What I think of Mamak Restaurant

Since my childhood days, I have been to mamak restaurant and never question anything about hygiene, price, their service and quality. It has been over 40 years, and even these days I will still stop by at mamak restaurant for teh tarik and mee goreng. So, why now I am thinking about writing something about the restaurant.

Let us view from the positive side first. Mamak stall provides variety of food. You ask anything from the plain roti canai to tediously prepared nasi beriani. Some are very tasty, and some may not suit your taste bud. You can smoke quite freely, and they always promptly provide the services that you want. Generally, they are quite hygienic except for some mamak shops that are both dirty inside and outside.

But, lately I think they are charging too much. Roti canai used to cost 60 sen, is now RM1.00. Okay, for the fuel hike, but when the price come down a piece of roti canai is RM80 sen. Teh tarik is RM1.50 sen. Just take your time to figure out how much a spoon of tea, milk, water and "labour" for the tarik.

What is more frustrating to me now is because they are becoming more arrogant. The workers mostly do not speak Malay, and understand a little English. They are not Malaysians, because they are staying for a while in the country, then they will go back to wherever they come from. Ever wonder why the mamak never want to utilize the locals for providing this service. The answer is because they can pay this people cheap. In the country they came from, they will never get paid like we pay them. So for the mamaks, pay everything cheap, charge expensively and no wonder they really are filthy rich.

Let us look at how mamak restaurant should operate. Firstly, get more local to participate, be it Indian, Malay or chinese workers. Pay them well. Price your service accordingly, and be more hygienic especially in the kitchen.

I will keep going to Mamak restaurant, but if there is any better option maybe the ever increasing number of kopitiam, then that is an option that I will consider.