Comments on: Update: English-only cheesesteak ordering

By: Dave Lincoln

Dave Lincoln — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:17:55 +0000

Debra, I think the people are working there possibly because they are illegal aliens, so the employer gets one heck of a deal (about taxes, paperwork, etc). Maybe the head of the auto parts store chain, for example, has never experienced the frustration that the customers do. I have told one auto parts chain that I would not come back, as the signs for the aisle had Spanish all over them – I don’t need that (don’t forget to fill out a comment card and mail it in.).

Even if that employee were a legal immigrant, firing them may be a lawsuit waiting to happen – just look at what happens when you are just trying to sell cheesesteaks, for example!

Your example about tourism is not a good comparison. I have no problem helping a foreign tourist using hand signals, etc., but I’ll be danged if I’m gonna speak Spanish to a Mexican who calls America “home”.

Lastly, why would they fire you for not learning your students’ parents’ foreign languages? This is America; you are not in the 20-odd foreign countries. You make no sense.

Yeah, try voting in the next Mexican election, Debra, in English. Good luck with all that.

By: Debra

Debra — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:41:46 +0000

In response to the comment above, clearly these businesses do not do worse overall due to non-English speaking employees or they would not employ them. People who do not speak English well still spend money and need salespeople who can communicate with them. I am an Language Arts teacher in Texas (starting law school in Fall) and I am unable to speak the VARIOUS languages of my students’ parents….clearly, I would not want to be fired for that. Also, other countries accommodate American travelers, business people, and students who only speak English.

By: Anonymous Attorney

Anonymous Attorney — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:57:24 +0000

I’d like an economist to conduct a study of the cost of the ineffeciencies of having to conduct business in several different languages. For instance, if you add up all the seconds spent waiting through the “Press two for Spanish,” how much lost opportunity is that? Or all the wasted time on the phone with non-English or barely-English speakers who can’t understand what you’re saying, and vice-versa? I can actually point to several instances in my own life where a store’s employee, because they did not speak English, could not understand what I was asking for and nearly dropped the sale as a result (I know the store had the item because I pressed the issue with an English speaker). These folks never seem to push me toward a sale or a clear communicator because it makes no difference to them — they get paid, and don’t have to deal with a customer. But obviously, the business does worse, overall.

By: Dave Lincoln

Dave Lincoln — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:26:00 +0000

Great point, Richard! Logic like that is also very offensive to those types of people – the “critics” I mean. Your use of sharp logic is so typical of the western imperialistic white male oppressors!

Keep up the good work!

By: Richard Nieporent

Richard Nieporent — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:00:44 +0000

Critics alleged that the policy discourages customers of certain backgrounds from eating there. They say the signs discourage non-English speakers from going to the shop. Really? Just how would these non-English speakers know what the sign said?

By: Adam Kolakowski

Adam Kolakowski — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:47:36 +0000

Pats is better anyways