In any sphere of work, hard work, tenacity, and honesty are the three most salient aspects of success. The ones who follow it rigorously are expected to climb the rungs of the ladder in due time. There are a few jobs even that need you to hone yourself to perfection in a specific lingo like that of a translator or a commentator as the job revolves around the language.
However, for a hotel manager, the aspects are entirely different. It is his chivalry and his courteous manners with a smile that impresses most of the customers and draws them to the restaurant. Surprisingly for someone who has been with a restaurant since its very inception, is prone to know how to serve customers in the best ways possible.
Unfortunately, at times hotel owners tend to forget these things and think that English is the solitary yardstick of excellence. This is what leads to all the turmoil in the world. In a similar case that unfolded in a Pakistan restaurant, the manager was mocked by the two hotel owners for not being able t speak affluent English.
In a café at Cannoli known as the Café Soul that is in Islamabad, owners Uzma Chaudhary and Dia Halder were caught deriding their manager, Owais for not being able to speak proper English in an Instagram video.
At the start of the video, the owners are heard saying, “So, this is our manager who has been with us for nine years. And this is the beautiful English he speaks. This is what we paid for… and a very good salary, mind you.”
Before the video was deleted from their Instagram handle after people started giving them a severe talking-to, Pakistan Daily posted on its Twitter handle and the video found itself reaching out to millions, who started slamming the owners for such insensitive and uneducated behavior.
Here is the link to the video: https://twitter.com/etribune/status/1351984263147696132
Twitteratti came out all guns blazing at the owners for the infringement of various protocols that caught the eye. Here are a few tweets that rocked the café from its very roots.
Humiliating your countrymen so you’ll be accepted by foreigners always ends in being rejected by both. #BoycottCannoli https://t.co/hORo2XL1Ta
— Jeremy McLellan (@JeremyMcLellan) January 21, 2021
Re: #BoycottCannoliIslamabad #BoycottCannoli
It's good to see many ppl supporting the manager of Cannoli. I hope someone offers him a better job.
Women struggle in many ways, so it's truly sad to see 'empowered' women treat one of their loyal employees of 9 years this way. https://t.co/aAAQHI1Siq
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) January 21, 2021
https://twitter.com/etribune/status/1351984263147696132
https://twitter.com/AmberKhurshid_/status/1352165762904035328
https://twitter.com/dejectedmemon/status/1352001270501015555
Some deciding to boycott this place. Don’t do that. The manager will face. Rather go there & give 5 star to this employee. He managed this Restaurant without knowing English. He deserves applause.
— Parveen Kaswan (@ParveenKaswan) January 21, 2021
Another user tweeted, “Disgusting and shameful!
what a sick mentality, I think language is just a way of communication. However, in a different country, speaking Eng makes you feel elite or a kind of superior to others. English is just a language not to define how capable someone is.”
Dear restaurant owner kindness is the best language, a universal language, behtar hai aap bhi seekh len!! 🙄
— Dr Bushra Iqbal🇵🇰 (@DrBushraIqbal) January 21, 2021
https://twitter.com/snwszh/status/1352193785174908928
A language can be learnt. Decency and empathy can't. Pls convey my msg to these ladies : "hatt!"
And to the brother: "You've managed your workplace for a decade despite not being as privileged as the owners. Great job. When the fools talk,say words of peace & ignore."— RantWithGrace (@Falak_Kahkashan) January 21, 2021
This stems from hatred and contempt for poor.
Full respect to this man who knew he was humiliated and had the option to shut these two disdainful up, but he chose his family over his ego.
Many make this choice every day.
— میمونہ خٹک (@Memuna_Khattak) January 20, 2021
Both these aunties may speak fluent English but portrays third class mannerism, he is doing a manager’s job not an English literature professor’s job … angreezi ka sath thoori tameez bhi sekh lateen auntie 🧟♀️🧟♀️
— Ayesha Syed🇵🇰🇸🇦 (@Guddloo) January 20, 2021
Owais looks more educated then these ladies. He is in mask and following SOP.
He has been running the restaurant for 9 years with the same language and making money for your inferiority complexed souls. Shame on you low lifes.#BoycottCannoli #Shameful pic.twitter.com/rtG9xG4XOw— Usman Ali 🇯🇴 (@Survivor994) January 21, 2021
https://twitter.com/Awesomesalman1/status/1352043319929544704
The owners realized their mistake and issued a formal post of apology. This is what they penned, “We are saddened and appalled by the reaction of the people, how they have misconstrued our banter with a team member.
This video depicts the gup shup between us as a team and is never meant or taken in a hurtful or negative way. If anyone was hurt or offended we apologise, however that was never our intention.
We are not required to prove or defend ourselves as kind employers. Our team has been with us for a decade, that should speak for itself.
We are proud Pakistanis who love our language and our culture.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKTbXb3h4A-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
