A Little Sweetness Often Begets More Sweetness
I start a new job, and within the first week, I am invited out to lunch with some colleagues. We go to a popular soup and sandwich shop.
Cashier: “Hi, how—”
[Colleague #1] rattles off his order and puts his card in.
Cashier: “Okay.”
[Colleague #1] takes his card out and walks away.
Cashier: “Hi, how can I help you today?”
Colleague #2: “What’s in the [Sandwich]?”
Cashier: “It comes with [all of the items listed in the description on the board].”
Colleague #2: “Okay.”
There’s a pause.
Colleague #2: “How much?”
Cashier: “That will be [price] if you just want the sandwich, or—”
Colleague #2: “Okay.”
[Colleague #2] puts his card in, takes it out, and steps away.
Cashier: “Hi, how can I help you today?”
Me: “Hi. How are you?”
Cashier: “Um… I’m okay. How are you?”
Me: “I’m pretty good.”
Cashier: “What would you like to eat?”
Me: “Could I get the [combo meal] with a medium drink, please?”
Cashier: “Sure. That will be [less than I expected].”
Me: “Is that the meal? The sign says—”
Cashier: “Yes, ma’am, that is correct.” *Grins*
Me: “Oh. Um, thank you.”
I pay and step to the side.
We are all seated at a table for a few minutes when the cashier waves me back to him. I go over, thinking I forgot something, and he hands me a chocolate chip cookie.
Me: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know a cookie came with the meal. And um, I don’t want to be that person, but are you sure you charged me correctly?”
Cashier: “You were the first person in three hours to treat me like a person. I used my employee discount for your meal and got the manager to okay giving you a free cookie.”
Me: “Oh! Well, thank you!”
I go back to my table with my free cookie. My colleagues all look at me like I’ve grown a second head.
Colleague #1: “How did you get a free cookie? They never offer me free things!”
Me: “I was nice to him.”
Colleague #1: “You just… You were just nice to him, and he gave you a cookie? I was nice.”
Me: “You interrupted his greeting. I asked how his day was.”
Colleague #1: “Oh.”
They looked at each other, completely baffled by the idea.
I never did get another free cookie from that place, but I did notice my colleagues making the effort to treat cashiers and other service workers with more respect.
