PapiMami

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Food Court

Last Sunday, we witnessed something disturbing at a food court. We were having dinner at a nearby food court in USJ, Mami and I, my parents and Yiyi.

When we were about to leave, my mom saw one of the food court staff returned with a half empty/half full glass of green-colored juice. Kiwi, I think. The staff then returned to the drink counter, scooped some ice and poured it into the glass to make it full. Then she left the glass on the counter.

At this point, my mom asked to us to see what will happen next. She suspected that the staff actually got this glass of Kiwi juice from another table where the patron did not finished his/her drink and left.

It must be about 5 minutes or so, then the same staff returned, got the glass full of Kiwi juice and ice, and delivered it to yet another table.

Normally in a food court, the food court operator handles the beverage stall. They would employed foreign workers to run the stall, to get orders from the customers and to deliver the drinks, while the BOSS manned the cashier. At the beginning of the day, each worker is given a specific sum of money, say RM20. This money is used to 'buy' the drinks. When the staff got orders from customers, he proceeds to place the order at the drinks counter. When the drinks are ready, he will bring the drinks to the cashier, where the BOSS sits, and pay to the BOSS (using his RM20 given to him earlier). Only then will he proceeds to deliver the drinks to the customers, and got the money back from the customers. At the end of the day, he will need to give the RM20 back to the BOSS.

By 'recycling' drinks, they will be able to make some extra money, since the BOSS wouldn't know that the drinks are being recycled. My father confirmed this and said it is possible. He used to work in a canteen when he was young, and he said it was normal. Unfinished cakes, noodles even drinks were 'recycled' so the seller made extra profit.

This really makes me think twice when ordering for drinks in the future.