Last time we were in Houston we went by a Coldstone. The singing was a new one on me. We tipped well, but underhandedly. I’m just not up to that level of cheer.
Hmmm, I wonder if they’re related to the Rusty Nail, formerly of Jamestown NY, where the 10,000 Maniacs got their start. Probably not. But when we were coming back from Celeron Mall and waiting in the car as my mom got donuts at the Mr Donuts across from the Rusty Nail, I had plenty of time to contemplate the swinging sign portraying a rusty nail, and to wonder what the hell that place sold. Hardware store? Handyman’s? Nawww, couldnt’a been a nightclub/restaurant/bar.
Management-enforced hypercheeriness is just wrong. People like the OP aren’t singing because they got a tip; they’re singing to keep their jobs. It reminds me of the Yosemite Sam cartoons where he shoots at someone’s feet and yells “dance, varmint!” Sure the poor bastard dances, but he obviously doesn’t have fun doing so.
:dubious: Where?
Celeron Mall? Named after the Intel processor?
I recently discovered a Cold Stone near us and it’s great. My favorite mix is chocolate ice cream with walnuts, almonds, chocolate shavings and chocolate chips.
However, I didn’t get the singing connection until I read this thread. The first time, I thought it had something to do with fresh ice cream coming out or greeting people or something. Last time, I listened more closely and they were singing about tips. Seemed a little crass since I assumed it was meant to convince people to hand over more money. Thanks to you, I now know differently. 
Eeek… I just found this:
http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/images/news/March_Red_Pan_Nutritional_Information_620.pdf
650 calories for a medium cup of ice cream, not even counting the mix-ins! :eek:
Semi-related, I used to work at the Baja Beach Club in Chicago as a shotgirl/beer tub girl.
I wore a pink velvet bikini with bunny ears, and had to get dressed in other costumes and get up on the bar and do lip-synch/dancing skits throughout the night…Greased Lightning, Oh Mickey, etc. Typical 80’s cheesy bar songs.
I actually loved my job, had a blast working there, and made awesome tips, though. 
I have several friends (who are also college students) who work at the Coldstone Creamery downtown and they HATE it. (One refers to Coldstone as “the bitch factory.”) I’ve hardly heard a positive thing come out of their mouths about this job, and I wonder why they haven’t all quit yet.
I’ll have to ask if it’s on account of the singing.
Exactly.
I guess some people prefer then fake chipper attitude, because then they, the customer, don’t have to think about the fact that the person serving them is doing a crappy job for crappy pay.
Hear fucking hear. I don’t know why the people I order food from are surly so often (I’ve done those jobs so I know they suck even if no one is ordering, hence I wish they didn’t make me feel like it way my fault), but places that force their employees to act jolly are the worst kind of fascist.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - all I need from service people is politeness. I’m polite to them, they’re polite back, I go my merry way, they continue on with the next customer. I’ve been there - I know what forced smiles feel like. I don’t expect or enjoy forced smiles, being called by my (mangled) name, or, for the love of pete, singing.
And I’d prefer surly to obnoxious. Mr. Rilch and I were pracically terrorized at a Coldstone’s a while ago.
We used to go to a Coldstone’s in another community. No singing, but the employees did have a very pleasant attitude. Then another Coldstone’s opened up in our neck of the woods.
We ordered, got our icream, and then one of the employees reached out and shook the tip jar. Mr. Rilch started to reach into his pocket again, but stopped when both employees began banging their spades on the slab and shouting “TIP! TIP! TIP!” We walked out without tipping shit. In fact, we haven’t been back since.
—Years ago, I had a brief stint at Carl’s Jr. The manager told us we were to smile at all times. It creeped me out a bit—I kept thinking of the Whammyburger scene in Falling Down.
—As far as ice cream, I saw a post on another board once. Someone was in a tizzy about what they’d seen at an ice cream parlor. It had an 1890s theme, and the owners had their ~11 year old son working as a greeter, and made him wear what they apparently thought was an era-appropriate outfit. Short velvet pants, lace collar, the whole nine. Little Lord Fauntleroy, IOW. “He was almost in tears! He couldn’t look people in the eye! Please tell me I can call CPS on these people—they’re scarring him for life!!”
There’s a Carvel just down the street, knock yourself out. 
If people don’t like the forced cheerfulness, they’ll take their business elsewhere and Cold Stone will be Stone Dead.
:eek: And miss out on Cake Batter ice cream!
I am a huge ice cream connoisseur. I drive all over my region to get ice cream from my favorite places. I often will travel over an hour just to get some of the good stuff. I was excited when a Coldstone opened up just a few minutes from my house about 2 years ago.
The place has good ice cream, not great, but the singing is too much. I won’t go back. The reason is the singing. What the hell are the people running this place thinking? Does anyone actually enjoy this type of entertainment? If I want to hear some singing while I eat Ice Cream, then I will buy some ice cream and put in a CD in my car. Why on earth would I want to hear a bunch of strangers singing songs about tips, or ice cream, set to famous little melodies like the “happy birthday” melody and so on.
I find few things more annoying than forced cheer.
I say just mouth the words, or start making up your own tunes using melodies from cool songs like “Fucking Hostile” by Pantera. See if the boss appreciates your newfound interest in the job.
All in all, after hearing about this Coldstone Creamery from a bunch of people back home, I think I’d rather eat at Ed DeBevic’s (sp?). Their motto is “Eat and Get Out!”
You’re thinking of Firestone.
What happens if you have a really bad singing voice? As in, your singing would violate the Geneva Convention?
For those who have never been to a Coldstone, the singing goes on for maybe five seconds…at least at the one I go to. It would still annoy me if I had to do that.
Guin it’s akin to everyone singing along to Happy Birthday, it’s a group thing so who’s really going to notice someone’s out of tune?