amusing social commentary

[callicrates]

I've noticed something in the last several trips willowisp and I have taken for lunch and dinner out by ourselves. I tend to order a big salad. She goes for fish and chips (at Flying Star) or enchiladas (at Garduno's). When the food finally arrives, the person bringing it out will usually offer her the salad and me the, um, greasier stuff. This has happened enough times that I don't think it's random chance.

Deconstruction of potential stereotypes is left as an exercise for the reader.

Comments

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

Kind of the same way Josh inevitably gets handed the check and, even if I pay the bill, he gets handed the card to sign, or handed the change.

[torquemada.livejournal.com]

Not inevitably, but I can usually tell when I first see the waitperson whom ey would give the check to and return it to once paid.

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

Based on what?

[torquemada.livejournal.com]

Attitude (mental and physical), dress and appearance, and use of language.

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

Example?

[torquemada.livejournal.com]

The woman who took our lunch order today. Little Chinese-looking lady, middle aged. Probably raised traditionally, but from her dress she's a little more progressive. She's also attentive and very facile -- she is very familiar with the register, with the layout of things behind the counter, she never forgets who ordered what, is otherwise competent. If she brought checks out, the first time she'd bring it to me, because she'd expect me to pay by default, but if you paid she'd be keeping an eye out and would remember next time, because she pays attention to her customers.

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

I'm still not clear on how you'd determine who she would place the check in front of.

[torquemada.livejournal.com]

Well, someone more traditional, sloppy, or disinterested would probably give me the check by default; someone especially traditional, or not very interested in doing the job well, wouldn't think to check the name on the card and return it to the right person; someone attentive enough to see that we interact as equals, or who eirself was progressive enough, might not assume that I was The Man and Breadwinner and would leave the check between us.

Who gets which meal

[jklgoduke.livejournal.com]

So I'm an omnivorous female married to a vegetarian male. And very often in unfamiliar restaurants they try to give me the veggie meal and the hunk-o-meat to hubby. And whenever I'm out for dinner with someone male (hubby or otherwise), he usually gets the bill. They're getting a lot better about getting the receipt back to me to sign if I give them the credit card than they used to be, though.

Not entirely related -- I have a general dislike for sales folks. 11 years ago when I was last car shopping, I took a male friend along. The sales folks always attacked him, and he'd talk to them while I looked around the lot. He'd string them along as long as he could, but they'd eventually ask some direct question like "so would you be interested in buying this?" and he'd say "Actually, she's the one shopping. I'm just along for the ride." Ha.

[willowisp.livejournal.com]

One time Andy and I were eating out and the waiter came and handed the check to me. I was almost ready to begin respecting him for not being sexist when Andy pulled out his card. At that point the waiter said "You're not old enough to have a credit card!" Ah well, the joys of robbing the cradle.