Is this the new thing in grocery shopping?

[CatFanatic]

'Welcome to Costco...I love you'

Our Woolies is still pretty normal, but the local Bunnings (Aus version of Home Depot) has started doing this lately. Hubby and I went in to buy a deadbolt and there were THREE greeters buttonholing people! Yet there were no 'floaters' instore who could have answered our deadbolt questions.

[rose red]

I'm in NE Pennsylvania and I've never seen this at any of my local grocery stores.  I have, however, seen something similar at a chain steak restaurant.

One night when DH and I went there we were seated in a booth.  The waitress came over and sat down next to DH.  She proceeded with "Hi, I'm Cathy.  I'll be taking care of you tonight.  Are you local?".

After she had taken our order and we were served a manager was walking around checking on guests.  I asked about the waitress sitting with us and he said "Oh, that's how we make our guests feel like they're coming to a friend's house instead of a restaurant."  I said "Well, it felt overly familiar and uncomfortable to me".

They don't do that anymore.  I think they had a lot of complaints.

Yeah, this happened to me at a few restaurants a few years ago.  The waiters either sit or squat next to to us.  It hasn't happened lately, so I'm sure enough people complained about this practice for corporate to put a stop to it.  Because you know it was all corporate's brilliant idea in the first place  .  Sometimes I wonder if all the CEO's of the same industries get together to figure out ways to make things harder for employees and customers.