Are they being unreasonable? Banned from local KFC today

[GraciousLife]

Popped into my local KFC today. Due to the area I live in, they have screens up between customer and cashier (like in post offices and banks), which makes it hard to hear what is being said. I didn't understand what the girl asked me, and, as I often say when I don't understand what someone has said, I jokingly said "Can I have that in English please", without thinking/realising/noticing the cashier was from another country (english being her second language).

The cashier got very upset. More upset than I would have thought is necessary, and refused to continue to serve me. I was shocked. She got her manager and told her what I had said. To cut a very long story short, I have been banned from the store.

I will try and live up to this from now on.

Well I can't say pardon any more and I can't bring myself to say what and if I can't say sorry either, I'm just going to have to use my imagination and decide what someone's said rather than ask them

Can't use excuse me either, cos again, that's a fart or a burp.

I suppose that just leaves "sorry, would you mind repeating that?" (which 'sorry' is short for)

i'm sticking with pardon because I Don't Give A Shit. no doubt the toffs say what because they are entitled nobboes, doesn't mean i have to treat people like that.

There's always 'huh?' Hecate

Eh?

If I was working in a foreign country and doing my best to fit in and speak the language, I would be really upset if someone asked me to say it again in that language when I had already. If they asked me to repeat myself, I wouldn't be offended at all, I'd presume that they couldn't understand my accent and I'd try to be clearer.

I wouldn't ever say what you said to someone, who isn't English, even in jest.... unless they were a really good friend who understood my humour and knew that I loved them.

However, you didn't mean to offend. A big lesson learned and a humble tale to tell at future interviews...

I hope you get a new (and better) job... but never assume someone is on the same wavelength as you again when you've only just met them.... I speak from bitter experience!

now Eh? is just undeniably rude, isn't it?

I have been known to use 'sorry what?' but that's more when I can't believe what ive heard rather than not hearing it.

Main post office in Belfast doesn't have screens. Just for the record.

I'm American. I said 'what' until I moved to Belfast. Now I say 'sorry'! I have no idea what class I am. Am I supposed to know? ::worried:: not really

She only went in for lunch. Wasn't the area manager or anything.

Screens?! Where on earth do you live?! That wasn't a good thing to say

What needs clarifyinging in this sort of transaction?

Box or bucket (snigger)

I'm just imagining I had moved to, say, France and got a job in a shop or restaurant. If I was doing my best to speak French nice and clearly to the customers, and one of them said something like "en francais?" in what sounded like a mocking tone I'd probably be upset and think she was mean and a bit snotty. If she was one of several people to make a comment I might even cry and tell my boss. Sorry for ramble, just trying to see her point of view.

Mocking over language use is a form of passive aggressive racism. I get it all the time and it's really not very nice at all. There's one woman in our local bakery who does it to me all the time. Pretends she doesn't understand what I'm saying when I know full well she does. One day I'll snap and I'll be over the counter and she'll have a kanelbulle right up where the ...

i've never heard that 'phrase' in my life, i'd be pissed off as well.

Are you on the right thread Shockers?

However, you didn't mean to offend. A big lesson learned and a humble tale to tell at future interviews...

I hope you get a new (and better) job... but never assume someone is on the same wavelength as you again when you've only just met them.... I speak from bitter experience!

Eh?

A few years ago when i was at uni, there was a disabled student in my class. Great girl, very nice. She had a missing left hand and the left arm was also malformed. But when i was just getting to know her she was struggling to open something and I asked her if she needed a hand......

She gave me a look and then the penny dropped for me. I was and didn't know waht to say but she was . She enjoyed the look on my face and said not to worry, the only people who are sensitive about disabilities are the able bodied.

There's such a thing as being too sensitive.

What, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT,

What?

YANBU.

If they weren't even speaking recognisable English that was a perfectly reasonable question. It should have been taken at face value, instead of reading insults into it that weren't there.

Can someone please clarify how you get the food if there's a screen there.

Hungry now.

' will you fucking speak up for fucks sake'

Természetesen Ön is ésszerűtlen. Nem érted, hogy a legtöbb idióták alkalmazott ezeken a helyeken nem beszél angolul? Ez rajtad múlik, hogy megtanulják a nyelvet.

What English is the English that all English speakers should speak? They differ so much around the world and are an official language in so many countries.

My English is different from an Aberdonians but I would never say 'again in English' to any Scot if I didn't understand. I would ask them to repeat it. Depending on the setting. I think KFC is quite informal so 'what?' would do the trick.

I just want to know more about this KFC with screens OP

I'm in deepest Sarf London with gangs on every corner but even we don't have screens in our KFC or maccyDs....

Is there also that shabby grey carpet and the slight smell of despair that permeates my local post office?