As we all know, retail workers are seen as the robots of the service industry. With a smile glued to their faces and a name tag prominently displayed on their polos, these are the faces of a company. But, just as one would be polite to a stranger's face, we should also be kind to a company's many faces.

Underneath the hard shell of a worker's customer service persona is the soft body of someone who's just trying to make it through the shift. The insults that you fling at the grocery store cashier and say through clenched teeth to your waitress seep through the cracks in their shell and cut deep. While many of us are able to smile through it and shake it off with no problem, this does not make it okay.

Young eyes and ears are all around, watching the way that adults treat service workers. By treating your waitress like dirt below your feet, you are teaching your children that it's an okay thing to do. And thus, the vicious cycle will continue, because in order to continue paying their bills, cashiers aren't allowed to speak out against rude customers.

So please, be kind to your waitresses and your cashiers. Even if you think that they're doing a poor job, even if they truly are doing a poor job. If you've got nothing nice to say, simply say, "Thank you, and have a nice day." Because young people are learning how to treat service workers from you. It's our job to make sure you have a pleasant experience, but it's your job to teach your children how to treat us to ensure you will always have a pleasant experience.

Signed,
A Very Tired Cashier