Not not like the term guys

[GingerbreadBaubles]

Hi guys table for 2?
What can I get you guys to drink?
Thanks guys
If you guys want to wait a minute someone will be with you shortly

I hate it! Please stop.

[Iggi999]

Gingerbread, in the examples in the OP, what would you prefer was said?

[RusticBlush]

"Hey yoouu guys" - total Goonies

[FeijoaSundae]

I use it. I used it on a thread I started the other day.

Sorry if it pissed anyone off. But I'm not going to not use it. It's common enough parlance down this way.

Everyone says something that pisses someone else off. What are you going to do...

[Purpleball]

I hate it, my manager does it. Drives me batshit.

[Pipbin]

I use it at school I'm afraid.
What other term could I use for a small group of children? Imagine you have taken a small group off to work separately somewhere and you need them to stop and come back. I would say something like 'come on guys, time to come back to the class'.
I'd like to stop using guys but I honestly can't think of another term that is informal and friendly enough.

[PaveParadise]

I use it but I'm from Canada so I think that gets me off the hook

[MitziKinsky]

Ladies is far worse.

Ladeeeez. Makes me feel like a Victorian grandmother.

[Bringitbacknow]

I don't mind it. It's better than the alternatives.
Girls is gringe worthy when used on anyone over the age of 16 and 'Ladies' sounds too pompous and stuck up.

[Whatisaweekend]

YaSOnbu. I utterly loathe it!

[ArgyMargy]

Anything can be irritating if overused. I don't mind guys but it would seem odd if someone used "men" in this way (unless we were men and in the army or something). I like "people" and tell myself I'm using it amusingly...

[MrsRossPoldark]

Guys is fine in a cafe where it's less formal, but a restaurant or even a bar/restaurant I'd rather be a lady thank you very much.

Mind you it must be too confusing for the staff to know where to pitch it these days, so it wouldn't stop me coming back! Life's too short!

[RachelWatts]

A teacher at school used to refer to his A-Level class as "guys".

One day, he took me aside and asked if I was bothered by it, and apologised if so.

Apparently, " guys" was OK for an all male group, but as there was a female in the class, he'd been told it was inappropriate.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

It's gender neutral now. Better than girls or ladies or any of the others.

[Nolim]

Is there an english word for plural you? If not i will continue using guys instead.

[NCIS]

I use guys quite a lot but only to refer to a group of people younger than me.

What I do hate is 'dude' , there is a man at work who always calls everyone dude, it sounds so odd, think 'Hey dude, can you pass me the adrenaline?'

I want to reply 'I'm not your fucking dude, I'm old enough to be your Mother', strangely enough I wouldn't mind if he (or anyone else) called me love, sweetheart, mate etc. All of which I use regularly.

I do use girls to refer to a group of women of any age but then I also use boys to refer to a group of men.

[MuttonCadet]

I use it when e-mailing a group, happy to consider another phrase (I had no idea it was even contentious).

So, what should we use instead in an informal e-mail directed at a number of people?

This is an honest question, I'm not being snarky.

[SuburbanRhonda]

I use it at school I'm afraid.
What other term could I use for a small group of children?

How about using the word "children"?

A bit rad, I know

[FatAli]

'Guys' doesn't bother me.

'Ladies' however, really, really annoys me.

[adarkwhisperinthewoodwasheard]

Hmmm, some places it's ok - a cafe or bar. It really annoyed me when in first class on the train though. Far too informal and ruined the rare experience for me.

I tend to use 'folks' when talking to large groups. There might be something in the accent though that makes different addresses more palatable

[SevenEleven]

I can't get worked up about it tbh. I think some people really need to unclench...

[PenelopePitstops]

I'm a teacher and use 'year 9 blah blah' or 'class...'.

Emails to groups just start Hi all.....

I hate guys too!

[MuttonCadet]

Okay, "hi all" it is.

Unless that's too close "hi y'all"?

[queenofthemountains]

I hate it, especially in the classroom. I use folks, I was once observing a trainee teacher and one thing he was pulled up on by his trainer was using the term guys.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

It doesn't generally bother me and I may sometimes use it myself
However I do think there is an issue with casually mis-gendering women

That's me! Straight down the middle!