Water usage is probably my biggest. Living in a high desert, my wife and MIL see no problem with filling one side of the sink with hot soapy water to wash a few dishes because “that’s just how I’ve always done it”, to watering the grass and plants for hours. All of this makes me mental.
Cashiers here have started saying “have a good rest of your day” instead of “have a good afternoon” or something.
It never used to be a phrase.
Its very common now.
I understand that language evolves and that this is probably used often enough to be dramatically “appropriate” now, but i just hate it.
Some how the grammar is just discordant and I find it jarring every time.
Of course, I dont tell cashiers about this grievance, because I appreciate them and I understand this is just me being weird and I try to get through my day offending the fewest service workers as possible.
As someone who used to work retail, I feel this. I have trouble socially and just want one phrase to mindlessly close out every interaction. I started with “have a good day,” but as the day progressed, I would get more funny looks or comments like “…what’s left of it.” I’m sorry, is after 6pm no longer today? Today is a day, right? I ended up using “have a good one.” While less formal, the funny looks and comments stopped.
People are funny. They think it’s strange that I say have a good day as it’s starting to get dark, but don’t bat an eye at the fact that I’m only wishing them a good day. What about tomorrow? “I hope today goes well for you, but fuck tomorrow.” Is the idea that they expect to see me every day? I deserve days off, too. I’m not going to be here tomorrow to wish you a good day, so maybe I should tailor it to my schedule to make sure you’re covered until I see you again. “I have tomorrow off, so have a good couple days!” No, I’d have to change that every day… maybe “Have a good time until I see you again!” is better. What happens when I change jobs? I don’t think I’ll see them again, so I need to make sure their days are good from here on out? “Have a nice life!” That’s worse somehow.
This reminds me of the end of sophomore year in high school. We were signing yearbooks, “Have a nice summer, hope you don’t drown!” Thanks for the positive wishes, but now I’m going to worry about drowning every time I go swimming!
If you compare it to “have a good day”, it’s longer and awkwarder, and the extra words are to avoid…the scenario of someone complaining that part of the day has already passed and can no longer be nice?
In the same vein of unnecessary specificity: I hate when waiters ask “how is everything tasting?” I have to resist replying that it tastes great but it’s cold and the texture makes me want to gag.
Similarly, I find it slightly annoying when you thank a cashier and they respond by saying you’re welcome. This exchange was purely transactional (I paid for my items and you did your job), so please don’t imply that you did me some sort of personal favor. But like you, I won’t say anything about it to the cashier because their job is already hard enough.
I don’t get this one. You started it going with the thank you. now they have to say your welcome.
When you thank a cashier, that’s the standard polite way to close the interaction and both of you understand you’re not actually expressing gratitude to them for simply doing their job.
Responding with “you’re welcome” implies the settlement of a social debt (i.e., yes, I did you a favor and your gratitude is acknowledged) that wasn’t part of that purely transactional exchange. It’s an exaggerated response that comes across as presumptuous. You thanking the cashier doesn’t indebt them, but their “you’re welcome” implies that you owed them.
BUT that’s not their intent, they’re just mindlessly saying it because that’s how their manager or grandma or someone taught them to respond and they never stopped to think about it. So I find it mildly annoying, but I’d never point it out and neither of us wants that discussion.
I mean, I’d argue that “Thank you” always implies acknowledging a social debt; if you don’t feel there was a social debt someone just assisted you with, I probably wouldn’t say, “Thank you.”
“Have a good day” would just as equally and politely close the interaction while not implying you were just assisted with a social debt.
that is a very weird way of looking at it. “thank you” has always been a way of expressing gratitude.
yes, they may simply just be doing their job, but at the same time you are also doing what you as a customer should be doing: place your items on the counter, pay, get your stuff, and leave. there’s no need for you to thank someone; there’s no need for any words of exchange.
“thank you” may be a standard polite phrase, but so is “you’re welcome” or “no problem”. you were polite to them, so let them be polite to you by acknowledging your expression of gratitude.