A waiter fired for being "aggressive, rude and disrespectful" claims that there was nothing wrong with his behaviour ... he was just being "French". Deserved or not, France's reputation for producing surly waiters who eye customers with suspicion, indeed disdain, is known the world over and has stood the test of time. Now one waiter has taken that to another level by appearing to claim that a grumpy "garçon" is a cherished French national trait, not a sign of unprofessional conduct. Guillaume Rey, who worked at a restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, filed a complaint with the state's human rights tribunal, saying he was a victim of "discrimination against my culture". The restaurant, run by Cara Operations, accused Rey of breaching its code of conduct. It argued that he persisted in unacceptably rude behaviour despite verbal and written performance reviews and that it had no option but to fire him. Rey said his employer was being culturally colour blind as the French approach ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.