The Braised Pork Guys At Chuan Kee

Years ago, when I first started queuing up for braised pork at Chuan Kee braised duck, I got yelled at. By now, I cannot quite remember which of the 4 people who man that stall scolded me for being rather too slow or too soft to tell him my order.

I did blog about him HERE.

My friend AL went with me on another occasion. She queued for braised pork and then ended up telling them she wanted a mixed platter for two, chiefly because she could not understand what the man was telling her and she panicked because she did not want to get yelled at. So, my poor AL just nodded her head no matter what he asked. As a result, the both of us had to chomp our way through a mindboggling plate of duck innards - liver and gizzards, and stuff.

Let me tell you that my friend AL is no pushover (but apparently, this applies only in the boardroom to Senior Managers and VPs and Ps and the like). Faced with an irate hawker (who cooks like a dream) AL is as chicken shit as I am.

Over the years, these guys have mellowed. They now speak a lot more kindly to me. Me, I have also become smarter. You see, I now know exactly what to order and I also know exactly what and how to order. I don't irritate them and so, they no longer yell at me.

And today... oh my readers... I must tell you about today. I experienced service good enough to rival the St. Regis brand. In general, I get extremely good service from my favourite hawkers. The kopi auntie at the different foodcourts that I go to, start making my drink the moment they see me in the queue. I often get my drink even before the 2 people ahead of me. I know it is not fair to other patrons but I never asked the aunties to do this, and I don't want to hurt their feelings by asking them to stop.

The Chuan Kee guys really outdid themselves today. After I placed my order, I scooted off to queue at another hawker stall. By the time I got back to our table, the blessed men had already served my order right to our table. Then, somehow, they knew that it would not do to collect money from E, my friend! They declined her offer to pay and waited for me! At this point, I was already so pleased!

Then, my friend E decided to take away an order of braised pork for dinner. I placed the order requesting to have it prepared only later, when we were about to leave. Reasonably, I thought they would need me to sort of let them know when I was ready to leave. Amazingly, when I turned around to let them know, they were already handing me E's packet of food. I was so surprised! How did they know we were about to leave?

In customer service training, this is called preempting client needs. You expect that in a 5 star hotel, not in a hawker centre. I am simply so heart warmed by their effort. In USA, I would have hugged them. In France, I would have given them the “bises”. They are Singaporean. So, I went back afterwards to gently thank them... but got something of a bear-like growl in return.