Sometimes You (Don't) Wanna Go Where Everybody Knows Your Name

There’s no warmer feeling than being recognized by familiar faces. Whether when entering church, the gym at the Y, or perhaps your neighborhood bar, it truly lifts the spirit when those that work at the establishment give you a smile of recognition. You know where this doesn’t apply? The Panda Express. No, it is rather quite embarrassing when the pleasant woman standing behind the array of mass produced Chinese fare smiles at you and then calls your order out for you. Such was my experience at lunch today (continuing a string of recent unpleasantries during lunch).

Panda Express employee: “How are you, sir?” with a smile as though she’s surprised I had managed to hold out for as long as I had (two weeks!) before returning.

Me: “Umm, okay.”

PE employee: “What can I get for you today? Oh, orange chicken and mandarin chicken, right?”

Me: “Yes” while reaching for the Blackberry, looking around nervously, and making a mental note not to return to Panda Express for quite awhile.

Here's a suggestion to employees/managers of basically all fast food establishments. Even if someone comes into your swillhole "restaurant" daily, act like it's the first time you've ever seen them. If they are in there enough for you to recognize them, you've obviously already won their business. I'm certainly not advocating rudeness, by the way. Be pleasant and peppy, just don't make it seem to them and anyone else in earshot that they are your location's top revenue driver.

So management of the Vinings Panda Express, take note. If you want my business (after my hiatus that must now extend at least three weeks), you will act as though you have never seen me the next time I grace your premises. You may be the most convenient provider of orange "chicken", but you are not the only one!

Being recognized at Cheers, far superior to being recognized at Panda Express