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Not Your Ordinary Fried
Chicken Eatery
By Juergen Stryjak
This month’s review will look weird to ardent restaurant
review readers, not to speak of gourmets. Admittedly, I am not
excessively concerned with a restaurant’s food quality, if the
place itself is interesting, well designed or tells stories of
life and ages, or if the clientele is unique. Anyway, even in such
cases, I never would recommend a restaurant with unsatisfying
food. This month I invite tourists coming to Cairo to consider
visiting one in particular of its countless Kentucky Fried Chicken
branches.
I agree it’s fast food and not the ultimate dining
experience, sure. But I am not speaking about any KFC outlet. I
would like to recommend a restaurant that is almost completely run
by hearing and speaking impaired staff. It opened more than half a
decade ago. During all the years that I have spoken to several
managers on duty there, some have said that it is the first KFC
branch of its kind worldwide, while others believe it was at least
the first one in the Middle East.
On the face of it, the fast food junkie will not notice any
difference compared to other KFC restaurants. He or she gets the
same fried chicken pieces as everywhere, the same fried potatoes,
the same soft drinks and the same desserts. Nothing out of the
ordinary, I know. But when the time comes to order these tidbits,
well, this process is completely out of the ordinary! Americana,
the Egyptian franchise company of KFC employs specifically for
this branch only hearing and speaking impaired young people, not
older than 25. Of course,
the company is keen on the publicity impact, but a bunch of
young people, the staff, which otherwise would have difficulties
to find a place in the society, do definitely benefit a lot from
this. Only two people per shift are able to hear: the manager on
duty and someone receiving the home orders by telephone.
At the counter, the guest points with his finger on a plate
with pictures, labeled in Arabic and English. Whatever and
however, spicy or normal, the guest wants to order, he will find a
picture or a sign for it. And if he wants two of the same item, he
simply raises two fingers. There is no sign for: »I would like to
have my soft drink without ice!« But I discovered, that the staff
is able to read this from the lips, even in English, if only the
guest forms a clear »No ice« with his mouth. Did you ever dine
in a restaurant, where the waiter reads your wishes from the lips
in such a proverbial sense? When the guest leaves the restaurant,
one of the staff usually leads him to the door, saying Goodbye in
sign language, showing with his smile, that he appreciates the
guest’s visit much more than bored waiters in other restaurants.
But don’t expect this unique place to be a quiet oasis in the
middle of noisy Cairo! The people are enveloped in loud pop music.
You will need to learn sign language in advance to communicate
with your fellows. Or just give an unmistakable sign to one of the
waiters, covering your ears with your hands, for example.
Kentucky Fried Chicken. Community Care Restaurant. 9, Sadd El-Aly
St., Dokki, Cairo. Between Al-Galaa Square (Sheraton Cairo Hotel)
and Fini Square. Just enter the Sadd El-Aly Street from Al-Galaa
Square right to the petrol station. Open daily 11:00 am to 1:00
am. Telefon: 33 54 523 or 33 54 529. Prices: a complete meal
around LE 10 (US-$ 2.50).
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