Food; Home @ 26 Dec 2006 11:13 am by Christina Waters
1) “No Problem.”
“No problem,” says your server, when you request more bread. Well, thanks for the reassurance – that really takes a load off my mind. I’ve been sitting here consumed with anxiety over whether my requesting bread, or a refill of water, might cause you, the server, difficulties or emotional upset or something tantamount to a coronary. Whew! Is that a relief, just hearing you calm me down and offer the soothing benediction of your assurance that I have not ruined your day.
The real response I have is: “of course it’s no problem you idiot. Why should providing basic service (which is after all your job) cause any problem whatsoever”?
This is another slang verbal habit that has just plain gotten out of control, like “twentyfour seven” and “back at ‘cha”.
Stop it! Just stop it.
2) “Have a good one.”
“Have a good one.” This one kills me. And I’ve given it some thought – though I wouldn’t mind hearing your version. Clearly this is a genericization of an already hackneyed expression, “Have a nice day.” Okay. So initially it occurs to me that “Have a good one” (which always sound very Bud Lite, don’t you think?) is an effort to throw over one cliché in favor of another. Replace “day” with “one”, replace “nice” with “good” and voila! something new and fresh. Hmmm, I don’t think so.
It’s true that “Have a good one” covers much more territory than “Have a nice day.” It can be used no matter what time it is – morning, afternoon, evening. It suggests fellowship, camaraderie and sort of a queasy intimacy. A wink and a nudge, if you recall your Monty Python.
It’s all so NFL. Another overworked sports analogy, perhaps a lashing out at feminism, the idea of taking back what small turf remains to “guys” (I have already commented on that bit of macho linguo.)
3) “No problem. Have a good one guys.” This linguistic miscreant covers the entire pop turf. It is, to quote another disturbingly ubiquitous phrase (one of which I am also guilty), it is a “no brainer.” And that’s probably what America sees in it. It says nothing, hence it can be used by anybody, in any instance. I have more to say on the “guys” issue, but as Scarlett O’Hara reminds us “tomorrow is another day.”
The one that really gets me is “Absolutely!”
“Absolutely” what? Absolutely yes? Absolutely not?American wait staff seem to be especially fond of that phrase these days.
Actually, for me anyway, the phrase “Have a good one” is only quasi Bud Lite…Personally, I think the term “Have a good one,” reflects more like Miller High-Life–”The champagne of beers”…if the beer fits…
Also, I enjoyed, very-much, the “Intimate Landscape”
opening last night at the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery…Professor Frank Galuszka curated a exquisitely eclectic yet wondrously well unified exhibit.
Thanks, Bruce
the
On restaurant communication - I dined at Avanti last night and I feel slighted that our server Ali (her name is probably longer, but it’s so much easier to shorten words so you can get more out of your mouth in one breath) did not inform us of her name and confirm that she was indeed our server for the evening - well, an hour+. Nor did she squat down to be more at eye level (while shining our shoes under the table as I understand they do at certain spas at the ultra-lux end). We also did not have an opportunity to discuss the weather, if we all had children, or if we should buy the latest mint chocolate or mocha chocolate cell phone.
In fact, Ali was only efficient at giving us accurate information about the food we would eat and the wine we would drink. She also only came to the table exactly when we needed her to - no extra “how are you guys…” - even if a woman is part of the group - “…liking your food tonight…” comments to make us feel we had an all inclusive evening.
Service can be so much more than just making one’s dining experience completely about the customer. I hope Ali takes note asap.
Mateo