I really don't like it. It has only been a few years that every cashier and every server in restaurants asks "Are you doing something fun this weekend? or What have you done so far today?" I'm sure they are instructed to ask, but I find it intrusive. What if I have had a horrible day and am on the verge of tears? What if I am lonely and have nothing to do this weekend? What if my dear Grandmother just died?

I'm still pretty nice--I usually answer "Not much." Does it happen in other states? Does it bother you?

No, I can't say that it does. Keep in mind that servers are trying to build a friendly relationship with you in terms of getting a better tip. That's their livelihood. Some figure out how to be both charming and unobtrusive.

If you are not in a great mood, I would just tell them. "I've had a really rough day, and I would just like some quick and quiet service, okay?" Again, they are just trying to please you, and I'm sure if you asked for space, you would get just that.

The only restaurant that I know , that gives a polite robotic reply is Chick fil a. Whenever you say " thank you", they always, always say " my pleasure" , even if you thanked them for bringing you your food, then drink refill , etc, even if you say it 4 times in one visit , they'll " my pleasure you , 4 times.

I beat them lightly with my riding crop.

You can't anymore because I hid the damn riding crop ever since
that one cashier liked the light beatings with it.

I've never been to any state where the cashiers asked
nosey questions.

For the past four years you've never heard a cashier, clerk, waitperson, etc. be able to get a word in edgewise, mi vida!

elderolddog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For the past four years you've never heard a
> cashier, clerk, waitperson, etc. be able to get a
> word in edgewise, mi vida!


Four and a half mi amor.

Yes you're right, they never get a word in edgewise.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2016 09:08PM by saucie.

You're making me gag! We are not cute; we curse like they're paying us by the syllable...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2016 01:18AM by elderolddog.

elderolddog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're making me gag! We are not cute; we curse
> like they're paying us by the syllable...


Sorry, but that makes you even cuter.

you're adorable, so just accept it.

It's mostly cashiers in grocery stores and walmart that I refer to and they don't get tips. So maybe it's just my area of Utah.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2016 07:01PM by liesarenotuseful.

People are just trying to be nice. I appreciate it, personally. When we lived in the northeast they were way less friendly. God, I hated it there!

Oh man, the east coast was hard on me. The scenery was so beautiful but, unfortunately, not worth it. Ok, I take it back! From now on I will answer their questions in a friendly manner with gratitude. I was never mean to them; I just grumbled in my mind.

Haha, right? Hardened unfriendly folks ruin everything!

I love friendly interaction. It's when you're at a Smiths in Provo on a BYU home game, game day (today) and every BYU student is there staring at you with your beer in your cart. Now I know what a celebrity feels like walking down the red carpet.

I'm amazed you can buy beer in a grocery store in Utah. I grew up in Colorado and you could buy 3.2% (alcohol content) beer at grocery stores. However, EVERY SINGLE grocery store had/has a liquor store next door.

EQ drop-out Perhaps you should offer your byu student a beer. it can be pretty embarassing trying purchase with your student id card. lol

Yes I know what your talking about except for me its when I go to the bank. They are to be "best friends" and get into your life so they can get at more of your money. I keep my responses brief and vague and don't like to chit chat with the teller. Cuz if you do then you'll be sucked into signing up for something.

With the grocery stores the old ladies are sexist and avoid talking to younger men. ha ha! (no joke)

They're not too nosy but I know cashiers in Michigan can be quite condescending. "Oh, Johnie Walker Black. How can you afford that? I wish I had YOUR money."

I usually just get a "Hi,did you find everything OK?", and that's it.

It's all small talk and I return it in kind. They are cheerful so we can be cheerful with an appropriate rejoinder. It doesn't go any further that I've found. Haircutters may sometimes prattle on.

I've noticed more employees are obviously using canned conversation scripts too.

The last three times I have been in Subway, with three different employees, they each asked the exact same 2 questions: How is your day going? Do you have anything fun planned?

Then today, I got the same questions from a casher at my grocery store.


You can often tell that employees are saying things because they are supposed to. It's annoying.

I'm guessing some customer service consultant has been giving tips to do crap like that. People usually love to talk about themselves.

I don't want some cashier trying to make unnecessary conversation with me. I want them to be polite, shut up and pay attention to getting their job done correctly and quickly. But that's just me.

Just take my money, give me my receipt, and let me get my merchandise home! It hurts like hell to be on my feet for this long and I desperately need to get home and into the hot-tub!!

BTW, I have chronic pain due to a long-ago spinal injury, and it is very difficult to be on my feet for more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

DH and I decided to celebrate our upcoming 25th anniversary with a hot tub, and boy - is that baby EVER wonderful for chronic pain!!!! Expensive, but oh, SO worth it!!!

Enjoy your tub!

This is what I'm thinking, some kind of consultant. Because, how can every cashier in every grocery store in town be asking the same questions word for word?

In my experience, they're the same everywhere.
Paper or plastic? Paper or plastic? It never ends.

At my age, this sort of interrogation is akin to "boxers or briefs?"

I don't get people asking me what I have planned. If I did, I think I would say "Nothing much" regardless of what I was going to do.

I usually get, "How are you doing?" Or "how are things going?" My response is usually just "Hello." Have never had any follow up questions. It works. It is polite. It doesn't offer up anything that I don't want to offer up.

You meet up with someone and they say, "How are you doing?" You know damn well they don't want the real answer. However, you can have fun with it. Launch into a complete description of all of your health problems including how you have not had a bowel movement in many days. Then sideline into something else like recounting your entire life story. Pretty soon, you will be hearing, "Sorry, I have to go because I have an appointment elsewhere.

I had a sales job and once an older lady replied to my 'hi, how you doing' with

"I'm 72, how do you think I'm doing?"

I work as a cashier and I will ask how are you as a way of being friendly towards my customers. I also live in the south so it is normal for people to ask how you are doing and expect something more than "I am doing fine" or I am doing great".

Sometimes. In Idaho and Montana. I hear it every time when getting coffee in a drive thru, and every once in a while at the grocery store. I'm usually not awake, which is why I'm getting coffee, and really don't want to have to think to answer the question.

It's not just Utah. I made the mistake of shopping in an actual book store, Books a Million, recently. Checking out was a pain. My cashier and another cashier quizzed me about how often I shop there, do I have the membership card, do I want the membership card, why don't I want a membership card, here's why I ought to have a membership card, do I want to donate money or a book for a local school, do I want to sign up for emails, did I have a good experience shopping that day? JUST LET ME GO!! I am sorry that I didn't order online!!

Yes. Damn those minions for attempting to make conversation with you!