Discounts for polite people

[garbon]

I think my usual is can I get.

[Liep]

My kids were taught to say, "Please, may I have..." when ordering, even at McDonald's. It's amazing the looks they get from other customers (and their friends) when they continue doing so as adults, but most of the clerks seem pleased and usually give them better service.

It doesn't hurt to use curtesy, and it could make someone else's day better, so why not do so whenever you can?

I do find it interesting that there are languages that don't have equivalent words for "please" and "thank you". Just not something that I've ever considered, but it makes sense. Curtesy has different meanings in different cultures.

We get around it. A translation of a courteous order would be: "I would like to/May I ask for a coffee, thanks".

[Malthus]

I think my usual is can I get.

"You certainly can". [silence] 

...

Yeah, I say "Can I get" too. 

[Brazen]

I say, "I would like..." or "Please may I have..." or "I'll have the X please".

[lustindarkness]

French cafe offering discounts to polite people?  They sure ain't losing much...

It's funny cuz you're from Quebec. 

Different culture   Americans and British are different, despiste the same language.  Same for Australians and Canadians.

You know that Australians aren't real, right?  They're fantasy creatures, like Orcs.

And elves, hobbits and dwarves.

Those are Kiwis, not Aussies. 

Well shit, you are correct. And I know this, I've been there and worked with them drunk Kiwis.  I'm slacking. 

[garbon]

I think my usual is can I get.

"You certainly can". [silence] 

...

Yeah, I say "Can I get" too. 

Unless it is a place like the Carnegie Deli, generally waitstaff aren't trained to call the customer out.

[Malthus]

I think my usual is can I get.

"You certainly can". [silence] 

...

Yeah, I say "Can I get" too. 

Unless it is a place like the Carnegie Deli, generally waitstaff aren't trained to call the customer out.

I dunno, how better to get a 20% tip than to humiliate your customers?

Oh, right.  I guess that's why I'm not in that industry.

[Queequeg]

I know Korean and Japanese don't.  I'm pretty sure Chinese doesn't.

What about "domo arigato" (Mister Roboto)?

I actually always wondered whether arigato derives from the Portuguese obrigado

Yeah.  There are quite a few Portugeseisms in Japanese.  The word for bread-pan-is another. 

[Queequeg]

I'm surprised that there are languages without more or less direct equivalents of please.  Turkish, Russian and German do.  I actually associate Chinese with particularly Baroque politeness protocols, it would seem if anything that they don't have an exact equivalent because it's just not that simple. Turkish, Russian and German all have the T-V distinction, with older Turkish having three levels of politeness (thou, you and literally "yous"). 

[Admiral Yi]

What about "domo arigato" (Mister Roboto)?

That's thank you.

[Queequeg]

Isn't it doozo?

[Admiral Yi]

Isn't it doozo?

Ah, that's the Japanese please.

[Liep]

Isn't it doozo?

Ah, that's the Japanese please.

Isn't that what they use as "excuse me"? Or as in "please, sit down".

[Queequeg]

I'm not sure how exact it is.  Suwatte kudasai means "please sit down" with "suwatte" being the verb, so I'd imagine it depends on context.

I'd have to imagine Korean has a pretty complex system of politeness.  It's pretty typical of every East Asian language I thought.  Vietnamese is nuts.

[Admiral Yi]

Isn't that what they use as "excuse me"? Or as in "please, sit down".

Excuse me is sumimasen.  I think doozo might be mostly (only?) used in the context of offering food.  Please eat, please come in to my restaurant.