Odd Policy

Anyone here working in the food industry? I oddly had a mind-boggling experience with one when we were on our trip.

We got back to Iloilo from Guimaras with time to burn before our flight out. Despite the fact that the local weather beaureau already declared the start of the rainy season, we were mighty glad to have been blessed by bright sunshiny days when we need it. A drizzle here and there and a looming threat of heavy downpour, but the only downpour we experienced was in Gigantes Island during our sleeping hours.

We essentially still felt summer when we pushed through finally with our Iloilo-Gigantes-Iloilo-Guimaras trip.

Our flight back to Manila was not until the evening. We were back in the city around 2 in the bloody hot afternoon. we can stay in the airport and wait but then we do not want to crowd in the place yet with the other passengers. There is not much to see there except the airport chairs. Maybe two shops with long lines of people wanting to buy goods they can take home.

We asked the local taxi driver who picked us up for any suggestions where we can stay for a while that is not a mall or Jollibee. Somewhere we can eat preferably local food. But also somewhere we can eat ice cream.

We could have done city tour but with the heat of the afternoon and that little tiredness that we are already feeling rejects the thought. Besides, we deliberately scratched off city tour and ancestral house visits for this particular trip. We were simply hungry for a short island getaway.

The driver agreed with us that such time is not an enjoying time to be walking outside visiting churches and taking pictures with old houses. While driving out of the port, the driver also consulted with his fellow drivers.

He dropped us off in this area where there were lots of places to eat in. Some had a lot, but not full, of customers. Others were empty. It is like food haven. Also some areas with spa. Has it not been that I was hauling a heavy backpack, I would have wanted one hour of massage. But then that treat would have been cancelled out because I would put stress on my shoulders again when we pick up our stuff again.

We sat inside one of the shops just in time for a table getting freed up. We looked in their menu and both my friends ordered Halo halo. While I ordered some banana con hielo not wanting to be overwhelmed with too many items in the food. I ended up with a banana shake. Honestly that was far from my expectation but the drink was good.

From time to time we check their menu again in case we would like to try more. I saw their cake lineup and I pointed to my friend that their cakes are from this one distinguished bakeshop from a nearby province. So we ordered a slice of blueberry cheesecake. But it never came. We never followed up either because we will soon be needing to go and might not have time to enjoy the cake anymore.

Time passed and the driver texted us that he is already back where he dropped us off a while back. He can now drop us off in the airport. We asked for the bill and saw that the blueberry cheesecake was punched in. So we told the crew that that needs to be scratched off as it was never served.

The crew asked who was our order-taker. The tone of the voice was a little alarming. But we thought maybe that is just the way he speaks. We said we can't really remember. Then he walks away. We were surprised when the waitress who took our orders approached us, and openly admitted that it was her who jotted down our orders.

She apologized.

I found that unnecessary. But the tone of her voice was a little more than sorry.

When we said it is ok and they just need to scratch it off our bill, that is when she apologized again and asked us if we would want to take it still but to-go.

I had no intentions of taking out any food. My hands were full as it is and so was my tummy.

She quickly blurted out though that if we do not take it to go, she would be charged with the cheesecake price.

That shocked me.

We were quiet for a moment. We all made a mental computation and a mental what if scenario and it just broke my heart to know they have such a policy.

We decided to take it instead.

It was heartbreaking to have that kind of policy active even during the time when tourism and everyone else is just starting to pick up.

Was it really her - the ordertaker - fault? I was simulating their possible system in my head with possible owner of each action :

• She takes the order

• Cashier punches it

• Cashier calls it in the kitchen

• Kitchen preps it

• Kitchen places order in window for cashier to place in pickup area

• Cashier calls out the order

• Waiter / order taker picks up the item

• Waiter/ order taker brings it to customer

At some point there was a disconnect with the flow it seems.

For me it was not her fault. Unless she was called out multiple times about an item waiting in the pickup area and she never heard it.

But then again, any crew who sees an item untouched in the pick up area not being moved I'd imagine that crew will take initiative to bring it to the customers.

I cringe at the though of having their salary getting deducted for something that could easily be reversed in their end. Because the item seemed to not have been prepared. So what would she bring to the customer?

I hope business owners will also rethink about their policies specially at this time of recovery.

But what do I know, right? It is an industry I know nothing of. Maybe the policy is normal?

I still shake my head when I replay the scenario in my head.

What is your story?

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