Ten Cents

I met with her at 7 PM. I hadn't seen her since before I left for England nearly six months ago. When I arrived at the indoor cafe, I waited only a few minutes before she showed up, and the waitress had been very eager to take my order with a big smile on her face. A very uncommon occurrance here in this land of the negative Magyars. Even still, friendly customer service is starting to become a fad, and I'm glad for it. After six years, it's really about time. And that's just six years of my life: God only knows how long it's been like this prior to my moving here. As an American, it's very difficult to live in, not only a post-communist country, but a post-communist country that believes Communism's practices are still in effect. E.G. no friendly customer service. When I was in Prague several years ago, upon searching for some postcards, I found my favorite among the 400 or so that I have collected throughout my life. A drawing, it pictures a factory worker with the Communist symbol in back of him, with the statement, "We're not open, we don't have it, go and bother someone else". This, to me, encapsulates the Hungarian mentality. And, more likely than not - though I wasn't here prior to Communism - it is largely in part, due to Communism. This doesn't mean that Hungarians aren't by nature very pessimistic people, negative, self-pitying, or depressed, but Communism more than likely didn't contribute any positive attributes to their despairing disposition.
And so, unlike in America - or most of central and western Europe nowadays - the customer is always wrong, cheating your neighbor is necessary because he will just cheat you somehow, and I'm never wrong: it's always your fault.
So, the friendly waitress who asked me twice in a friendly tone, if I'd decided on what I'd like to order, was a pleasant change of pace from the daily morose that I find in any given cafe of restaurant I might happen upon. She was happy to deliver our coffee and tea once the girl I hadn't seen in so many months finally did arrive.
The waitress was also accommodating when I asked if she had a pad of paper I could use. She was by all accounts, someone I would have gladly tipped. Until she displayed her true colors: Which she just can't help.

The cafe I'd ordered was 370 Hungarian Forint on the drink menu when I'd ordered it, but when the bill came, was 390 Forint. Perhaps not a big increase for most people, but enough to make me raise an eyebrow as to why the receipt was different than the menu. When I pointed it out to her, she shook her finger at me, went back to the register then came back saying, "No. The machine says 390, and whatever the machine says, that's what it is." Her friendliness had suddenly pivoted now to defensiveness. I asked her why the menu said 370. She had no answer except, a bit roughly, "What can I do? It's not my fault." I looked at her, trying to temper my temper, and said, "I didn't say it was your fault." To add insult to injury she said, "Give me exact change, 'cause I don't have any to give you."

It may only be 20 Forint, but here is the problem, and the difference between Hungary and all other countries, aside from perhaps a place like Communist China: In America, in Italy, in England, in Sweden, in Spain, even in Romania - and I could list other countries I've been to - if the menu says it's ten cents less than it actually is, guess what? You don't have to pay that ten cent increase, because that's the establishment's fault - not yours. Am I suggesting it was the waitress's fault? Absolutely not. It's the boss's fault. Because if the customer doesn't pay that ten cents, he'll make the waitress take it out of her own pocket. In all the other aforementioned countries, the waitress would not only not make you pay that ten cent increase, but there's a chance she may even say, "Don't worry. Because of the inconvenience, it's on us today." Because the establishment values customers, and wants their money. Hungarians, as a whole, have yet to catch on to the value of customer service, and the nicer an establishment is, the more business they'll receive. Slowly but surely business owners are starting to realize that they have competition, and to gain repeat business, you have to have friendly staff. But I have known two waitresses who have been fired in my city alone, for having been "too friendly with the customers", and this was the employer's reason for letting them go. Clearly, it's still an issue that will take time. Communism is dead, and has been dead for over twenty years. Ten cents, is such a little thing...but it can be such a big thing...