Fast food chain Chick-Fil-A recently riled their customers’ feathers when they took away their beloved cow calendar. It caused an outcry, with spicy chicken sandwich devotees wondering, “How else will I stay updated on Chick-Fil-A deals and holidays?” Now, something else has those same customers tilting their heads. Per Delish, the chain’s employees don’t say “you’re welcome” or “no problem” when you thank them for assisting you. Instead, they all respond with “my pleasure.”
Why is that?
Taste of Home reports that it all started when Truett Cathy, Chick-Fil-A’s founder, was staying at the Ritz Carlton, a famously fancy hotel. There, when he thanked one of the hotel’s workers, they said, “My pleasure,” and that apparently made Truett feel extra classy. The founder then decided that he wanted his customers to feel the same way at Chick-Fil-A.
While “my pleasure” is not official company policy or anything, a Chick-Fil-A worker wrote on Reddit that “’you’re welcome’ seems too indifferent, and we’re told to use elevated language.” He added that saying “my pleasure” is basically a learned behavior amongst the chain’s employees.
Aside from being courteous, “my pleasure” is meant to make resturaunt-goers feel as though Chick-Fil-A is going the extra mile. “The first mile is the foundation — good customer service, hot food hot, cold food cold,” Chick-Fil-A marketing consultant Kristen Hunter told Taste of Home. “The second mile is what we do that’s remarkable.” Who knew that two words could influence an entire brand’s business model?
Now, is anybody else craving waffle fries?
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