# What if I tell waitstaff to stop being so "friendly"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 3, 2008, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-tell-waitstaff-to-stop-being-so-friendly/443769 "2008-04-03T06:16:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-tell-waitstaff-to-stop-being-so-friendly/443769/21 "2008-04-04T01:45:19Z")
[QUOTE=Sigmagirl] There’s a cashier at my Giant Eagle who always used to comment on whatever I bought. A 2-liter of pop and a bag of pretzels? “Oh, you must be having a party! Can I come to the party? How come I’m not invited to the party?” Or if I bought a roasting chicken, “What time should I come over for dinner? What kind of wine should I bring?” [/QUOTE] Jesus, there was a guy like that at the Save-Mart store in Visalia, CA, when I lived there. Every time, he’d make some kind of “humorous” comment. I wanted to slash his eyeballs with a butterknife. I’d avoid his lane unless it would clearly save me at least a 5-minute wait. Joe ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-tell-waitstaff-to-stop-being-so-friendly/443769/22 "2008-04-04T02:19:19Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Esp. interested in people with experience in this area, from either end. Sometimes waitstaff are too “friendly.” They feel a need to chat me (and my companions) up, try to “connect,” and so on. I don’t really like this. But I have never been sure whether this is a result of personality, or if there is a general idea amongst waitstaff that customers _want_ to be treated this way. Were I to politely tell my waiter or waitress at some point that I’d really just like them to take care of my dining needs, and that I am not here to socialize with them (gah, how do I do that “politely” is another question!), will this, do you think, be taken as an insult, or as providing them with some relief? [/QUOTE] Well, the best that can happen is cold food and another tipping thread started about you here. 😛 The worst is “substances” in your food. :eek: Generally, I’d _like_ to see my waitstaff often enough so that I think they are getting too friendly. Instead, usually, I start to think I am going to need a compass, a bloodhound and a team of native guides to even _find_ my waiter. Damn, I _wish_ I had your problems. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Amygdala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Amygdala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amygdala)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-tell-waitstaff-to-stop-being-so-friendly/443769/23 "2008-04-04T02:29:16Z")
I hate it when servers are super chatty too. I’m one of those “just take my order and bring my food, then bring the check when I’m done” people. I don’t even want them to check up on me, because when they do I always have a mouthful of food, and trying to answer through it is embarrassing. Actually, I hate all forms of overly friendly customer service. It’s weird, because I work in customer service (god knows why), and we’re encouraged to engage customers in conversation, which is exactly what I wouldn’t want as a customer. It’s difficult for me to believe that other people actually enjoy that kind of service. But I guess they must, or it wouldn’t be so prevalent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-tell-waitstaff-to-stop-being-so-friendly/443769.md?page=1)