I use it always for small favors or other acts of kindness or generosity. Can’t imagine not saying it.

We do, that's how we were brought up, and what I taught my sons. Our last restaurant visit had a young boy holding the door for his family and he extended that courtesy to us as well. We certainly told him "thank you" and complimented his parents as well.
In this digital age, we are now asked more frequently if we want a paper receipt. I always do and answer with a "please" and "thank you".

Sigfreund I apologize for this slight thread drift..but this is another courtesy that seems to largely be missing from youth today and it irks me...

quote:

Originally posted by 610:
I have had several of my grandson's teachers make it a point come to me tell it was a pleasure to teach them because they were always saying "yes ma'am" & "no ma'am" and "Thank you".

I always thought that was the way everyone talked but I guess it's not.

Good on you and good on your children and grandchildren for saying "thank you" AND "sir" or "ma'am".

When I was being raised I was most definitely prompted to use "please" or "thank you" with an occasional "sorry" thrown in. But I was never taught to respect my elders...my parents certainly, but not my elders. Therefore through my younger years I never used "sir" or "ma'am".

It was only in my softmore year in high school that I started flying and I started to spend time around a lot of older pilots, many who were WW II veterans and I was so impressed by those from this generation and as I heard them both use and be referred to as "sir" or "ma'am" that I adopted this practice and continue to use it.

Parents are never perfect but I wish mine had taught me to do certain things like use "sir" or "ma'am" , along with "please" and "thank you", along with "excuse me"and "sorry". I also had to learn to hold doors open for others as well as how to shake a man's hand from a pilot who took the time to teach me.

I'm all for casual but we seem to be slipping into a society where parents fail to teach their children basic courtesies and basic respect...and I think we are worse for it.

Always and I open doors for women.
It's just a habit.

I'm thinking the research may be flawed. What's triggering me is the idea of asking for a cigarette and not saying thanks. I don't see that happening. Any guy bumming a cig knows enough to acknowledge when the request is granted so as to facilitate future bumming.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
Absolutely. Goes along with "yes sir"....

Absolutely. Like many of you, it's how I was brought up.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I'm thinking the research may be flawed. What's triggering me is the idea of asking for a cigarette and not saying thanks. I don't see that happening. Any guy bumming a cig knows enough to acknowledge when the request is granted so as to facilitate future bumming.

More than that almost 10% of their sample base comes from Ecuador and a language that isn't written? Kinda hard to apply a sample of 1000 to the world isn't it?

Simple question to put this in perspective. When you learn a new language some of the first words you tend to learn are what?

How many languages can you say please and thank you in? My guess would be that there may be a few languages that these would be the only words you do know.

Thanks
Gracias
Merci
Danke

Yep, sure do. I said "Thank you sir" to a 20 something kid who held the door for me at WaWa, and he had no idea how to respond. He likely had never received such a response. Its really quite sad when you think about it.

Anymore, I treat this as a pay it forward type thing hoping 'some' will catch on and choose to participate.

Yes. And I rarely receive a corresponding verbal courtesy in return. Disappointing.

I was taught to say please, thank you, sir, m’am, etc open car doors, and hold the door for women, etc.

Boy did this pay off! At UT, I found myself holding the door to the Business Economics Building for Farrah Fawcett, dozens of times. She would flounce through the door, light me up with one of those 250 bazillion megawatt smiles, “thank you!”

Springtime in Austin!

I grew up in the Midwest. Thanking folks for small favors was common there.

But when I lived in Boca Raton, not so common. In a Publix, I’d often see some guy with a NY/NJ accent demand of a clerk, “Where’s the (whatever)”, then march off without a word of thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
I was taught to say please, thank you, sir, m’am, etc open car doors, and hold the door for women, etc.

This ^^^^^^^. I still do it to this day, and am proud that I was raised this way.

I also say thank you with a smile. It is so contagious. Something so small can make someone’s day or improve their mood.
I’ve also said thanks sarcastically as in thanks for nothing asshole..

Yesterday i delivered 10 pounds of ribs each to two of my neighbors as thanks for helping me with some small projects recently.

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
I hold doors for people. About half the time they say "thanks".

And most of the time they have a shocked look on their face!!

You don't always need to open your mouth to show gratitude. A nod and a smile can go a long way if you do it right, and that won't show up in any voice recording.

Yes, always.

Absofrigginlutely all the time...the way I was raised. Along with:

Sir
Ma'am
Please
May I

For close friends, I will do them favors for really helping me out. My neighbor and her kids take care of my kitties when I'm out of town so today, I power washed their driveway for them since I did mine the other day and still had the power washer in my possession.

Yes. It is polite, it is the way I was raised. You treat everyone with respect.