I step up to the register and smile at the cashier as she says hello.
“Is this for here or to go today?” she asks. As her warm brown eyes make contact with mine, hers widen and she gasps quietly.
“Are those lash extensions?”
It takes me a moment to realize she is talking to me. My eyelashes are adequate, generously coated with a free sample of Sephora-brand mascara. I haven’t been loving the mascara, but now I’m reconsidering that assessment.
I tell the cashier that these are my own lashes, and she is amazed.
“They look great!” she gushes. I blush and thank her, batting my newly fabulous lashes as if I am a coquettish ingenue.
I order my Take Two, a cup of broccoli cheddar soup (totally counts as a vegetable), and a tomato and mozzarella flatbread. I ask what else comes on the flatbread, and Friendly Cashier patiently rattles off each ingredient. I nod with satisfaction, thank her, and tuck my receipt in my purse.
“Thank you, Miss Dana,” my new BFF says. I’m startled – how does she know my name? Then I realize that she sees it on the receipt because I used my loyalty card. I walk to the beverage center, smiling as I grab one of the tiny cups designated for customers who opt for free water instead of a fountain drink. I fill it to its stingy four-ounce capacity, and find a table for two.
My friend Lisa orders right after I do, with the same lovely cashier. She is also smiling as she leaves the register, a sixteen-ounce cup in each hand.
“One for Miss Lisa, and one for Miss Dana,” she reports, repeating what Awesome Panera Gal had declared as she handed over the grownup cups that are typically reserved for paying soda drinkers.
She didn’t have to address Lisa or me by name.
She didn’t have to compliment my lashes.
She didn’t have to give an adult-sized cup when mini cups were stacked at the beverage center.
Panera Super Star did all of these things, and even just one of them would have made my morning.
It takes no more energy to be kind than it does to be nasty. It takes no more energy to be friendly than it does to simply be civil.
If I only had the power to wave a wand and make the world a kinder place, I would work my magic.
Or maybe I just need to give a compliment to a stranger. Maybe we all need to be a little more like Friendly Panera Cashier Lady.
Using a fabulous mascara can’t hurt, either.
This is so true. Nothing beats an unexpected compliment. Particularly if it comes from a woman.
Yes! Especially a woman who looked like she knew her way around a cosmetic bag.
How sad is it that I knew where you were having lunch…sigh…I need to expand my horizons when I go to the US. Anyway, point very well taken, and I loved that cashier as soon as she mentioned your eyelashes. You gotta love a girl who spots great lashes.
Yes, you do! It’s not sad that you knew where I was lunching…Panera is the best!
Such a great example of customer delight. Kindness is never forgotten or wasted.
Thanks for sharing, Dana.
My pleasure, Corinne. It’s nice to write feel-good pieces. 🙂
I LOVE this kind of genuinely good customer service. It really all does come down to kindness, doesn’t it? I hope that you passed this post along to Panera!
I didn’t, but I did send an email via their web page. I hope that cashier gets some kudos, although she seems like the type of person for whom being kind is its own reward.
Oh my goodness, the world WOULD be a better place if we started each day with your mantra: “It takes no more energy to be kind than to be nasty.” Here’s to using our precious energy the right way. 😉
Absolutely!
I have long lashes but it’s only noticeable with the right mascara. I use something drug store in a yellow bottle. I’m thinking Maybelline however you spell it, something ultimate maybe? I’ll have to look. Maybe we can swappish where I try yours and you can try mine and we can write about it. Meanwhile I love your kindness wand. I’m trying to invent my own like figure out how to bring out the good in people. Like I wonder how many angry people changed their attitude because they got a good cup. Anyway I’m on my phone and can’t share too well on Facebook but I’d like to share this with a group I can’t remember what they called it but it’s 1000 speaks for compassion. This would be a good post for their link up. I know. I think I link to it on my blog. But try to find it if you’re not already there. Message the Facebook if you want it and can’t find. I’ll forget otherwise (on a mini vacation)
I participated in 1000 speaks before – great suggestion, Michelle! I will look into it.
I couldn’t love this more, Dana!! Isn’t it amazing how a person can simply glow kindness and how we as recipients can be immersed in their light? YES. There are incredible souls out there- shining their light.
I’m so grateful for them.
Me too, Chris.
I would imagine that standing at a food counter taking lunch orders would get a bit monotonous, but it sounds like this super star has found a way to make it fun! I’ll bet she feels great making other people feel great. If everyone would try that we would live in a much better world!
You are right, Rabia. And I’m sure she has more pleasant days than those who are grumpy or just not friendly. It’s contagious, isn’t it?
It’s so interesting how one small act of kindness can really change someone’s day. Sometimes it feels like people are quick to judge when perhaps they should be quick to compliment. Have a great weekend!
You too, Leslie! The weather will be gorgeous here – hope you get some deck projects done! We will be mowing and mulching and putting together deck furniture.
What a great story and a wonderful reminder! We often think about how RECEIVING compliments makes us feel, but we forget to be the one GIVING compliments. 🙂
I’d argue that giving compliments make us feel just as good as receiving them. Then why don’t we do it more? I’m going to start.
I agree with you Dana it takes a lot of effort to compliment someone and even smile to a passerby!
God Bless that young cashier at Panera.
xoxo
Absolutely!
I want that wand, too! What a nice treat that kindness changed your day and inspired your writing.
Now I’m hungry for Panera…
I’m always hungry for Panera!
Such a great example how one person can make a difference by being engaged in the moment — and being thoughtful. A good reminder to me the little kindnesses — a wave, a smile, an encouraging word or note — do matter.
Yes – and I need that reminder too. We all do, I think.
So, so true! There’s a guy named Jim at the Kwik Trip station on the corner from us who always makes my day. He offers to help carry my milk out, talks about the blue sky, tells me to please come back again, hands me my bag with a smile. He’s just awesome. It really does make me feel good, and I want to pay it forward everytime I walk out of that store.
Good for you for investing in good mascara! I’ve almost given up on mascara. Mine always smears!
Ha – I am a mascara junkie. I cannot decide on a favorite, so I keep buying different brands.
So much in this post resonates, from the desire for luscious lashes to those tiny water cups (really I always feel I need just one more sip!) but mostly it is such a wonderful feel-good story. Thank you for sharing it, Dana, and for the essential reminder.
My pleasure, Nix! It was nice to write a feel good story – I was smiling the whole time I was typing. I probably looked like an idiot, but that is why I do not write in public places. 🙂
Ok wait, what’s the mascara? Is it one of those that you have the fibers go first and then the mascara because those scare me but I love that you found kindness at Panera and that you found time to write and share because I think compliments from (and to) strangers mean the very most of all. xo.
Sephora brand – just regular stuff. No fibers. And yes to compliments from and to strangers – the bestest.
Whaaaaat? This girl is a star. And she should be rewarded with the knowledge of this post. Stellar effort on her part and yours. Thank you for this simple, uplifting post. Made my day, too!
I can’t share the post with her, but I did leave a comment on Panera’s website, using her name and the store location. I hope it gets back to her bosses!
Kindness goes a long way! Life is all about the little things 🙂
Very true.
That’s so lovely. What a wonderful lady you met 🙂 Glad you had such a lovely lunch 🙂
Thanks, Lizzi. It was a good Monday!
I could not agree more! Isn’t it funny how going just a little above and beyond can go so far? I bet that girl owns her own business someday. She’s going places! 🙂
I bet she is! She will definitely be successful in whatever she does.
Before you said it, I was hoping it would be Panera. YUM.
We used to have a school crossing guard that would wave vigorously to EVERY SINGLE CAR who passed her by. You could be having a terrible day, but she’d wave you out of it. She also wore hats for every holiday including a turkey hat for Thanksgiving.
I’m sad she retired! The new guy doesn’t do a thing. I suppose he helps kids across the street, though, so there is that.
P.S. What’s the mascara??
It’s Sephora brand, and I don’t even really love it. But I guess it’s better than I thought!
And that crossing guard had big shoes to fill, for sure.
I love this. Isn’t it a shame that we sometimes get caught off guard when people actually are nice to us — offering us compliments, being polite. It’s almost weird and foreign. It shouldn’t be that way. It takes nothing to be kind. Just be.
Thank you for this reminder 🙂
My pleasure! It felt good to write about an experience that was so mundane yet made such a difference in my day.
No truer word were ever written! And How I wish your experience were the norm, and not an exception. And I think I might try the mascara:)!
I like it, but I don’t think it’s the best I’ve ever used. But still…
Fortunately I don’t have an immediate hot head. It takes time to marinate. I appreciate excellent customer service. My mom and I recently went in a Noodles & Company for the first time. We’d never been there so we were overwhelmed with the menu and had questions. The guy showed us the difference between a large and small and answer another question. We both ordered the same thing and free water. When I got to machine, it was one of those fancy one where you can make your own drink. So now I wanted to make a coke zero with lemon. I went to take the cups back to pay the difference on and get drinks and the guy waved me off and said, “Don’t worry about it.” That was nice. I’ll be back, I’ll know what to order and include a drink 😉
And that is why it pays to be nice – you are now a repeat customer! I’ve been to Noodles and Company once, and I was completely overwhelmed too.
I love this story. Love the thought, I will play it over and over as I move this day and those to come.
I kept playing it over and over too, D. So nice to do that with something good instead of something frustrating or annoying (because I do that too!).
**It takes no more energy to be kind than it does to be nasty. It takes no more energy to be friendly than it does to simply be civil.**
Yes. Yes. Yessss!!! xx
I knew you’d appreciate that line, Kim. 🙂
I couldn’t help but smile while reading your story. This cashier sounds absolutely lovely — we need more people like her in our world.
We do! And I’m glad it made you smile. The whole experience made me smile, so I was inspired to share it.
My mom always said it that you catch more flies with honey and that is exactly what you reminded me of here with your recent Panera experience, because it truly doesn’t hurt to be polite and nice when dealing with people versus having a puss on or being rude. I will say I wish more people in retail would remember this and act similar to your Panera cashier, but I do get that sometimes that is just not going to happen no matter how we slice and dice it. But still it is a nice and welcome surprise nonetheless when it happens.
It really is!
I love that line you bolded– so true. One of my favorite rebbetzin’s recently told me that in every moment (she meant in marriage, but true across the board) you can build someone up or cause damage. Same idea.
And it IS nice to hear a compliment from strangers!
It really is – I need to do it more often. So simple to do, and such a big impact.