IKEA Canteen

Have you ever been to the IKEA centeen in Mutiara Damansara?
It serves hearty meals at resonable prices... well.. resonable if you consider the other eateries in IKANO.... the only place more resonable would be the food court, but not quite as hearty.

Anyway... IKEA's business model is interesting - keep costs as low as possible, and pass the savings to the customer. Result: pretty good furniture and home accessories for pretty aceptable prices. (This can't compare with Courts Mammoth though, where the business model is more of low quality for lower price.... but thats comparing apples to oranges I'd say).

The only problem is, we 'educated' Klang Valley managers, executives and consultants all can't seem to get the idea that we play a part in contributing to the lower cost of operation (and by extension, the lower price to the customer - us). In spite of clear signs in the canteen requesting patrons to pick up their own food trays, invariably there are monkeys who leave their trays on the tables and walk away.
What - when it was stacked with enough food to feed an African village for a month, it was light enough to carry, but now that you have polished off 90% of it, the remaining vegetables and gravy and half cup of coffee is too heavy for you?

So IKEA has to employ additional staff just to man the tables... to pick up scraps and trays, and put stuff away. These people could be used more constructively elsewhere. And DONT please someone say "Oh - we are creating employment by leaving the tray on the table" You wont deserve to be acknowledged with an answer.

Another sad waste is the 'sampling' that goes on. Sure, IKEA puts out toys and furniture to try out, and for our kids to play with, but you arent supposed to take stuff away !! Admittedly, it's a minority who stoop to stealing.... but there are also some parents who seem totally oblivious to the fact that their children are damaging goods.

Please people, read the signs, respect what is not yours. In the zoo, behave like a monkey if you want; in the office, dont let go till you have your pound of flesh; in Parliament, show your colours by putting down the minority opposition with fatuous non sequiturs; but in IKEA, why not be as civilised as a Swede?