Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Have a nice day or keep smiling?

54 replies

Netcurtainnelly · 02/03/2026 12:03

Somebody's suggestion that instead of the cashier in a shop saying have a nice day, at the end of the transaction,it would be good if they said keep smiling to the customer?😀

Which do you think is best?
Have a nice day or keep smiling?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
LegoEmergency · 03/03/2026 07:47

To my mind, “keep smiling” is almost exclusively said to someone who is having a bit of a bad time. They they should keep smiling and keep their chin up despite their troubles.

It doesn’t mean anywhere near the same as “have a nice day” and it would be weird for a cashier to say it to someone on a regular basis in this context.

Climbingrosexx · 03/03/2026 07:41

Keep smiling could sound sarcastic especially if that person hasn't smiled, they may not have a lot to smile about, could have a lot going on in their lives and are just trying to make it through the day.

Clara27 · 03/03/2026 06:28

Both sound so fake and would irritate me

Nosejobnelly · 03/03/2026 06:18

Have a nice day. Keep smiling is patronising - it’d make me want to be miserable 😂

thetruthshallsetyoufreebutfirstitwillpissyouoff · 03/03/2026 05:48

Personally I prefer all the cashiers to fall into a rendition of 'So long, farewell' from the Sound of Music everytime someone leaves the shop. But sadly customer service is dead these days.

springawakeningss · 02/03/2026 20:21

"Have a magical day!"

Morepositivemum · 02/03/2026 20:11

Do you mean smile or say keep smiling?! I always say have a good one or hope your day gets better depending on what we talked about. I sometimes tell people to make sure they put their feet up and have a rest!!

SadTimesInFife · 02/03/2026 20:08

"Should have gone to Specsavers"

ScrambledEggs12 · 02/03/2026 16:47

Unless I was in the USA I'd think they were taking the piss if they said either.

BauhausOfEliott · 02/03/2026 16:44

It's fucking awful being told to smile.

'Have a nice day' or a pleasant 'Thanks very much, bye now' is fine.

muddyford · 02/03/2026 16:07

Auroraloves · 02/03/2026 16:04

Where on earth has the suggestion for ‘keep smiling’ come from. As a customer I’d assume they were being sarcastic. If I still worked in retail I’d cringe if they expected staff to say that

From blokes on a break on a building site, perhaps? Though that does the vast majority a disservice.

Both expressions are smug and patronising.

Original poster
Netcurtainnelly · 02/03/2026 16:06

muddyford · 02/03/2026 16:03

Or the much pleasanter "Goodbye".

You can say that too.

OP posts:
Auroraloves · 02/03/2026 16:04

Where on earth has the suggestion for ‘keep smiling’ come from. As a customer I’d assume they were being sarcastic. If I still worked in retail I’d cringe if they expected staff to say that

muddyford · 02/03/2026 16:03

Or the much pleasanter "Goodbye".

Original poster
Netcurtainnelly · 02/03/2026 16:00

WhatAMarvelousTune · 02/03/2026 13:45

“Have a nice day” works fine because people know it’s a polite pleasantry to end an interaction, and that it doesn’t require a response. It’s very expected.

Yes so does, enjoy the rest of your day.

OP posts:
Original poster
Netcurtainnelly · 02/03/2026 15:59

Tillow4ever · 02/03/2026 13:25

Keep smiling is an awful suggestion. You have no idea what’s going on with someone, and to basically order them to smile when they could be struggling is just wrong. What happened it it’s ok not to be ok?

Enjoy your day, have a great afternoon, enjoy the weekend when it gets here (on a Friday obviously) or similar are all fine and friendly enough for a stranger. I’d probably say “I hope you” at the start, but we all know that’s what’s meant!

By the way OP, it’s “you’re” not “your” for your two comebacks berating previous posters who were kind enough to spend their time giving you an answer when they didn’t have to. I think what you meant to say was “thank you for your opinion”.

No sorry I really didn't mean to say that.

OP posts:
Laserwho · 02/03/2026 13:50

Both terms are Americanisms. A quick goodbye or thankyou is more than enough. I dont need that nonsense.

Macaroni46 · 02/03/2026 13:46

keep smiling would piss me off

WhatAMarvelousTune · 02/03/2026 13:45

“Have a nice day” works fine because people know it’s a polite pleasantry to end an interaction, and that it doesn’t require a response. It’s very expected.

FlowerFairyDaisy · 02/03/2026 13:40

Netcurtainnelly · 02/03/2026 12:52

Have a nice rest of the day I like

Show quote history

I like that one, too! Probably one of the only phrases that I feel able to put my usual dislike of Americanisms aside for because it's usually said very sweetly by young people!

Although, Jack Whitehall's father always pops into my mind!

Aussiesgettingsmashed · 02/03/2026 13:40

Blueunicornthistle · 02/03/2026 12:41

Keep smiling is really inappropriate.

If I patronised a store where the customer advisors were all told to say “keep smiling” I’d complain to management.

You patronised their store so they patronised you. That seems fair.

Tillow4ever · 02/03/2026 13:25

Keep smiling is an awful suggestion. You have no idea what’s going on with someone, and to basically order them to smile when they could be struggling is just wrong. What happened it it’s ok not to be ok?

Enjoy your day, have a great afternoon, enjoy the weekend when it gets here (on a Friday obviously) or similar are all fine and friendly enough for a stranger. I’d probably say “I hope you” at the start, but we all know that’s what’s meant!

By the way OP, it’s “you’re” not “your” for your two comebacks berating previous posters who were kind enough to spend their time giving you an answer when they didn’t have to. I think what you meant to say was “thank you for your opinion”.

UnimatrixZeroOne · 02/03/2026 13:11

Keep smiling? Fuck off.

Sahara123 · 02/03/2026 12:57

If someone said keep smiling to me today I would want to deck them to be honest. I’ve got too much difficult stuff going on, I can mange to smile and be civil but that would just send me over the edge.

Original poster
Netcurtainnelly · 02/03/2026 12:52

FlowerFairyDaisy · 02/03/2026 12:07

'Have a good day' is nice. People are used to it and know that it doesn't require a response.

'Keep smiling' assumes they have things to keep smiling about when they may not.

Have a nice rest of the day I like

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread