Everything about this restaurant, based in my hometown of Atlanta, is first class, from their iconic founder, Truett Cathy and his impressive sons Bubba and Dan, down to their amazing sweet iced tea and lemon pie. The story of how Mr. Cathy opened his first restaurant in Atlanta in 1946 and later created the delicious boneless breast of chicken sandwich the year I was born, 1963, is legendary. It truly is an American success story and should be taught to your children and your children’s children.
I also love the way Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays, yet still beats the other fast food chains in their sales of chicken over the other six days. As a devout Christian, Truett rests on the Sabbath, and all signs indicate that God honors that, from the overall success of the chain to the high quality of employees they can attract due to more flexible schedules.
I recommend Truett’s book, It’s Easier to Succeed than to Fail, to everyone I meet, and even keep an autographed copy on my bookshelf at the office.
So it’s established, right? I love me some Chick-fil-A.
My only beef with this restaurant comes down to two simple words: My pleasure.
Somewhere along the way, during years of stopping in for the best Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit in the Western Hemisphere, or some amazing chicken nuggets later in the day, the outstanding employees at Chick-fil-A have taken to this phrase as the mandatory response to just about anything I might say.
Me: “Can I get a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit and a large sweet tea?” CFA: “Yes sir, you can.” Me: “Thanks.” CFA: “My pleasure.”
Me: “Could I get extra honey mustard?” CFA: “Yes sir, you can.” Me: “Thanks.” CFA: “My pleasure.”
Me: “Have a good day.” CFA: “My pleasure.” Me: “Nice weather we’re having.” CFA: “My pleasure.”
Me: “A wild boar just ran through the children’s playground but no one was hurt.” CFA: “My pleasure.”
Obviously, someone stayed at a Ritz-Carlton or went to one of their leadership meetings, because pretty much everything is “My pleasure.” I even find myself trying to avoid the encounter and mandatory reply:
Me: “Looks great, thanks so much. Oops….” CFA: “My pleasure”
Me: “I’ll let you go because I know you are busy…please don’t say another….” CFA: “My pleasure.”
Honestly, I can tell you love your job, and it’s even apparent you enjoy serving me and the rest of the public, but I have a hard time believing that everything you do brings true pleasure. Isn’t there something you’re doing out of sheer obligation?
I thought about asking them to clip my toenails. Trust me, nothing pleasurable about that.
Maybe we just add a little variety by allowing employees to express the same sentiment, just in different words:
- “You know it.”
- “I heard that.”
- “I know that’s right.”
- “Back at ya.”
- “You don’t have to tell me.”
- “The Chick is the trick.”
- “Gesundheit.”
All this talk about chicken is making me hungry. Good thing there is a Chick-fil-A right around the corner where I will now head for lunch: CFA sandwich, waffle fries, Cole slaw, sweet tea. Maybe a brownie.
And can I get you anything? No need to thank me.
My pleasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment