And my friends were a little surprised, to say the least. But, in Turkey, this is a common occurrence and there have been many times that the waiter or even the business owner have stopped to share a coffee or tea and just chat.
In the US there is a division between the wait staff and the diners. Over-familiarity between the two is frowned upon in most places of business. The waiter or waitress is there to serve the meal, run interference between the customer and the kitchen and then make sure the bill is paid promptly so the table can be vacated and readied for the next incoming group. High turnover is key as it also ensures higher tips for the waiter, which is essential since most wait staff are working for pay below minimum wage and the tips collected during their work shift must make up the difference. In Turkey, where tips, when left, are at a much lower percentage of the bill than in the US, it would seem logical that the same attitude would apply in trying to get as many clients in and out during working hours. In Turkey, however, it is the emphasis on interaction and the desire to make guests feel welcome that is inherent in the culture that comes into play more than the end goal of making money.
Importance of pace
American restaurants realize that the bottom line is how many tables can be filled, vacated and filled again. I worked for many years in the food service industry in the US, starting out as a waitress, later becoming a professional chef and, finally, a kitchen manager. In all those positions, the desired goal of the job was to get as many clients as possible in the restaurant. The more people who could be moved in and out efficiently meant greater profit for the business. In Turkey, however, customers are encouraged to linger long after the meal has finished and the waiters will continue to offer endless cups of tea.
One time a friend arrived from the US and we went out to lunch with my infant son happily playing in his stroller. The waiter came to the table, fussed over the baby and then took our order. He then reappeared and squatted down to play with my son. Since my son obviously was enjoying the attention, the waiter lifted him out of the stroller and disappeared with him. My friend and I continued to chat for a few minutes before she realized that the waiter and my son were not in sight. In alarm she said, "Oh my God! Where is your son? Where did that man take him?" I tried to calm her fears by explaining that we often came to this restaurant and were known to the owner and staff. "They like to take him into the kitchen and show him off. It's fine." My friend looked at me as if I had lost my mind by allowing someone to wander off with my baby. But, to her surprise, and relief, the waiter reappeared from the kitchen a little later, carrying my giggling son. They waved at us and went out into the garden of the restaurant to smell all the flowers. A different waiter brought us our food while our original waiter filled in as babysitter so that we could have a relaxing meal. Some wait staff in the US will coo over a baby, but no one would dare take a child away from the parents without express consent. And it is quite doubtful that consent would be granted in the first place.
It is not uncommon in Turkey to find friends of the workers just idling in the restaurant, chatting and drinking tea for hours. Family members come and go freely throughout the day. In America, having your family come to your place of business to just pass the time would be an almost certain ground for dismissal unless they are there to have a meal, pay and depart.
Beverages
Drinks are another difference between the two countries. In most restaurants in the US ice water is automatically brought, for free, to the table along with the menus. It is just assumed that the customer will want water alongside any other beverage they wish to order. All cold drinks will be served with lots of ice in them. In Turkey, however, cold drinks are served warmish rather than icy cold as is preferred by most Americans. Coffee is another point of divergence between the two countries. In America, even in a tiny local diner, coffee is brewed fresh throughout the day. Nescafe is never an option. In Turkey, however, many Americans have been surprised to learn that often it is a packet of powdered coffee and hot water that arrives when they order a cup of coffee after a meal. The other alternative is Turkish coffee, which for many people is an acquired taste.
After a meal in Turkey comes to a close there sometimes ensues the dance of trying to get the bill to pay. Since lingering over a meal is encouraged, there is a seeming reluctance on the part of the staff to present the check. In the US the bill comes immediately after the plates are cleared away so that the customers can be on their way. Here, however, the staff has a tendency to mysteriously disappear when it is time to depart. Maybe this is an unconscious effort to encourage clients to linger longer and maybe have yet another glass of tea. Many times I have tried in vain to get the waiter's attention to ask for the bill, having to resort to putting on my coat and heading for the door before they emerge with the tab figured up and ready. But, even if the bill is presented in an efficient manner, there is the matter of the restaurant having change in their cash register. As an American, used to quick service, it can be a little puzzling as to why a business does not start each day with change in the register. If a customer is paying with a large bill it is not at all unusual for the cashier to dig through his own pockets or even go to the business next door to find correct change.
While the end goal of eating out in either country is the same -- to enjoy a meal of good, filling food -- there are varying attitudes and manners involved in the process. The differences in culture play strongly into any business, especially restaurants. Is one better than the other? It depends. In America the food service industry is geared toward bringing in the greatest profit possible. Sometimes this results in the customer just becoming a faceless entity. In Turkey, the emphasis is more on the individual interaction, which means that money could be lost due to a lack of efficiency. When I am not in a hurry I definitely prefer the Turkish pace, but when I have little time to spare I want to eat and be on my way quickly. In my opinion, both attitudes have their good and bad points. Maybe the two cultures could learn from each other.
17.01.2008
KATHY HAMILTON İSTANBUL
todayszaman
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