to have pointed out a spelling mistake in a menu?

[freckledleopard]

First off, I really don't think I was being unreasonable, but would like others' opinions please.

I went for drinks last night in a cafe I'd not been to before. The various food options were written on a blackboard above the tills. One of the options described sausages and "gravey". I didn't say anything initially - ordered my drink, thanked the server and went to my seat. Later in the evening, when ordering again, whilst waiting for my wine, I spoke to the same assistant and said, with a bit of a smile, "Sorry, I just wanted to point out that "gravy" is not spelled with an "e" in it". I smiled again to reiterate I was being friendly and added, "I just notice these things!" (which is true. I'm a lawyer and a pedant.)

The woman's demeanour immediately changed at this point. She said "well, I didn't write it, but I'll be sure to tell my dyslexic colleague that she spelled it wrong" (she really did emphasise the word dyslexic). Again, I smiled (awkwardly now) and repeated that I had a job that made me notice spelling errors. Again, she repeated that she would be sure to tell her "dyslexic colleague that she couldn't spell 'gravy'".

I paid for my drink and walked away blushing, feeling really pissed off. Frankly, if you're going to have a dyslexic colleague write the menus, surely it would be common sense to double check the spelling? Further, I always point out spelling and grammar mistakes on public signs and leaflets (and have been known to tweet companies whose packaging contains errors) so that the relevant people can correct them.

I'm still pissed off today (and yes, I appreciate it's a first world problem). But AIBU to think the assistant was rude, abrupt and should perhaps have graciously accepted what I said, maybe made a joke of it, rather than having a go at me?

[SirChenjin]

If I owned - obv

[normalishdude]

...'double check' should be hyphenated.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I don't think the OP is applying her standards to a post on a chat website, normalish. That's what people generally explain, anyway.

[NurseRoscoe]

It's unreasonable of them to have a dyslexic member if staff writing the menus! They wouldn't ask someone in a wheelchair to do a job that involved stacking items on high shelves, they would find them a job suitable for them, in a restaurant I can imagine there would be plenty of jobs someone who is dyslexic could do with no difficulties and another member of staff could write out the menus! It's not very professional.

However I do think you were being unreasonable to point it out, that would be the managers job to deal with and it was clear what it meant

[mewmeow]

I dont think your intentions were unreasonable, but it does smack of self-satisfaction and one up man ship (even if you didnt intend it that way, sorry). Maybe resist the urge next time.

[SooticaTheWitchesCat]

YANBU

I hate to see spelling mistakes like that too. Surely someone should have noticed even if the person writing was dyslexic? And I bet there wasn't a dyslexic colleague anyway and the assistant obviously had no idea how to spell gravy anyway or she would have noticed

There was no need for her to be so rude.

[MrsLouisTheroux]

TBH OP, it really does not matter if you are a lawyer, teacher, proof-reader or not. She obviously felt patronised by you and responded aggressively. You really should have kept your mouth shut. It's quite tiresome when people go around pointing out mistakes.

[lessonsintightropes]

I think you were out of order and shouldn't have mentioned it. Our local cafe which does lovely food is run by Turkish people whose grasp of the finer points of English is not marvellous - why would I be a wanker and point out mistakes of theirs? Comes across as snobbish and arsey - fine if to your children, but not to strangers.

[normalishdude]

It seems to me that she tried to.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Yes, because being dyslexic and writing a menu is exactly like being in a wheelchair and being asked to stack shelves. And misspelling a word on a cafe menu is precisely as much of a failure of your job as being entirely unable to perform any part of it.

Yup.

Got that.

Good good.

Leaving that aside ... why on earth does it matter if this colleague really had dyslexia or not, or if it's her or not? If someone is working as a waitress in a cafe, they are working in a low-paid job that is quite physically demanding and tiring. Sure, they should do it perfectly and respond cheerfully to customers being rude ... but it'd be awfully nice to cut people a break every now and again, wouldn't it?

[FourLittleDudes]

Seeing as 'the dyslexic' seems acceptable, can we start saying 'the black' or 'the downs' or 'the fatty' when referring to people now....? No, didnt think so.

[thebody]

I am a qualified nurse but I don't go around warning people who are cyanosed, coughing and having a fag that it might be better for their health if they stopped smoking.

I bet you were head girl at school too.

[lessonsintightropes]

And OP I write for a living. Still pedantic, uncivil and patronising - YABU.

[HesterShaw]

Why is it though? In other areas of business no one has a problem with pointing out if a company has made a mistake. The restaurant is a business. I imagine they want to look professional. Why so touchy?

[olidusUrsus]

But you weren't really doing it to be helpful, were you?

In the past, people have been grateful, made a note or acknowledged that other people have highlighted the same error.

I don't think you demeanour was as polite as you say it was, you sound like you could have been very patronising and seeking a pat on the back for being right at the same time...

[thebody]

FourLittieDudes and LRD exactly.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I have a job where I'm presented with illegible stuff all the time I practically have to be psychic and often can't read a bloody thing that's been written. I still manage to restrain myself and serve them politely withiy humiliating them over their writing and spelling.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Without

[catsmother]

I agree that spelling mistakes create a bad impression and I can't help but wonder if anyone with dyslexia actually works there at all ? My bet would have been on the huffy waitress writing the blackboard menu and she took umbrage at having her mistake pointed out to her.

I look at web pages all day long as part of my job - I see literally 1000s of sites a week - and I'm continually gobsmacked by the spelling mistakes and grammatical errors to be found on even the most 'professional' looking sites belonging to well known companies and establishments most people would consider as pretty credible. If you want to present a professional image then surely having your web content proofread, edited where necessary and spell checked before you publish it goes without saying ?

I do agree though that pointing out spelling or grammatical mistakes isn't always a good idea. You'd probably get your head chewed off by the stereotypical market greengrocer for example (best banana's etc). However, anyone who wants to make a success of their business should welcome constructive criticism, even if it is a tiny part of the whole picture (as in a single spelling mistake). Most professionals want every single aspect of their business to create the right impression and communication is pretty important.

[thebody]

the assistant obviously had no idea how to spell gravy properly anyway

Really? You know this how? That she's just a waitress?

Maybe she too is working her way through uni and working part time but was angry on her colleagues behalf that a smug patronising customer felt the need to point out a tiny spelling error on a menu.

Have you ever worked in a restaurant?

My ds2,not the son who has dyslexia,works as a pot wash to supplement his uni course and regularly does 9am through to 12pm. He is beyond tired after a shift. Mistakes could quite easily be made.

Those of you who have to correct others all of the time, you must have loads of friends.

[mensachampion]

The restaurant is a business. I imagine they want to look professional.

This isn't the first comment that appears to try to paint the establishment as some sort of high end gastronomic institution, but from what I can see the OP has only ever described it as a cafe! That doesn't mean its a dump staffed by chavs, but if you want perfection, go somewhere that charges the going rate for it, don't go to a cheap cafe and bemoan the minimum wage staff are lowering the standards of society with a few incorrectly spelled words..

[nauticant]

Is it just possible, a long shot I know, that the waitress was being sarcastic when she said "I'll be sure to tell my dyslexic colleague that she spelled it wrong"?

Anyway, enough of that. Tell us more about your job OP, it sounds fascinating and important.

[freckledleopard]

I used to waitress and pot-wash as a teenager in a restaurant. The mantra we were taught was that "the customer is always right".

Mistakes can easily be made. I make mistakes - they are pointed out to me in red pen by a partner. I try to double, triple-check my work before it goes for review.

Anyway, my drink was poured before the conversation took place, so at least she didn't have the opportunity to spit in it

[JingleMyBells]

Why on earth would you do that? I have been to places where every other word is spelt wrong but it wouldn't occur to me to say anything.

YABU and trying to make yourself look and sound superior.