Most people around the world don’t. It’s such a common thing in my experience that it never occurred to me that most people wouldn’t express gratitude for small acts of kindness. From the science journal Nature:

“‘Thank you’ has little currency worldwide

“Scientists who eavesdropped on nearly 1,000 conversations around the world report that people who receive favours rarely say ‘thank you’.

“To test that idea, Simeon Floyd at San Francisco University of Quito in Ecuador and his colleagues obtained informed consent to install cameras equipped with microphones in homes and public spaces on five continents, allowing the researchers to record conversations in eight languages.

“The team recorded almost 1,000 examples of people asking for a favour — such as a request for a cigarette — and receiving it. In only 5.5% of those cases did the recipient express appreciation with either words or a gesture. Speakers of Cha’palaa, an unwritten language spoken in Ecuador, did not once express thanks in 97 exchanges that included a favour being requested and granted.

“The results indicate that explicit gratitude is not a universal social currency. Instead, people help each other on the assumption that others will help them.”

Link

I ask for nothing, but always do little things like hold doors for strangers, pull shopping carts out of the stack for older folk, stuff like that. I can’t think of the last time someone didn’t say “thanks” when I do, so I guess that applies here.

When I find people doing these little things for me, it’s always “thank you sir” or “ma’am”. Always. I’m happy to see my boy, 11, rushing to open doors at stores for folks too.

Yes, I say 'thanks'. I also say 'please' and 'could you' rather than 'will you' when asking for things. Folks being helpful get addressed as 'Sir' or Ma'am', whether they are being paid to help or are being kind on their own.

Good manners and etiquette have been described as the lubrication of polite society. What happens to things that run too long without lubrication?

Emily Post would not survive in today's 'polite society'.

A society can be measured by how it treats it's prisoners, feels about freedom, and has genuine love of neighbor.

H&K-Guy

Hell, I say please and thank you when it's not even needed. How I was brought up.

I literally have to force myself not to say thank you at times.

I try to say thank you for small favors even though I rarely ask for anything.

I usually say I appreciate it, or if I am responding to someone I say Not a problem, or anytime.

I especially say thanks when someone holds a door for me. It is such a rare act, you could be right behind someone and they will close it in your face, but that could be a whole different thread.

I was raised to be polite, and thank full for any and all small deeds/favors.

Always. Even for the smallest of things like " can I borrow your pen for a second". I can't say if it was ingrained in my by my parents on nuns, but to this day it is please and thank you.
One time while transporting concrete trucks from LA. to NJ one of my drivers inquired why I always said please and thank you to our waitress while eating in Georgia. A few months later the same driver told me he noticed he got a lot better service, and the servers treated him nicer.

Always. It's how I was raised.

Absolutely. Goes along with "yes sir"....

Absolutely and my daughter is being raised the same way.

I learned manners from my folks a lifetime ago.

As a American by birth and a Southerner by the Grace of God! I always am courteous and so are my offspring. I also do not allow myself to be stepped on. I do turn away from idiots and the mentally deranged of which sometimes there seems to be an abundance. And less face the truth, You just can't fix Stupid! Just part of my heritage.

I believe I'm in the habit of automatically thanking people for small favours. I'm not so good with "please," though.

Over the years I'm certain I've probably missed opportunities to do so but yes, I believe in thanking someone for their time and efforts...it seems such a simple and respectful courtesy. In fact it bothers me when I see someone who fails to thank someone else for a favor or who fails to teach their child this simple courtesy.

However I don't give gifts or do favors for others with the expectation that they thank me. It is appreciated when they do but I won't request or expect it.

I readily admit that I do judge a person partly on whether they use "please" and "thank you" and other respectful acts.

I will say that I am exceedingly bad at sending "Thank You" notes when etiquette would dictate they be sent. After a party when gifts were received or after a job interview. Part of this is simple laziness on my part, but also because I far prefer to thank someone verbally and in person.

I recently had the opportunity to thank someone who I had never personally met but who had done me (and another family member) a series of professional favors several years ago. She was somewhat taken back when I thanked her and hugged her.

absolutely

positive reinforcement and all that

---------------------------------

I hold doors for people. About half the time they say "thanks".

I always try to say thanks to people who do things for me, like holding the door or sending me ahead in the checkout lane when I have only 1 or 2 items.

Common courtesy is way too uncommon these days. Not sure why, but probably due to their upbringing.

I always do.

I always do. That's the way I was raised and that's the way we raised our daughter. That's the way she and our SIL raised their 3 sons and people notice. 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.

I read an article not long ago that said the three most important words for a happy relationship between a husband and wife were please and thank you. It has worked well for my wife and I for 44 years. Not because we are so smart, but because that is how we were raised. The other day as I was leaving a gas station a young man of about 7 or 8 years of age rushed to open and hold the door for me. I said thank you kind sir, and received a huge smile and a you're welcome. As I passed his mother I said softly, well done Momma and received another huge smile.
Rod

Just remembered a not so funny incident my oldest daughter had with a college teacher while getting her doctorate degree. When my mid 30's daughter would answer "Her" it was always Yes Ma'am Or No Ma'am. Her teacher being from a Northern rearing climate, told her if she did not stop that she would fail her! This after my daughter told "Her" it was ingrained and a sign of respect! Another Lass in the same class was under the same edict. It was so ingrained she had to work really hard to not be courteous. It did teach her to think before replying.