Is "No Problem" the new "You're Welcome" ?

I find myself saying "no problem" a lot. Not sure why, just picked it up over time I guess.

I have also noticed a lot of "my pleasure" lately. Now that is weird to me.

I've heard it quite a bit. Instead of 'you're welcome' people tend to say 'not a problem' or 'no problem'. It isn't the same - what if the service were a problem? What then?

I will occasionally respond with 'my pleasure', the complete thought being 'it's my pleasure to be of service to you'.

"No problem" as a response is a pet peeve of mine. I usually thank the server as a courtesy, not because I really care whether it was a problem for him to serve me or not. It's his job to serve me when I pay for service.

"My pleasure" is a shortened form of "it was my pleasure to serve you" (or something along those lines). That's acceptable. What's really cool is when the server responds with "No, thank you!"

I lean toward "fogittaboutit", but then again i'm an italian-american cartoon character.

I'm 38, and I often respond "no problem" many situations.

I haven't waited tables in a long time, so I don't recall how I responded back then.

I suspect I probably would have been a little more formal with my customers, but I can't recall for sure.

^^
"in many situations" not "many situations"

Why am I thanking the guy at the register at the fast food joint, and why his he responding "uh huh"? Shouldn't it be the other way around, at least? I gave my money to his business and indirectly, provided his job security. Jeesh.

Several years ago I was dealing with a group of Japanese investors in central OHio. One of the contractors told them "no problem" when asked about a time schedule. The head of the Japanese delegation responded "no problem, IS problem." Guess they were ahead of the curve.

You guys are gonna be so pizzed when you find out that "Gesundheit" has nothing to do with God.

I'm older than mom2, and younger than Jack. I'll fight to the death for the ability to wear a suit to dinner after 6pm. But I let "no problem" go.
When I was called out on it by a 75 year old linguist, I explained thusly:

"No problem" is like "De Nada" in many ways. It signifies a gratitude to serve and a willingness to put the thanker at ease. It is a cousin to "Make yourself at home" and a stepsister to "Help yourself." The intent is as good as an Australian saying "no worries."
Sometimes thoughts are expressed in the negative. "No problem" is to "You are welcome" as "What time is it?" is to the German "Wie Spat ist es?" (How late is it?) They don't ask how early it is, or what is the exact time. The expression is posed in the form of the assumption of lateness. Germans don't like to be late.

Some cultures don't want a problem. Or a worry. They express the positive from the position of a lack of negative.

When I hear "no problem," I have chosen to hear "It was a pleasure to serve you, and I would do it again. You are welcome to request my service again, on account of the lack of a problem."

I admit that I sometimes use "no problem." I hope that my tone, the look in my eye, and the smile on my face tells the story that the person who thanked me is, well... welcome.

I do however, still hold doors, pull out chairs, and wear decent clothes to dinner.

I first heard "No Problem, man" in Jamaica about 20 years ago. It was their way of saying you're welcome, and was fine because that's the way it was down there.

Hearing "no problem" from service staff only bothers me if I gave a tip for their service. It's always proper to thank a patron for a gratuity.

There are two types of customers, first time and repeat. It is part of the job of those providing customer services to turn first time customers into repeat customers.

I’m going to “have a good day” or not be a “problem” whether they tell me or not. There’s a restaurant, bank, or store on every corner; not to mention the technology that allows us to make purchase of just about anything, any time, any place. In other words, there’s plenty of competition for our hard earned dollars.

I’ll always try to be at the height of graciousness and etiquette but, as a customer, the last thing I want to hear from the individual whom represents the organization I’m patronizing is “thank you”.

^^Amen. "No problem" has also been a pet pieve of mine. Drives me nuts. If I thought it would be a problem for them to serve me, I wouldn't have selected their establishment in the first place.

I should have written that my favorite response to a thank you was, "No! Thank you.

"I’ll always try to be at the height of graciousness and etiquette but, as a customer, the last thing I want to hear from the individual whom represents the organization I’m patronizing is “thank you”."

Why not? They're thanking you for your business. I don't see what the issue is here.

Spelling is a pet peeve of mine.

^

I thought perhaps it was a typo and he meant that he only wanted to hear "thank you"?

(As opposed to the "have a good day" he mentioned in the earlier paragraph.)

I don't mean that in a sarcasitic sense.

It IS literally the last thing I want them to tell me.

Unless "screw you" becomes the new "no problem," I am not sure that we have a crisis.

Yep, mine too justread. You got me on that one. It's what I get for not proof reading before hitting "post".

Happens to me all the time. I was just kidding with you.

"No problem" justread.

Well played. :)

So just for clarity, is this the case here?

someone provides a service to you for which you thank them. They've in some way improved on your life for which you felt you owed them your thanks.

then how they respond from being the recipient of what you feel you owed them is a source of 'peevedness'?

Isnt that kinda like someone providing a service to you for which you pay them, and then you're expecting them to utilize that money in a fashion that YOU see fit?

So basically in your perfect world, the person would provide you with whatever the blessing was that you thanked them for, and then you would like to be further blessed by responding to your thanks in a fashion that is proper in your eyes....

just seems a bit selfish, considering that THEY were the one that EARNED your thanks in the first place.

billy, you may want to reread the original post. It was quite clear that there is no "peevedness" involved. The thrust was whether or not we are slowly viewing a cultural change in how people respond in that situation.