Watching people whilst they eat.

I was thinking it might be interesting to observe people’s behaviour at the cafe I work at. The layout of the cafe means that it’s easy for a line to form, but there also isn’t much space to get past if there is a big line.

I’ve also found it interesting the way that people can be uncertain about how to order – there are tongs out, and plates, but are they meant to choose their own food and carry it around, or are they meant to order at the till and have the food delivered to them? Which of the foods have no meat; which are gluten-free? Where are the bathroom facilities, if they are even on our floor? Is the cafe actually closed yet, or are they still able to order tea or coffee, and does the vacuum cleaner signifiy that they must leave the vicinity or be swallowed up by it? Do they stack their plates, or leave them haphazardly around, and if they stack how effective and useful is their technique? How many of them leave a tip? (Not many, but I did get $1 once, which went straight to the jam jar, and some rich lady tipped one of the till girls $30. Possibly drunk on those wee bottles of wine we sell?) Where is the cutlery – do they bring it out; where are the cups and the water; where are the serviettes; can I get my baby’s milk heated up please?

What do people do as they eat? Talk; read our variety of much-aged magazines; bring their own interesting things; do work in black-bound books and diaries; stare out the window day-dreaming of a world in which they can actually afford to shop and eat at a place like this and not feel guilty about the damage they are inadvertantly causing to the the world in more ways than one (actually, that’s just me, they’re probably just thinking about that nice vase on sale for only $124.99).

Some people also have a specific table they want to sit it, and even if it hasn’t been cleared yet or is obviously ‘reserved’ for a high tea will move things and sit there. The regular customers are also interesting, tending to order the same things each day around a certain time and choosing a certain spot to sit in; also having a different kind of interaction with the till chicks than those other unknown quantaties.

Perhaps this is too big a topic to consider for this report of such a length? Do I need to ensmallify it?