--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: New York waiters, probably the surliest…" description: "\"New York waiters, probably the surliest in the Western world . . . are better images of their city than that journalistic favorite the taxi driver.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg" --- # New York waiters, probably the surliest in the Western… ![“New York waiters, probably the surliest in the Western world . . . are better images of their city than that journalistic favorite the taxi driver.” quote by Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg) > “New York waiters, probably the surliest in the Western world . . . are better images of their city than that journalistic favorite the taxi driver.” [Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement claims that New York waiters, despite being harsh, better represent the city than stereotypical taxi drivers. **In simple terms:** New York waiters are harsh but reflect the city more accurately than taxi drivers. Key Takeaway Appreciate the authentic, though rough, voices of city workers. Themes city life authenticity stereotypes Mood analytical critical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - restaurant reviews - city guide writing - media portrayals of urban life Key Concepts urban sociology service industry cultural representation Questions to Reflect On - Why are stereotypes appealing? - How can we value authentic but rough voices? A Different Perspective Harshness may alienate some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Taxi driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxi-driver/) [Waiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiter/) [Waiters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiters/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [People who treat waitresses or waiters rudely - or taxi drivers - I have very little tolerance for those people. They work really hard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-sevigny/people-who-treat-waitresses-or-waiters-rudely-or-taxi-drivers-i-have/) [Chloe Sevigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-sevigny/) > [Waiters will always pee in soup, people will always fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/waiters-will-always-pee-in-soup-people-will-always-fall-in-love/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Waiters are like actors waiting in the wings, bantering whenever we passed each other on the restaurant floor, shouting at each other backstage in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eyre/waiters-are-like-actors-waiting-in-the-wings-bantering-whenever-we/) [Richard Eyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eyre/) > [“The moral is, never be sorry for a waiter. Sometimes when you sit in a restaurant, still stuffing yourself half an hour after closing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-moral-is-never-be-sorry-for-a-waiter-sometimes-when-you-sit-in-a/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [When I was a kid, like 14 or 15, I played with the waiters from the hotel, 'cause that was the best game. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/when-i-was-a-kid-like-14-or-15-i-played-with-the-waiters-from-the/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I have tipped waiters, and I have been tipped by waiters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/i-have-tipped-waiters-and-i-have-been-tipped-by-waiters/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [If you're rude to waiters or waitstaff, I cannot handle that. 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Don’t be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/waiters-and-quitters-have-a-little-difference-quitters-begin-well-but/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Dad always told me that you can judge people by the way they treat waiters and assistants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/dad-always-told-me-that-you-can-judge-people-by-the-way-they-treat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [People who are rude to waiters... I don't like that sort of thing. People who take cuts in line... it doesn't fly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/people-who-are-rude-to-waiters-i-don-t-like-that-sort-of-thing-people/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [There is an army of waiters in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-is-an-army-of-waiters-in-this-world/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Alan Brien > [When ordinary Soviet citizens are told that a vital trade agreement awarding their country most-favoured-nation status with the US is being blocked in Congress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/when-ordinary-soviet-citizens-are-told-that-a-vital-trade-agreement/) [Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) > [You can never win as a sight-seer. Somebody else, more often than not the first person you meet when you get back home, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/you-can-never-win-as-a-sight-seer-somebody-else-more-often-than-not/) [Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) > [The country is laid out in a haphazard, sloppy fashion, offensive to the tidy, organized mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/the-country-is-laid-out-in-a-haphazard-sloppy-fashion-offensive-to/) [Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) > [I have done almost every human activity inside a taxi which does not require main drainage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/i-have-done-almost-every-human-activity-inside-a-taxi-which-does-not/) [Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) > [The majority of them give the impression of being men who have been drafted into the job during a period of martial law and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/the-majority-of-them-give-the-impression-of-being-men-who-have-been/) [Alan Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) [Explore all 6 Alan Brien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. 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I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "New York waiters, probably the surliest in the Western world . . . are better images of their city than that journalistic favorite the taxi driver.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Brien" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-in-the-western-world-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-in-the-western-world-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/alan-brien-57983_cities_new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-i_1751969.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“New York waiters, probably the surliest in the Western world . . . are better images of their city than that…” — Alan Brien", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Brien", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brien/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "New York waiters, probably the surliest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-in-the-western-world-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brien/new-york-waiters-probably-the-surliest-in-the-western-world-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```