Getting a mani/pedi today at a new salon that just opened. There were only 2 customers, me and a teenager. The people who worked there were asian and the entire time I was there they did nothing but speak to each other in a foreign language, laughing etc. Through my entire pedi I played with my phone trying to ignore them as much as possible. The tech doing my pedi did not speak any english to me but the one who did my hands was about 20 yr old and spoke perfect english, however she only used it to tell me to do something like wash my hands or pay me now. My salon in Florida the owner and her sisters are asian as well and speak to each other in their home language but she also converses with her customers in English. I didn't know what to do - no one was speaking to me at all, or the other customer but she just texted the whole time she was there. The icing on the cake - there was an older asian man there as well, he was on his computer and as I walked back from washing my hands I saw he was sitting there looking at porn. I was so uncomfortable I just wanted out of there.
Sadly, they did a great job but the old guy with hte porn skeeved me out. I could tolerate the rudeness of the staff as long as they did a good job but that just put me over the top.
Porn? Wow. I might could tolerate the rude behavior if they were the only place available that did a good job ( highly unlikely), but porn? Beyond creepy.
Everyone is differnent - - - I don't really want people talking to me during a mani or pedi, unless we're discussing something in particular about the mani or pedi. I just want to relax while I'm there. I've been known to put earbuds in so that they don't talk to me. It's the public porn viewing that would make me never return.
I never have been to a salon for a pedi, but since most of them are run by Asian speaking people, and they may not speak fluid English....it might be expected that they speak their language, not English. Can't you find an English speaking Salon?
Holy cow! I'm so grateful I've never been to get a professional mani/pedi! What the OP discussed is just the way I picture these places! I do my own nails and they look terrific! Can't see paying someone for something I can do, just as good, myself.