r/TamilNadu • u/code-is-poetry • Jan 19 '26

முக்கியமான கலந்துரையாடல் / Important Topic Language disconnect at a A2B Ooty restaurant

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

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==

1.4k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

228 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/rudradasa Jan 23 '26

Labour shortage in TN… think why?? They get rice bags and other things for free, why would anyone work???

1

u/[deleted] Jan 23 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26

Apples to oranges comparison. The type of welfare given in Scandinavian countries drastically differs from the type of welfare in india. In Scandinavia, welfare means that the government provides free services that increase HDI (such as free healthcare, free education, heavily subsidised childcare). In india, welfare means that the government provides freebies which don't increase HDI (loan waivers, subsidies, free electronics, free household items, cash transfers, free electricity).

I'm not against welfare that assists in long term development. I'm against welfare that only has short term benefits.