Project 2: Public Space Observation

Observe when people come to the restaurant and choose seats, order

Observation location: restaurant

Observer: Cai Xiaohua

How to observe: Working part-time in a restaurant for three weeks,

two days a week

How to record: Record it on the notebook the same day after

observation

Observation record

the first week

on Monday

At six when I first arrived at the restaurant, as a whole, I saw only a table of guests

eating. The guests at that table are three men, about thirty years old. They were

sitting at the big table, they probably had finished eating, they didn't eat any more,

they were chatting. The plate on the table was empty, and no other food was

ordered. It didn't take long for them to leave.

From 6:35 to 7:10, the guests are a family. A couple, a little girl and grandparents.

They sat down at the big table and ordered tea and started to see what food to order.

The father was in charge of the order, and the mother was filtering the tableware

and tableware with hot water. The father was asking mother’s opinion while ordering,

and the grandparents did. I watched the little girl happily, and talked to her from

time to time, asking her what she wanted to eat. After the little girl said she wanted a

piece of French fries, she continued to play. After ordering the order, mom and dad

and grandparents started chatting. Grandma shared with them a new dance they

learned today, and my dad shared interesting things they encountered in the

workplace. From time to time the restaurant will be filled with their laughter. When

the food was delivered, they still ate while chatting. The little girl didn't eat much in

the first half. After the French fries arrived, she ate them all the time. The other

people didn't eat the French fries much. Almost all the little girls were eating.

Friday

Five o'clock There are no guests in the restaurant.

At 6:21, a couple came. Sit down at the small table. Instead of looking at the menuimmediately, they started chatting. The lady said that she and her friends had been

to this restaurant for dinner before, so she wanted to bring the man to eat once

because it was not bad. The man laughed happily, then looked at the menu, and they

started discussing what to order. The woman pointed to a place and said to the man

that this was okay after I had eaten it. The man said that he would order it later and

have a taste. After a while, they ordered food.

At half past seven a man arrived, about fifty years old. An older sister who worked

with me said that this man is a frequent visitor and would eat at this spot, ordering

Pu'er tea every time, and eating the meal that he would order every time in the

same seat. Sure enough, when I followed, he seemed to sit down in a place familiarly

and then said Pu'er tea. When I ordered a set meal, I didn’t order anything else. He

had a newspaper in his hand when he came in, and he had been looking at the

newspaper before the meal came.

the second week

on Monday

At 6:35 there were two ladies, ranging in age from forty-five to fifty years old. They

wanted to choose a big table, but the big table needed three or more people, so they

sat down at the four-person table.

At seven ten ten two men arrived. They sat down in the air-conditioning position.

At 7:45, a lady came and changed her seat at the back because the air conditioner

was blowing.

on Saturday

Twelve o'clock

When I arrived at the restaurant, the first floor was full, and there were only two or

three tables on the second floor. People go together at a few tables when they go,

and when they come, they also come at a few tables and several tables. This is just

the same time, not by appointment. At this time, you will become busy, and you will

have to greet the guests while clearing the table immediately.

It wasn't so busy until about two o'clock in the afternoon. Later, I heard from a sister

that she has been so busy since she first came in the morning and never stopped.

The third week

on Monday

There are still no guests at six.

At seven ten ten an old man came. I met this old man two weeks ago, and I met him

every time I came to the restaurant to work part-time, and I came here at this point

in the evening. It’s the same outfit every time, with a white vest, beige trousers and a

fan in his hand. Every time I walked in, I walked in with a fan while smiling. Every time

I choose the same place and light the same tea. When I first saw him, my sister told

me that he would order bird's nest every time he came. I used to order red bean

paste and bird's nest, but now I only order bird's nest. I was curious and asked if he

would be hungry if he only eats these? He said he came only after eating. After thebird's nest came, he folded his hands together, closed his eyes and said something, it

seemed that he was a believer. Another time he knelt on the ground after eating and

began to bow a few times.

Analyzed

On weekdays, business is not very good, and on weekends there will be many

customers. Because students and office workers are on vacation, they will come here

one by one. There will be more people every morning, because the elderly will come

early for morning tea. On weekdays, people seldom come over for dinner between

five and six, and they usually start to have guests around half past six. Some guests

will have their preferred seat position, even those who have never been. But some

guests won’t mind sitting anywhere. Guests will choose the location according to the

size of the table, comfort (air conditioning), and their own feelings. If you are a

frequent customer, you usually choose the same location. There are many regular

customers, especially if they come every night (a person), they usually order the

same tea and food. Some children are more inclined to fried foods, and of course

there are children who like to eat any food and eat a lot. Old people generally order a

meal. It is possible for couples, there is no fixed point.