Why must people ignore simple courtesies?

by Ryan
(Baltimore, MD)

I work at a local cafe serving food and pre-busing tables. It drives me absolutely insane when people do not even attempt to say anything after greeting them, saying thank you, or helping them carry their items to their table.

I would settle for even an angry response rather then nothing at all. I am always certain to be friendly and treat everyone with respect when I am in the same situation at other establishments. However it seems as though 80% of the people I serve are simply rude sometimes.

Even when busing tables people do not bother to say thank you or acknowledge my existence, but rather take for granted that I am offering a service to them out of respect that I do not need to do.

Another thing that drives me absolutely frustrates me is when I get the bad end of the stick and get yelled at by customers when their order is incorrect. I simply consolidate their order together. I do not make their food, nor ring them in but I have never once had a customer realize this. Since I am the first person that is seen when receiving their food, I must automatically be trying to make their day terrible and mess up their order on purpose. After apologizing for something I did not do, giving them a refund, and most-likely extra food, the customers usually walk away angry without acknowledging anything I tried to do to make their day a little bit better. So the next time someone says Hello, Thank you, or Have a great day, please say something, anything back to let them know they even exist!