Indian mamak versus Chinese coffeeshop

Any one of us would notice that Indian Mamak are available almost every corner of The Klang Valley. Every township, every block of building and every Jalan, one would not miss Mamak shops for makan. They have Curry Fish Head or Banana Leaf, all branded in varieties.

Out of my 7 lunches per week, I would be having 5 at mamak. Not that I am crazy with mamak but the fact is our Chinese Coffee shop is getting out of place.

The Chinese do not serve the original Chinese hawker food like they used to cook 20 years ago. Most of the one in P.J. are actually own by Chinese but food is served by non Chinese, like Indonesian or Myanmar. What a shame! Chinese and not Chinese. (OCBC..orang china bukan china!)

I think, Chinese has dollar sign on their face. Imagine when food is served, you have to pay first. Where else, you eat first and pay later when you are in the mamak. The Chinese don't trust their customers but mamak do. Mamak knows and understands," one can't be cheating for filling one's stomach."

You can eat what ever you like and pay over the counter later, just by your words. I salute mamak for the trust given to their customers.

Any food order with plain water, mamak do not charge the water because it's too cheap to be charged. However, if is in the Chinese shop, plain water could be charged from 30cents to 60cents. They have got no heart for their customers. They just want to make money in every corner.

After a meal in the mamak shop, you can have a free tissue to wipe your mouth or hand. Ah! No way in the Chiness shop, they hope you don't carry any tissue cos this is another opportunity for them to sell a packet of tissue for another 40 cents before you leave.

Even before you leave, think twice before you intend to wash or to looloo at their toilets. Most ladies would not use their toilets because they really stink and smell. I wander whether they have time to wash and clean them. All ladies go to the wash rooms over at the mamak place for they rest assured, they are in tip top conditon all the time. They have special cleaners to clean and wash every hourly. I have even seen few mamak wash rooms of the 5stars standard. You really impress me!

Food wise is tasty, specially cooked by the Indian, imported from their motherland. Price is reasonable compare to the Chinese. However the original taste of the Chinese food had disappeared. They can take the non Chinese for a ride but definately not me and many of my friends. Non of my girlfriends would like me to date them in this class of chinese shops, except the old aunties who have no choices.

Sad for the Chinese because Chinese coffeeshops would be getting lesser by the days. Mark my words! Not the mamak. They were hardly seen 20 years ago but today, they stand tall to show that they are progressing.

Morale of the story; "People hate to change. If change can be for the betterment. Why not change!"

The Chinese loves to profit without accepting changes and they are finding it difficult to survive at the moment. The mamak accepts changes with willingness and they are advancing rapidly.

I wrote this article specially for my friend, Sheikh Jameel who invited me to a very presentable mamak restaurant in Sentul, where this topic was discussed with laughter. Thank you for the marvellous lunch, Jameel.