My local KFC at 2.00am this morning...

[max_tranmere]

I was at the pub earlier with some pals, and when I'd finished watching England lose 2-1 to Italy I was heading home and considered getting something to eat. On the main road near me is a KFC, one of those small ones with three tables that always has loads of 'youths' hanging around outside it. Heading home I decided to get a burger and chips but I thought the place might have shut as there were loads of people by the door, and I thought it might be the staff closing up. I crossed the road, headed towards the place, and realised it was just local youngsters hanging around. I went in and ordered my chicken fillet-burger meal. There were two guys, about 20 years old, at the counter and the conversation went something like this (try and imagine young working-class WHITE Londoners talking in pretend Jamaican accents):

"But you ain't got no beef with them outside bruv, they ain't got no beef with you either bruv."
"I have yeah, I dissed one recently yeah, he got beef with me, I got beef with him."
"But you aint bruv, we leave yeah, he aint gone do nothing bruv."
"Him and his crew yeah, they can try yeah, but I'm gone lay them out yeah."
"Ain't no need for this bruv, just walk out yeah, they got no beef, you got no beef."

I was expecting a huge fight to start at any moment, the front door was open, about 15 guys were outside, and these two white pseudo-Jamaicans were about to leave. I'd ordered my KFC meal, it arrived, and I headed to one of tables available - clearing tons of debris lying on it from previous people who had eaten, the staff hadn't bothered to clear it away, and I sat down and ate this luke-warm food that had probably been sitting on the rack for 40 minutes.

The two guys left and I didn't bother to look at what happened next, but from the fact it was quiet outside I assumed there was no 'beef' between them and the posse standing out in the street. I am munching away on my luke-warm burger and two hard-looking guys, aged about 60, start going at it. One was already in there and the other had just walked in. The conversation went something like this:

"I know you from before don't I?" (The guy then goes to shake the other guys' hand, which he refuses).
"You won't take my f***ing hand, you took it in prison, you won't take it now?"

It's now starting to look like it might get aggressive and the staff have stopped what they're doing and are watching nervously.

"I'm not taking your hand" (said very loudly).
"What's you're f***ing problem?" (the staff are now looking at each other with those kind of 'shall we call the Police?' type expressions).
"I knew you in jail, what's with you?"

I'm now nearing the end of my burger and chips and will be glad to leave. I am thinking I might have to make a swift exit - mid meal - if a fight starts, but things calmed down when the second guy shook the other one's hand.

They both left and the staff went back to whatever they were doing. I finished up, left, and walked the last bit home. It made me realise that the staff in these places have to put up with idiots on a nightly basis, all for the low wages they get - drunken aggressive people about to fight each other over stupid things. You deserve a medal if you work late-night in one of those places! Here are some questions though:

1. Why is it that the lower someone's intelligence seems to be, the more keen they are to fight each other?

2. Why do many white working-class Londoners put on Jamaican accents when they speak?

3. Should KFC staff be paid danger-money to work past midnight?

I am not sure what the answers to the first two are, but regarding the third question I think the answer is 'yes!'. Lol.

[cockneygeezer2009]

"1. Why is it that the lower someone's intelligence seems to be, the more keen they are to fight each other"

Dunno. Ask them.

"2. Why do many white working-class Londoners put on Jamaican accents when they speak?"

It's the culture. Innit.

"3. Should KFC staff be paid danger-money to work past midnight?"

Not really. Should cab drivers, LU workers, pub bar staff and bouncers get danger-money to work past midnight?

[planeterotica]

I often drop into McDonalds in Bethnal Green which is open 24 hours thurs,frid, and saturdays, there is plenty of boisterous activity when the pubs kick out but not much trouble that i have seen, but who knows..

[Arginald Valleywater]

Cerkney Winkers....

[planeterotica]

Arginald Valleywater wrote:

> Cerkney Winkers....

planeterotica wrote:

Northern Nancy's...

[max_tranmere]

The more dim someone is the more keen they usually are to resort to fists rather than words, and I assume this is because they can't do it any other way. If I asked a dim, aggressive guy why he is so keen to fight I would probably get punched, so it is better if I don't ask. lol.

It probably is the culture, innit, as the explanation for why white working-class Londoners talk as if they're from Kingston, Jamaica. It's quite funny listening to these people: all this 'bruv' and 'beef' stuff!

Regarding extra cash, danger money, for late-night shifts at KFC and similar establishments, I think pub bar staff are ok if they have a bouncer on the door, bouncers themselves are ok as they are big hard geezers and are used to dealing with trouble. Cabbies should be paid more, if they work for a cab firm, to do late hours as that can be dangerous. I heard of a cabbie robbed for his float at knife-point, twice, when doing the after-midnight shift.

There seems to be something about pissed up people wanting to fight each other when they go for food after the pubs and clubs close. I heard of someone who worked in a McDonalds, this person worked in a town in Sussex, which you would think would be less bad than London, who was attacked a few times on the late-shift by pissed-up people leaping over the counter. Brits and alcohol, hey? A lethal combination! Lol.

[max_tranmere]

I don't get over east that often but I imagine Bethnal Green is a lot less tough now than it was. Late-night fastfood outlets in every area of London seem to have trouble when the pissed up people are heading home from the pubs and clubs after chucking-out time. If they choose not to have security on these places, and they do choose not to, they should at least have a panic button to press if trouble starts. There seems to be trouble in a lot of these places after chucking-out time pretty much every weekend. Instead the staff just stand there looking nervous, hoping it won't get too bad, and if it does I assume they ring the Police.

[max_tranmere]

"Cerkney Winkers...."

This is west London rather than east, but they were certainly wankers. Lol. As east London is being smartened up to an incredible extent it will probably end up more posh that west London so they'll have to come up with a term for westies like they currently have for easties! 'Westside wankers' - how about that? Has a ring to it!

[planeterotica]

max_tranmere wrote:

> I don't get over east that often but I imagine Bethnal Green is
> a lot less tough now than it was. Late-night fastfood outlets
> in every area of London seem to have trouble when the pissed up
> people are heading home from the pubs and clubs after
> chucking-out time. If they choose not to have security on these
> places, and they do choose not to, they should at least have a
> panic button to press if trouble starts. There seems to be
> trouble in a lot of these places after chucking-out time pretty
> much every weekend. Instead the staff just stand there looking
> nervous, hoping it won't get too bad, and if it does I assume
> they ring the Police.

planeterotica wrote:

Max, Shoreditch and Bethnal Green are fast becoming trendy with the younger sect, not to live there but to drink and socialise, you now have the overgound at Shoreditch and of course the underground at B.G. on the central line, and you get young people from all over London congregating there, allthough i must say most of the ones i bump into are not of the thuggish type.

[planeterotica]

max_tranmere wrote:

> "Cerkney Winkers...."
>
> This is west London rather than east, but they were certainly
> wankers. Lol. As east London is being smartened up to an
> incredible extent it will probably end up more posh that west
> London so they'll have to come up with a term for westies like
> they currently have for easties! 'Westside wankers' - how about
> that? Has a ring to it!

planeterotica wrote:

Max, folk oop north think anyone south of watford gap is a cockney, do they really have a cock down to their knees !wink!