CMs chewing gum

[Karin1984]

Want to hear some opinions about this.
I just encountered my second CM chewing gum. And I wanna know, am I weird to be (a little) bothered by this?

I do not mind chewing gum when you are working somewhere behind the scenes, you do you. But when you are in a role where you interact with guests constantly... Why do you chew gum? Especially playing with the gum in your mouth, and the half chewed up rubber ball is visible for the guests...

First time was a few months back in Soarin' in California Adventure. The CM assigning the seats in the theater was chewing gum. I told him quietly, for future reference, do not chew gum when interacting with guests.

Today I am in Disneyland Paris and it's time to check in. The reception is quiet, CMs are talking to each other. When the CM spotted me, she steps forward to help me. She didn't make me wait or anything. But she keeps playing with her gum, half open mouthed, pressing the gum against her teeth. When I said something about it, she asked if I was bothered by it, and I was a lttle surprised by that question, all that came out of my mouth was that I was surprised. After that, she doesn't chew anymore, but she also says as little as possible, and it's clear: I am not her favorite guest of today. She was still polite, but it was awkkward.

I worked for years in hospitality. This is one of my biggest no-no's in a hospitality setting.
Just to be clear: this was a normal conversation, not screaming, not demanding to see a manager or reporting via e-mail it afterwards. I use the name Karin here, but I am not a Karen I tolerate a lot, when it comes to hospitality workers, I know how hard it is to work in hospitality, but I can't imagine that Disney doesn't have it in their rule book to not chew gum in front of guests. Especially at the hotel reception, you are probably the first CM people see when on property.

I used to work for an airline at the airport, and we had a whole list of dos & donts while in uniform. Eating, drinking, chewing gum, smoking etc. were all prohibited.

So ... all I want to know, are my expectations too high, is this a generational thing (I am now 40, both CMs probably early 20s) or am I just weird?

 

[tvguy]

One of the Disney trivia questions is "why don't they sell gum in the parks?" "Because they don't want to clean up gum". But I have never checked in the parks to see if they do sell gum. So I would be surprised if Castmembers are allowed to chew gum on the job. But to be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw anyone, anywhere chewing gum.

 

[Allison]

There are many things that bother me in this world. This isn't one I'm going to worry about.

 

[tony67]

I don't think you are wrong - its just a different world.

There was a time when people dressed up to fly - now you are lucky if they are wearing clothes and not doing other things.

There was a time when people dressed up to cruise. I want to be comfortable on vacation so I am fine with that - not that I'll ever do a cruise again - its not for me - but there are others that are disappointed that you don't have to dress up.

People used to smoke in restaurants and bars - not they don't want you smoking outside.

Times change and its not worth it to me to correct staff - that us the mangers job IMO.

If it really bothers you let the manger know at a later time, but confronting the employee is never in your best interest IMO - hmmm Karin???

 

[Karin1984]

"why don't they sell gum in the parks?" "Because they don't want to clean up gum".

We had (and still have) the same at the airport. When you get to Amsterdam airport, you cannot buy gum anywhere. Too much of a pain to clean up.

If it really bothers you let the manger know at a later time, but confronting the employee is never in your best interest IMO - hmmm Karin???

Yeah... I know... my chances for pixiedust were gone the moment I said it It is a good trip regardless this issue.

But then again, I also think that things should be addressed directly with the employee. Give feedback to the one it concerns from the person it concerns. When I worked in hospitality myself I always hated it when I got feedback about an issue months later via my manager. And I do not want this to be blown out of proportion. I am not sure if Disney still has a '3 strikes and your out'-policy, but this is not big enough to be someone's third strike.

If I would report it later, it would be without mentioning who it was. More a general remark.

 

[_19disnA]

I am sure Disney as well as many other service type industries have rules for what they allow (or don't allow) their employees to do on the job. I don't view gum chewing as that big of a deal and for the few seconds I might interact with anyone in a service type industry, there are way bigger things to be concerned with. It isn't my role in life to tell others how to behave regardless of where they are working.

 

[kdonnel]

I am very much a I don’t care what people do as long as it does not cost me money kinda person.

A customer facing employee chewing gum does not impact their ability to help me.

I don’t care if they are covered in piercings, tattoos, crazy hair, or any other body modifications.

 

[Disneylover99]

Want to hear some opinions about this.
I just encountered my second CM chewing gum. And I wanna know, am I weird to be (a little) bothered by this?

I do not mind chewing gum when you are working somewhere behind the scenes, you do you. But when you are in a role where you interact with guests constantly... Why do you chew gum? Especially playing with the gum in your mouth, and the half chewed up rubber ball is visible for the guests...

First time was a few months back in Soarin' in California Adventure. The CM assigning the seats in the theater was chewing gum. I told him quietly, for future reference, do not chew gum when interacting with guests.

Today I am in Disneyland Paris and it's time to check in. The reception is quiet, CMs are talking to each other. When the CM spotted me, she steps forward to help me. She didn't make me wait or anything. But she keeps playing with her gum, half open mouthed, pressing the gum against her teeth. When I said something about it, she asked if I was bothered by it, and I was a lttle surprised by that question, all that came out of my mouth was that I was surprised. After that, she doesn't chew anymore, but she also says as little as possible, and it's clear: I am not her favorite guest of today. She was still polite, but it was awkkward.

I worked for years in hospitality, I am working on getting my master's degree in hospitality. This is one of my biggest no-no's in a hospitality setting.
Just to be clear: this was a normal conversation, not screaming, not demanding to see a manager or reporting via e-mail it afterwards. I use the name Karin here, but I am not a Karen I tolerate a lot, when it comes to hospitality workers, I know how hard it is to work in hospitality, but I can't imagine that Disney doesn't have it in their rule book to not chew gum in front of guests. Especially at the hotel reception, you are probably the first CM people see when on property.

I used to work for an airline at the airport, and we had a whole list of dos & donts while in uniform. Eating, drinking, chewing gum, smoking etc. were all prohibited.

So ... all I want to know, are my expectations too high, is this a generational thing (I am now 40, both CMs probably early 20s) or am I just weird?

I don’t think you’re weird to be bothered by it, but I don’t think it’s your place to say something to them about it.

 

[focusondisney]

Wondering why you thought it was your place to correct someone else’s employee?
Being in the industry doesn’t give you that right. I was a nurse for over 40 years. I don’t have the right to tell a nurse at another hospital they need to change their appearance or behavior. You have no idea what their supervisor has approved. I’m waaay older than you & a quick interaction like these wouldn’t have bothered me in the least. If it did, I would have made a general comment in a post visit survey. Maybe that attempt for a Master’s is making you feel a little superior, whether you realize it or not. When you’re the employer, you can enforce your rules. But as a customer, it isn’t your place.

 

[Karin1984]

Wondering why you thought it was your place to correct someone else’s employee?
Being in the industry doesn’t give you that right. I was a nurse for over 40 years. I don’t have the right to tell a nurse at another hospital they need to change their appearance or behavior. You have no idea what their supervisor has approved. I’m waaay older than you & a quick interaction like these wouldn’t have bothered me in the least. If it did, I would have made a general comment in a post visit survey. Maybe that attempt for a Master’s is making you feel a little superior, whether you realize it or not. When you’re the employer, you can enforce your rules. But as a customer, it isn’t your place.

I get your comments, mentioning my 'attempt' about my master was not necessary.

The last few years there has been a lot of talk that Disney's service is slipping, some issues are big, some are small. To me, this is part of that. A small part.

 

[ralphie]

Anyone working around food, such as deli or serving food should never chew as their spittle may come in contact with your food.

 

[Micca]

It's weird to me that if they don't sell gum at the parks, that CMs would be allowed to chew it during a shift. Kinda like eating food in front of someone but they can't have any.

 

[sam_gordon]

Sorry, I agree it wasn't your place to criticize the CMs. You don't know what policies are in place and you don't know what is allowed. What YOUR beliefs are regarding what should be allowed really doesn't matter. Yes, you were a "Karen" in this case.

 

[Marrila]

I love my vacations. There is no way I would want to spoil the mood with any unnecessary criticism of someone that was assisting me.

 

[sam_gordon]

Anyone working around food, such as deli or serving food should never chew as their spittle may come in contact with your food.

Except that wasn't the case from the OP. One was a CM at Soarin and the other a front desk worker at at Resort.

 

[focusondisney]

mentioning ……. was not necessary.

Ironically, that’s probably exactly what the CMs were thinking. Especially because they didn’t ask strangers for their opinions.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Gum-chewing is never something that has bothered me. (Only people sticking it places after they're through with it! - like this - ) But I wouldn't have told the employee how to do their job even if it did. - A, I'm not their boss, and B, you never know what might be an accommodation nowadays.

 

[Karin1984]

I love my vacations. There is no way I would want to spoil the mood with any unnecessary criticism of someone that was assisting me.

It didn't spoil my mood, having a great trip before and after this moment.

Ironically, that’s probably exactly what the CMs were thinking. Especially because they didn’t ask strangers for their opinions.

Except, I wasn't a stranger, I was a guest. Because I am curious, if a patient of yours had issues (let's say it is something small like chewing gum while assisting a patient) with your bedside manners as a nurse, would you like to have heard this from them directly, or via your manager? And if via your manager, would you prefer it to be feedback at you personally, or general feedback for the entire department "patients do not like us to do x".

I asked for opinions and I got them. Maybe it is a cultural difference, Dutch directness.

 

[focusondisney]

It didn't spoil my mood, having a great trip before and after this moment.


Except, I wasn't a stranger, I was a guest. Because I am curious, if a patient of yours had issues (let's say it is something small like chewing gum while assisting a patient) with your bedside manners as a nurse, would you like to have heard this from them directly, or via your manager? And if via your manager, would you prefer it to be feedback at you personally, or general feedback for the entire department "patients do not like us to do x".

I asked for opinions and I got them. Maybe it is a cultural difference, Dutch directness.

If you’re not my employer, it’s not your right to correct me, which you did. “I told him quietly, for future reference, do not chew gum when interacting with guests”. That was not just a comment about your personal preference, it was a correction & directive in how he was to perform his job going forward. That is not your place.

 

[ford family]

If you’re not my employer, it’s not your right to correct me, which you did. “I told him quietly, for future reference, do not chew gum when interacting with guests”

Why isn't the guest the de facto employer? If we all stopped going to Disney would the CMs still be employed?

ford family