Ok, what’s going on with this? It seems like every damn quick food place I go into now is yelling at me, “Hi, Welcome to (where ever).” Same thing when I leave, “Bye, thanks for coming.” And not just one person either, it’s numerous people yelling, and not altogether either, they always start at slightly different times. It’s like rhythmically challenged retarded people singing a round.
I fist noticed this a Fazoli’s. I thought, wow, that’s annoying, I bet no one likes that, and I bet they’ll stop. I was surprised some marketing focus group let that one slide by. Then it started at Boston Market, then Cici’s Pizza, and tonight at Johnny Rockets. I can believe it. I now take sport in seeing if I can escape without having well-wishes yelled at me by multiple food workers.
So, what’s the deal- does anyone actually like this? Do you feel more welcome when multiple people shout a mindless greeting without as much as a glance in your direction?
bri
Quit yer whining. Who the hell cares anyway!!! Now piss off and go eat at Mel’s Diner.
Bye, now. Thanks for visiting 
“Do you feel more welcome when multiple people shout a mindless greeting without as much as a glance in your direction?”
Yes. It’s much preferable to not even acknowledging you’re there, acting like it’s a pain to serve you, or just ignoring you altogether. Maybe you should consider not eating so much fast food.
Now have a NICE DAY!
Did someone piss in yoru Cheerios today? Although, from the sound of it, you probably would prefer it if they did…
I suspect they’re just discouraging the people who only come in to pee.
CiCi’s Pizza…Boston Market…Fazolis??
Fazolis??
WTF man, are you trying to torture yourself. I’ll give you a pass on the Johnny Rockets…but the others? What’s your idea of a fancy restaurant - Applebees??
You need to go to a real restaurant. Something snooty and expensive - French of course - where they act like they’re doing you a favor by having to actually walk you to your table. That’ll fix you right up.
And if the hello/goodbye thing bothers you, whatever you do, don’t go to Cold Stone for ice cream…
Yes, it’s absolutely disgraceful that people would be friendly with each other. The world would be so much happier if it were populated by curmudgeons.
So, what’s the deal- does anyone actually like this? Do you feel more welcome when multiple people shout a mindless greeting without as much as a glance in your direction?
I think the short answer is yes, people like it.
I say this based on a couple of customer service type manuals I have read lately. Humans are by and large similar and react in similar and predictable ways. My wife, who is an RN at a hospital which is adopting a more customer-service oriented way of doing business has gone through programs that train you to use very specific words and very specific phrases to handle unhappy people. These words and phrases will disarm the unhappy client/customer and give you an opportunity to better address their needs and then make them happy.
I would lay dollars to doughnuts that something like that is going on.
Bernie
Not to derail the thread, but I’m curious what those training manuals / sessions say about “I’m sorry you feel that way…”
That one gets under my skin…
And to get it back on track, I’ve been to Fazoli’s more times than I can count… right here in their corporate headquarters town… can’t ever recall being shouted at, either hello or goodbye. Just a friendly (and reasonably toned) greeting at the register and lots of free breadsticks.
Now, CiCi’s … that teeters between amusing and annoying… but until I read this thread, I thought the “Welcome to CiCi’s!” shout was just them… didn’t know it was contagious…
“You need to go to a real restaurant.”
Exactly! We’ve made it a point to avoid chain restaurants. Of the places the OP mentioned the only one I’ve ever had food from is Boston Market and that was at least 4-5 years ago. It just amazes me that people willingly fork over their money for mediocre food when there are so many good places to eat in most areas.
Apparently the OP would rather be told to HTFU before they come back again. Of course then the OP would be complaing about how rude people are. Some people just can’t be pleased - perpetual whiners. If what these places are doing is so irritating the solution is very simple - DON’T GO THERE!
Not to derail the thread, but I’m curious what those training manuals / sessions say about “I’m sorry you feel that way…”
First, let me say that they are not my training manuals and I have not gone through the classes. The are my wife’s and she has been in this program for a year. I suspected that she might be trying to manipulate me by using some of her new-found techniques, so I started to read the same manuals so that I could be on level-ground.
From what I have seen, they don’t tell you what not to say. The biggest thing to say is, “What I am hearing you say is…” I think that this statement is put out there so that you can show the other person that you are listening to them and secondly explains what you understand about their complaints.
Another of the programmed statements is something like this, “When I see you do this, it makes me (mad, glad, or sad).” Then it goes on to be about 4 or 5 sentences. This is done more about correcting behavior and letting other people know how you feel. What is interesting is that in each sentence there are key words that greatly improve the effectiveness of the whole statement. In the above example it was (mad, glad, sad).
It acutally is pretty interesting stuff. I wouldn’t have thought that much of it would pertain to me in my job. But I have started to use some of the ideas (if not the specifics) and it has changed the way I handle a lot of situations. Also, I have found that I have been able to interface with difficult people easier and manipulate them to do what I want them to do.
Bernie
Interesting… Sounds like “good communications 101” … I’m no expert, but I can’t begin to count the number of places (couples counseling, “effective marriage” training, business communications stuff, etc.) where the “what I heard you say is…” thing and the “when you do this…” thing come up. I’m not surprised you’re finding this stuff works… and kudos for your wife’s employer for training them. It’s not manipulation techniques… it’s good, basic communication stuff.
Hi Rob, I really didn’t know what to expect when I clicked on this thread, and after I did, I really didn’t get much out of it - except for learning how to spell ‘‘curmudgeons.’’ Thanks for that. 
Well, there you go- people love it. I stand corrected.
But, just to be clear… I’m not talking about the person who is actually taking your order that makes I contact, smiles, and gives a warm greeting. That’s cool, and I appreciate that. I’m talking about the mindless, droll, monotone, uncoordinated chant of five different drones that sounds something like, “HIWELHIWELHICOMWELCOMWELTOCOMTOWELBOSCOMTONWELBOSCOMMARCOMBOSMARKETCOMEWELKETBOSCOMKETBOSTONCOMEKETMART”
Picture that repeated every 30 seconds or so while you’re trying to eat, or God forbid- have a conversation… It’ll wear on you.
Oh, thanks everyone for all your nutritional worries about me, however we’re in the process of moving, and all my cooking gear is packed up. Otherwise I usually do cook at home. Only recently have I been going out do eat so much and it was then I noticed this phenomenon. So, there’s no need to concern yourselves with my coronaries just yet.
Also, forgive me for mentioning a “chain” anything, I know we’re way too superior to rest of society to dabble in such mediocrity, now if you’ll excuse me, I must put some miles on my Trek.
bri
“HIWELHIWELHICOMWELCOMWELTOCOMTOWELBOSCOMTONWELBOSCOMMARCOMBOSMARKETCOMEWELKETBOSCOMKETBOSTONCOMEKETMART”
Picture that repeated every 30 seconds or so while you’re trying to eat, or God forbid- have a conversation… It’ll wear on you.
SOLUTION: DON’T GO THERE if this bothers you so much. Really there is no shortage of places to eat in most areas. Seek out some little mom n’ pop joints. Try something new.
Thanks for the insight.
My question was not if I should continue to frequent these places, my question was if people actualy enjoy being greeted in such a manner.
But thanks again for your dining assistance.
“I now take sport in seeing if I can escape without having well-wishes yelled at me by multiple food workers.”
In a similar vein when I was younger my friends and I would try to make it to the back wall of the Gap and out again without having one of the sales person ask to “help” us.
Yes, it’s absolutely disgraceful that people would be friendly with each other. The world would be so much happier if it were populated by curmudgeons.
Anybody here been to Weiner Circle on Clark Street in Chicago? The aggressive lady behind the counter says “WHAT cha’ WANT?!?!” or “WHAT cha’ WANT, honkie?!?!” the moment you step in the door before you even take a look at the menu above her. And the menu does take a moment to look at unless you’re a regular bc it has things listed kinda like this, where you need to look at it for a moment with a lingering Beavis-like “uhhhhhhhh” of momentary indecision:
hot dog
double hot dog
cheddar dog
double cheddar dog
char dog
double char dog
char cheddar dog
double char cheddar dog (highly recommended)
burger
cheeseburger
cheddar burger
double cheesbuger
etc.
If you take more than 2 seconds to answer the lady, she’ll say “get the FUCK out of way, cracker, let someone else order.” So, the friendly “welcome to …” scenario isn’t all THAT bad. For an over-served college student living in Lincoln Park in the late 80’s or so at 3:00 am, it was still the best alternative, seeing that Leon’s Ribs closed at 2 am and the 24-hr Belden Deli was usually too crowded for a quick bite, since there was typically a 30-min wait there at 4:30 am.
Anybody here been to Weiner Circle on Clark Street in Chicago? The aggressive lady behind the counter says “WHAT cha’ WANT?!?!” or “WHAT cha’ WANT, honkie?!?!” the moment you step in the door before you even take a look at the menu above her.
They are trying to be rude. It’s part of the deal with Weiner Circle. In order to fully enjoy your experience there you need to talk back. Instead of “uhh” you should have said “hold the fuck on bitch, I’m decidin!”. However be prepared because they will REALLY ratchet it up then. Makes for some good times after the bars closed at some ungodly hour in the morning.
Yes, I am aware of all of that, since the “uhhhhhhh” was if the person was not a regular. I was a regular, as evidenced by my continuing ability to recite the menu nearly 20 years later. I used to bring people there just to scare them.
I like your “hold the fuck on bitch, I’m decidin!”. Good strategy. I usually went with “give me a fuckin minute, I’m ordering for Haywood too, you know, Haywood Jublowme!!”