"No Problem"

[unhinged]

For those onboard who find it just fine to say "no problem" is this something you have taught or will teach your children about manners? I ask this because when my sons were very young, I'd guess as young as 3 or 4, whenever they said "thank you", they waited for the "you're welcome". If they didn't get that response, they pointed it out - every time! It's kinda funny to me that my 4 yr old knew more manners than the waitresses waiting on us.

I wouldn't be so quick to brag. If you want to get all etiquette technical, your sons pointing out somebody else's etiquette mistake is a much bigger breach of etiquette than somebody saying no problem instead of you're welcome.

I am with the young 'uns here. I don't have a problem and have used no problem and I am looking at 60. But then, I have been known to occasionally breach the most awfullest rule of etiquette having buttered my entire slice of bread at one time.

Forgot to add, my children were taught you're welcome.

 

[disykat]

I use "no problem" more than I should but not in response to "Thank you". At my job I end up using it when asked to do something by others. "Can you please make 100 copies of this for me?" "No problem."
"Can you be sure my child gets their homework?" "No problem."

It annoys ME that I say it and I have been trying to stop! I don't think I use it instead of your welcome but I will have to try to be more aware of it just as I am trying to stop saying it in other contexts.

I say it too. It doesn't annoy me when others say it unless it's really something I wish they would accept my thanks for, but I am trying to stop myself because I don't want to dismiss a thank you. I'm a boomer, not a millennial or gen x'er and I seriously do mean it wasn't a problem - kind of like when my grandmother and mother used to say "oh, it was nothing."

PS - and like unhinged I don't butter my bread bite by bite so who am I to talk?

 

[EMom]

Seriously? Oh, sorry - that's another generational phrase I guess.

Yes, seriously. I do not CARE if it is a problem for you or not. Even if it is a problem, I expect you to do our job for the customer. Because that is your job. Whether it is a problem or not is no concern of mine.

Seriously.

 

[ashley0139]

Yes, seriously. I do not CARE if it is a problem for you or not. Even if it is a problem, I expect you to do our job for the customer. Because that is your job. Whether it is a problem or not is no concern of mine.

Seriously.

You're reading too much into it.

 

[Ceila]

If they didn't get that response, they pointed it out - every time!

I would actually consider that a much greater faux pas than not saying "you're welcome."

As for the question at hand, language evolves over time. I have no problem with "no problem." Oh, and I'm in my mid-forties, since some think this is age-related.

 

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

Only on the dis would there be such an uproar over using the phrase "no problem"

 

[indimom]

Oops, I guess I'm degrading polite society.
I was raised with "you're welcome," but "no problem" has become my standard phrase. Even on the job. And I'm a bit older than a Gen X-er.
Of all the options posted here, I honestly like "my pleasure" the best.
Maybe I'll try to create a new habit.

 

[Disney Doll]

I probably wouldn't notice it in general.

However it is a point well taken that if someone is an employee and I am a customer them performing their required duties for me shouldn't be a problem so there's really no need for them to tell me that it wasn't a problem.

I generally say "you're welcome" if someone thanks me. I'm old fashioned that way.

Since I usually get waited on by people like Bon Qui Qui at King Burger (google it. Hilarious), any reasonably polite response makes me happy.

 

[sam_gordon]

However it is a point well taken that if someone is an employee and I am a customer them performing their required duties for me shouldn't be a problem so there's really no need for them to tell me that it wasn't a problem.

Since they're just doing their job (what's expected of them and what they're being paid to do), then you (general) don't need to say "Thank you".

I agree people are reading WAY too much into two words.

 

[fly girl]

Gen X'er and I say no problem and you're welcome interchangeably. I see no disrespect in either statement because I'm acknowledging the thank you with true feelings.

From a service aspect, the "my pleasure" response seems robotic and almost a Pavlov's Dog response. Trained to say that phrase so the true meaning is gone. The employee was doing their job, and though they did it well I don't think they received a real sense of pleasure from it. Much prefer no problem or you're welcome.

 

[fly girl]

For those onboard who find it just fine to say "no problem" is this something you have taught or will teach your children about manners? I ask this because when my sons were very young, I'd guess as young as 3 or 4, whenever they said "thank you", they waited for the "you're welcome". If they didn't get that response, they pointed it out - every time! It's kinda funny to me that my 4 yr old knew more manners than the waitresses waiting on us.

I am teaching my daughter the basics: please, thank you, and you're welcome. I've heard my daughter use "sure" when I have thanked her for doing something. As I don't use that phrase it was most likely picked up at school. I saw zero problem with it! It was polite and upbeat. I don't see any issue with it.

I'm also teaching her respect for others -- giving undivided attention, using eye contact, and not calling out others on their flaws!

 

[Luv2Run]

I'm in the military and I work in customer service, and for me the "no problem" vs "you're welcome" thing depends on the customer. If the customer is around my same rank and we're familiar, I'll use "no problem" or "you're welcome" interchangeably. If it's someone I don't know, or someone who outranks me, I use "you're welcome". If it's a really higher-up person, I use "my pleasure".

One thing I can't stand is when someone is thanked and the other person replies with "Uh-huh". Anytime I've caught anyone on my staff offering that in response to thanks, I've pulled them aside and let them know that that's not the type of customer service we provide.

 

[AJ1983]

Personally when i waitressed and i brought something to the table, if the customer said thank you I would say youre welcomr and proceed with my business. If the customer was overly thankful and apologetic because i brought them the ketchup that they forgot to ask for when i said can i get anything else for anyone before i leave you to wnjoy your meal?" Then i would say no problem to reassure them that it really was ok. For the people who say "i dont care if its a problem for YOU or not its your job"....well you probably arent the type to be apologetic and overly thankful like the customer I described above You would perhaps have no problem making the server run back and forth a dozen times for things you forgot to ask for because hey -thats their job!

 

[jevs]

We say it all of the time down under and there are multiple meanings. Can be abbreviated to 'no probs' we also use no worries.
Can be used in response to a thank you or a request for something.

 

[Dizlvr]

For those onboard who find it just fine to say "no problem" is this something you have taught or will teach your children about manners? I ask this because when my sons were very young, I'd guess as young as 3 or 4, whenever they said "thank you", they waited for the "you're welcome". If they didn't get that response, they pointed it out - every time! It's kinda funny to me that my 4 yr old knew more manners than the waitresses waiting on us.

Interesting, I find people making it a point to point out other people's mistakes to their face (other than their own children) quite rude. You may think its cute when your 4 year old points that out to someone but if they are still doing it when they are older it sure isn't going to be cute anymore.

I have no problem with the phrase "no problem". I think people who do need to loosen up.

 

[Kitty 34]

I'm 61 and use no problem a lot. Never meant it to disrespect.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Well I butter my entire roll at once so it's not a huge leap to know that I say "no problem".

 

[smitch425]

The proper response has always been, and will always be "Thank you," followed by "You're welcome."

I respectfully disagree that there's only one proper response. There are other ways to remain polite. I get thanked by people all day long. Sometimes my reply is "You're welcome" and sometimes it's "Happy to help". I rarely use the phrase "no problem", but sometimes it fits the context of the conversation.

 

[lizabu]

I have said "no problem" many times. I think "no problem" is the nowadays version of saying "it was nothing". You're thanking me for doing my job, that I get paid to do. Because I get paid I am going to do my job. And you thank me so I tell you it was nothing by saying "no problem".

 

[msjprincess]

For those onboard who find it just fine to say "no problem" is this something you have taught or will teach your children about manners? I ask this because when my sons were very young, I'd guess as young as 3 or 4, whenever they said "thank you", they waited for the "you're welcome". If they didn't get that response, they pointed it out - every time! It's kinda funny to me that my 4 yr old knew more manners than the waitresses waiting on us.

I taught my kids to say you're welcome. I also taught them that it is extremely rude to correct someone else.