To ask if you get called dear or darling in shops and how old you are?

[wondering1101]

Because I am sure this is happening more to me now that it used to - I am late 40s. And I don’t like it .

Am in London as well - not a small place where everyone knows everyone and might feel affection towards regulars...

I'm 40. I do not like it. In the past, if it's happened when I've been complaining about something and had my rage on, I've said, My name is Mrs NightOwlHoney!".

Up north its perfectly normal to be called dear and love. Young people get called it all the time

I was called 'Sir' the other day. I'm 50, long blonde hair and a handbag.

I also got called Joyce this week which tickled me.

Love or darlin' (in the sarf) since I was about 16 (am kow 50s). Doesnt bother me unless the tone is patronising.

I get called ‘madam’ a lot and I’m 32! It actually bothers me!

There is an assistant in a local store who calls everyone love or sometimes "my love" also darling and is very loud about it. I have got used to it now but hated it at first but when in the store today she walked past doing her usual love darling thing and I heard a woman muttering about her always saying love and darling. Do not think she liked it but she did look older than me (just about)

Neither. It's a fairly regional thing and more likely to be flower or petal in my part of the country, though now I'm in my late 40s, I'm finding that I'm often addressed as madam.

Love mainly (regional thing) an male colleague calls me darlin’. Not something I put much thought into. It’s a term of endearment.

I get called all sorts of endearments in shops

I'm 60+ and I quite like it.

(I don't look like I'm entirely in my dotage either)

I'm 53.
I've been called this all my life.
It doesnt bother me.

I met someone I hadn’t seen for over 30 years a few weeks ago. Called him darling, finding I am doing that more and more. Would never ever do it to someone I didn’t know.

I get called Miss in Sainsbury's but it's quite flattering as I m 50 (look younger) and I am a Miss anyway.
Miss at school too lol.
Hun I hate.
Love or darling is fine.
Been called my lovely too. Don't mind it. It's only being friendly.
Don't like Madam (hardly ever called this)

I got called 'sweetheart' by one of the lovely desk staff at my gym the other day. I'm nearly 40 (although I look very young for my age), I think she would probably be in her very early 20s.

It made me smile

Also originally from Glasgow and v familiar with 'hen' or 'pet'. No offence intended to anybody, it's just a small, friendly term of endearment.

Now, if some a*sehole in red trousers was to call me 'young lady' or 'my dear', they'd better have their fighting pants on, but I'm not going to worry when a nice man or woman in a shop calls me 'pet' when they give me my change.

Never and I’m in my 40s

This happened to me in a bank the other day. A lad in his 20s I think was in front of me and the staff referred to him as "sir", yet when it was my turn I got "darlin'" and I was really annoyed. I called them out on this Nd asked them not to call me that and the staff member snorted

Not quite the same but a child bumped into me in a shop last week and his mum said "be careful, you've just knocked into that woman"
It took me a second before I realised she was talking about me. I have never been called a woman before, I usually get "girl" because I look quite young.
It played on my mind for the rest of the day that maybe I'm an actual real life adult now and should start accepting that. 🤣

My friend and I work together and are referred to as "the girls". We are 50 and 40!
Manager is 50 too!
Quite like it.
Caretakers (49~70) are "the boys "

I had "young lady " at the butchers this week.

I'm 51.
It was a bit weird

I hate this, I work in retail & would be horrified if any of my team addressed a customer with ‘dear’ or similar. I do have a customer who calls everyone ‘young lady’, it really irritates me, I am 60, I asked him, politely, to use my name but unfortunately another customer butted in & said ‘oh, I love being called ‘young lady’ ‘ so I don’t think he got the message. .

I love being called "Sweetheart" by strangers (I prefer it from men) However if it was said in a patronising way, I wouldn't like it.

I was in a small fast food place earlier this year and there was a new guy behind the counter. Fast forward to when I finished my food, I was walking out and said to him "Thank you so much" he replied with "No bother, sweetheart" He called me it again about a week later too.

I don't really understand how a lot of women are offended by it. I wouldn't blame them if it was said in a patronising way but in a friendly/concerned/caring way? But we're all different I suppose.

Depends on the context and tone, but 99% of the time it gives me the rage - passive-aggressive patronising twaddle. And don't get me started on 'we' in health/social care settings - "How are we today?" "and did we enjoy our trip out"? No fucking idea about you love but I'll be 100% better when you've stopped patronising me.

I'm in Yorkshire so the term is "love" round here.

My DH is from Sheffield. He said men used to call each other 'love' all the time but it's dying out now. It was derived from 'God's love' said to another man going to work in a dangerous job e.g. down a mine or in the steel works (pre H&S).

I think the use of 'love', 'sweetheart', 'duck' etc. is slowly dying out now but the people who are offended by it are missing the point. It is meant as a general 'goodwill to all mankind' sort of endearment, it is not meant to be patronising unless said in a snarky tone of voice. But you feel what you feel, I suppose.

I went home recently and got called ‘hen’ in a shop.