I read your post out to Koos, stu, and he was saying ‘yes,yes,yes!!’ throughout the piece, laughed uproarously (as did i) and agreed with every single word. It’s a wonder they make any money really isn’t it? It’s the apparent boredom they demonstrate when they do eventually accede that they have to serve you that gets me going…
This is why we almost never go anywhere other than our local. We’re good friends now with the family and staff that owns/runs the place, so it’s not a problem. On the other hand, when I went to a cafe for lunch with a visiting friend of mine, it took forever to get service and then when I tried to order a Perrier (with the French pronunciation, which we use even in the US), the waitress had no idea what I was ordering until I finally had to point to it on the menu. Then she corrected me by pronouncing the R at the end of the word. Come on! The Netherlands is closer to France than the US! If we can say it properly in the US, it shouldn’t be so confusing here in the Netherlands! Then she forgot to actually place our food order. But at least she was very cheery throughout the whole mess!
I’ve noticed this myself :) I normally end up shouting ‘excuse me!’ and making the situation even worse!
I’ve only recently discovered your site and am enjoying reading the back catalogue of articles. Thanks!
Am I the only one who doesn’t recognise this behaviour?! :-) Any time we go to a pub here, we’re always approached (pretty quickly) and place our order. We don’t have to stand at the bar or anything. I can order in Dutch okay – they’re USUALLY pretty friendly and patient around these parts & when I speak Dutch, people usually ask me questions about where I’m from or why I’m here. Perhaps it’s a difference between living in somewhere like Amsterdam and a small-ish town?
Amsterdam does have a nasty reputation service wise. Most cities I’ve been/lived are npt like that. Then again, Amsterdammers are known throughout the country for being assholes…
I asked for a coffee at our Volksuniversiteit canteen last night (the Haarlem one where I take Dutch lessons). I try to order in Dutch (not that asking for “koffie” is a great effort!) Although the coffee wasn’t ready, she said I could get free coffee from the machine. Fine.
Then I asked for “zoetjes”, which you can’t get from the machine (Canderel or sweetener, whatever you want to call it). The woman didn’t understand me. I kept saying, “zoutjes! zoutjes” “Canderel!” “voor de koffie!” “niet suiker maar…zoetjes!” my hands flying around, gesturing.
She replied in English, “the coffee machine is in the corner!” “Nee!!” I said, “zoutjes! voor in de koffie!”
After saying the word ten times, she finally said, “oh, zoutjes?” and she pointed to the end of the counter, where a bowl of zoutjes were.
Could somebody PLEASE tell me how I was supposed to pronounce it any differently than I did? rofl!! If I can’t even get that right after five years, I’m dooooomed…;)
Stu – I take it that some insensitive waiter has upset you then? There’s no need to get all bitter and twisted about it; the next time this happens just go over to him and give him a good hard kick on the shin bone, whilst screaming into his ear “Oy! I NEED A DRINK/FOOD COS I’M BLOODY STARVING!”. See? Just use a little tact. It works every time. . .
Perhaps Amsterdam is one extreme. Though I din’t find the waiters to be all sweet and super helpful, but they din’t make us wait so long in Eindhoven. But I have to admit the general rudeness level is pretty high.
VallyP – I know. They are never even happy when you want to pay the bill. I also wonder how they make their money.
Alison & Laura – As an English person I really don’t get it. I hear people from other countries pronouncing whole sentences badly in my language and I can still understand them. But with the Dutch if one sound is slightyl off they can’t seem to make the connection.
Neil – Welcome to the site :) It seems that anything you do to get noticed just annoys them more.
Lily – You are one of the lucky ones :)
Keith – It is a good idea but there is no knowing what a Dutch waiter would do if I did that. They don’t react like normal people.
zed – That I can agree with. I’m just happy that the beer in Holland is better then the bear in England.
thamarai – I would not be surprised if any tourist city is an extreme case.
Hehehe ! That’s why I like to read expats’ blogs. Can you believe that even at a company party (& while pregnant) the waitress wouldn’t serve me canapes ? I even heard she commenting loud to another waitress: “Pregnants eat for two. This woman always want something from my tray”. Incredible !
On the flip side of this, it feels soooo nice to work in bars and not give a crap about the customers. Coming from an American “the customer is right even when he’s wrong and HE KNOWS IT” background, the ability to ignore a customer until you’re ready is priceless.
haha! I always say, to whomever I’m with at a cafe, pub or restaurant “First rule of being a waiter in Europe – Avoid
ALL eye contact!” Maybe it’s a generalisation, but it happens not only in the Netherlands but is pretty common across Europe. We now avoid the places with this sort of “service” and go to the places that actually care about the customer. Takes a while to find the ones who really like their job, but well worth it in the end.
Renee – The avoid all eye contact rule sounds about right. It always amuses me how they can look around a room full of people and yet make no eye contact at the same time.
VallyP Says:
I read your post out to Koos, stu, and he was saying ‘yes,yes,yes!!’ throughout the piece, laughed uproarously (as did i) and agreed with every single word. It’s a wonder they make any money really isn’t it? It’s the apparent boredom they demonstrate when they do eventually accede that they have to serve you that gets me going…
November 5, 2009 @ 9:35 am
Alison Says:
This is why we almost never go anywhere other than our local. We’re good friends now with the family and staff that owns/runs the place, so it’s not a problem. On the other hand, when I went to a cafe for lunch with a visiting friend of mine, it took forever to get service and then when I tried to order a Perrier (with the French pronunciation, which we use even in the US), the waitress had no idea what I was ordering until I finally had to point to it on the menu. Then she corrected me by pronouncing the R at the end of the word. Come on! The Netherlands is closer to France than the US! If we can say it properly in the US, it shouldn’t be so confusing here in the Netherlands! Then she forgot to actually place our food order. But at least she was very cheery throughout the whole mess!
November 5, 2009 @ 10:58 am
Neil Says:
I’ve noticed this myself :) I normally end up shouting ‘excuse me!’ and making the situation even worse!
I’ve only recently discovered your site and am enjoying reading the back catalogue of articles. Thanks!
November 5, 2009 @ 11:52 am
Lily Says:
Am I the only one who doesn’t recognise this behaviour?! :-) Any time we go to a pub here, we’re always approached (pretty quickly) and place our order. We don’t have to stand at the bar or anything. I can order in Dutch okay – they’re USUALLY pretty friendly and patient around these parts & when I speak Dutch, people usually ask me questions about where I’m from or why I’m here. Perhaps it’s a difference between living in somewhere like Amsterdam and a small-ish town?
November 5, 2009 @ 12:52 pm
Anneke Says:
Amsterdam does have a nasty reputation service wise. Most cities I’ve been/lived are npt like that. Then again, Amsterdammers are known throughout the country for being assholes…
November 5, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
Laura Says:
I asked for a coffee at our Volksuniversiteit canteen last night (the Haarlem one where I take Dutch lessons). I try to order in Dutch (not that asking for “koffie” is a great effort!) Although the coffee wasn’t ready, she said I could get free coffee from the machine. Fine.
Then I asked for “zoetjes”, which you can’t get from the machine (Canderel or sweetener, whatever you want to call it). The woman didn’t understand me. I kept saying, “zoutjes! zoutjes” “Canderel!” “voor de koffie!” “niet suiker maar…zoetjes!” my hands flying around, gesturing.
She replied in English, “the coffee machine is in the corner!” “Nee!!” I said, “zoutjes! voor in de koffie!”
After saying the word ten times, she finally said, “oh, zoutjes?” and she pointed to the end of the counter, where a bowl of zoutjes were.
Could somebody PLEASE tell me how I was supposed to pronounce it any differently than I did? rofl!! If I can’t even get that right after five years, I’m dooooomed…;)
November 5, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
Keith Says:
Stu – I take it that some insensitive waiter has upset you then? There’s no need to get all bitter and twisted about it; the next time this happens just go over to him and give him a good hard kick on the shin bone, whilst screaming into his ear “Oy! I NEED A DRINK/FOOD COS I’M BLOODY STARVING!”. See? Just use a little tact. It works every time. . .
November 6, 2009 @ 1:23 am
zed Says:
The beer is far better in Belgium anyway ;-)
November 6, 2009 @ 11:08 am
Anneke Says:
@ Laura, I always just say ‘nepsuiker’ :) Btw, the oe is pronounced like the o in do. (as in the verb ;) )
November 6, 2009 @ 11:59 am
thamarai Says:
Perhaps Amsterdam is one extreme. Though I din’t find the waiters to be all sweet and super helpful, but they din’t make us wait so long in Eindhoven. But I have to admit the general rudeness level is pretty high.
November 6, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
Invader_Stu Says:
VallyP – I know. They are never even happy when you want to pay the bill. I also wonder how they make their money.
Alison & Laura – As an English person I really don’t get it. I hear people from other countries pronouncing whole sentences badly in my language and I can still understand them. But with the Dutch if one sound is slightyl off they can’t seem to make the connection.
Neil – Welcome to the site :) It seems that anything you do to get noticed just annoys them more.
Lily – You are one of the lucky ones :)
Keith – It is a good idea but there is no knowing what a Dutch waiter would do if I did that. They don’t react like normal people.
zed – That I can agree with. I’m just happy that the beer in Holland is better then the bear in England.
thamarai – I would not be surprised if any tourist city is an extreme case.
November 6, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
Anita Says:
Hehehe ! That’s why I like to read expats’ blogs. Can you believe that even at a company party (& while pregnant) the waitress wouldn’t serve me canapes ? I even heard she commenting loud to another waitress: “Pregnants eat for two. This woman always want something from my tray”. Incredible !
November 6, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
Amanda Blog and Kiss Says:
On the flip side of this, it feels soooo nice to work in bars and not give a crap about the customers. Coming from an American “the customer is right even when he’s wrong and HE KNOWS IT” background, the ability to ignore a customer until you’re ready is priceless.
There, I said it. So sue me.
See you tonight!
November 6, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
Invader Stu Says:
Anita – Wow. That takes it to a whole other level
Amanda Blog and Kiss – Is that why you never served me? :( :P
November 8, 2009 @ 11:20 am
be.bart Says:
Why would you order anything in a Dutch bar? If you want a decent drink, go south young man (I agree with Zoe on that one).
But if you really must, take a flare gun with you. Works for me!
November 9, 2009 @ 1:36 pm
renee Says:
haha! I always say, to whomever I’m with at a cafe, pub or restaurant “First rule of being a waiter in Europe – Avoid
ALL eye contact!” Maybe it’s a generalisation, but it happens not only in the Netherlands but is pretty common across Europe. We now avoid the places with this sort of “service” and go to the places that actually care about the customer. Takes a while to find the ones who really like their job, but well worth it in the end.
November 9, 2009 @ 2:14 pm
Invader Stu Says:
be.bart – I tried that. Still nothing :p
Renee – The avoid all eye contact rule sounds about right. It always amuses me how they can look around a room full of people and yet make no eye contact at the same time.
November 9, 2009 @ 2:41 pm