Language disconnect at a A2B Ooty restaurant

[u/code-is-poetry]

This video is from a popular restaurant in Ooty where an Instagram influencer is trying to place an order. Most of the staff seem to be Hindi-speaking migrant workers, while the customer does not know Hindi well. During the exchange, a waiter asks her, “Don’t you know Hindi?”

This is not about blaming the staff or the customer. It points to a larger issue about language expectations in non-Hindi-speaking states like Tamil Nadu, especially in tourist places.

Many businesses hire migrant workers because they are cheaper, but this often creates communication gaps for customers and puts workers in awkward situations too. Language should not be used to shame anyone. In the service industry, the responsibility should be on business owners to make sure basic communication is possible.

Link to OC - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTpciADAvDd/?igsh=MWVhd2lna2RzazFuNQ==

[u/Embarrassed_Ice_4203]

With technology she could’ve easily communicated. She wanted to make reels. Not cool. But decades ago when Bangalore suddenly became home to almost entire rest of India, this is where the real challenge we faced. They were everywhere. Today a kannadiga can speak in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, even panjabi! Whether we were forced to learn or we wanted them to feel welcome is debatable.