this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2026
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I assume the employees in the kitchen have to yell pelase and thank you after someone orders through the kiosk.
Like the places where everyone has to yell welcome when someone enters. I turn around and go somewhere else when that happens.
Let me say as a European who only visited the U.S. once decades ago... Every time I entered a shop or restaurant there would be a stream of staff saying 'Have a nice day'... this was so fucking weird and annoying because
a) I'm in a fucking Subway in fucking Bellend, Utah b) I'm here for work c) Fuck me, my client just said grace for the shitiest sandwich I've ever tasted. Seriously, this thing tasted more of iron fillings than chicken Caesar. d) The people saying this clearly didn't give a shit about my day, not that I blame them
America is so strange to me...
To be fair, Bellend, Utah (i.e. Mormon country) is kinda the worst-case scenario for that sort of weirdness.
The issue is that studies show that friendliness will improve business through retention. It's cheaper to fake friendliness than it is to actually build an environment where people give a shit.
It's along the same lines as retail establishments who force their employees to stand because it makes them look more professional/busier/more hard working. Instead of either letting retail employees sit down (especially cashiers, what the fuck?) or giving them something meaningful to do that isn't cleaning the same square foot of floor or rearranging because you're tired of seeing your workers happy and want to force customers to look in a different place every time they walk in, you force them to look busy. They're building a cargo cult of management.
This isn't friendliness, this is creepiness and I really doubt even Americans are falling for this bullshit. If they do, then I'm really don't understand the American psyche.
Americans aren't falling for it. We range from "I don't give a shit" to "Let them poor workers just fucking work, man". Middle managers who want to look like they're doing something and store managers who believe they are the Lord and Master of their little fiefdoms do though.
No sushi for you then, huh?
Ok, that is the one exception.