# Origin Of "Have a nice day"



## Meanderer (Jan 31, 2015)

Have a nice day!

Have a nice day is a commonly spoken expression used to conclude a conversation (whether brief or extensive), or end a message by hoping the person to whom it is addressed experiences a pleasant day. Since it is often uttered by service employees to customers at the end of a transaction, particularly in Israel and the United States, its repetitious and dutiful usage has resulted in the phrase developing a cultural connotation representing impersonality, lack of interest, passive–aggressive behavior, or sarcasm.

 The phrase is generally not used in Europe, as some find it artificial or even offensive. Critics of the phrase characterize it as an imperative, obligating the person to have a nice day. Other critics argue that it is a parting platitude that comes across as pretended. While defenders of the phrase agree that "Have a nice day." can be used insincerely, they consider the phrase to be comforting, in that it improves interactions among people. Others favor the phrase because it does not require a response.








A variant of the phrase—"have a good day"—is first recorded in Layamon's Brut (c. 1205) and King Horn. "Have a nice day" itself first appeared in the 1948 film A Letter to Three Wives. The phrase was subsequently popularized by truck drivers talking on CB radios. 

Variations on the phrase include "have a good one" and "have a nice one". In conjunction with the smiley face, the phrase became a defining cultural emblem of the 1970s and was a key theme in the 1991 film My Own Private Idaho. By 2000, "have a nice day" and "have a good day" were taken metaphorically, synonymous with the parting phrase "goodbye".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_a_nice_day


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 31, 2015)

Interesting, I didn't know anyone objected to it.  If I'm insincere, I won't say it.  If someone says it to me at a store or somewhere, I usually say 'you too'.


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## RadishRose (Jan 31, 2015)

Good day to you.


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## oakapple (Feb 1, 2015)

Interesting, Meanderer, I had wondered where that expression came from. No, we don't use it here, it's ok, but is just a platitude
as obviously store workers don't give two hoots if the customer has a nice day or not. Taken as a form of 'goodbye' I suppose it's alright though.I feel sorry for the store worker having to repeat this over and over again hundreds of times a day though.


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## rkunsaw (Feb 1, 2015)

When they say "have a nice day" this  is what they really mean:

When things go wrong, as they often will
and the roads you travel seem all uphill

When funds are low and debts are high
and you want to smile but can only cry

When you get so desperate you want to quit
Don't come crying to me, I don't give a shit.


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## Meanderer (Feb 1, 2015)




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## SifuPhil (Feb 1, 2015)

I usually use:

Be well
Be safe
Be good
Don't take any wooden Bitcoins

On the rare occasions when I was working as a retail person I would use the old British "Thank you for your custom". That would usually blow their minds. :sentimental:


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## Meanderer (Feb 1, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> I usually use:
> 
> On the rare occasions when I was working as a retail person I would use the old British "Thank you for your custom". That would usually blow their minds. :sentimental:



“Thank you for your custom” (meaning thank you for your purchase/patronage)?


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## Georgia Lady (Feb 1, 2015)

I usually say..How are you today?
What's up?
How is the family?


And always say as leaving.....


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## SifuPhil (Feb 1, 2015)

Meanderer said:


> “Thank you for your custom” (meaning thank you for your purchase/patronage)?



Yes - remember that "custom" is the root word of "customer". 

A Patron gives you their patronage
But a customer gives you their custom.


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## oakapple (Feb 1, 2015)

And as you know, we have some pretty strange customs here in the UK ! Think 'Wicker Man'.


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## oakapple (Feb 1, 2015)

We can only dream of any shop/store worker saying 'Thank you for your custom' these days though. As a surly teenager  pushes your purchase at you you may be lucky to get a single word from them.Older workers are a bit better though.


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## Bee (Feb 1, 2015)

In the 17 1/2 years I was a supermarket cashier I have never said....'thankyou for your custom', the most I ever said to a customer was ....'Bye'

Oakapple I am assuming that the surly youngsters that pushes your purchase at you is in a supermarket if not I apologise but with some supermarkets cashiers are timed and are expected to scan X number of items per minute, some cashiers can achieve this and others can't and in the store I worked in if the cashier didn't achieve this they were 'spoken' to and in some cases would re-trained.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 1, 2015)

oakapple said:


> And as you know, we have some pretty strange customs here in the UK ! Think 'Wicker Man'.



We have something very similar here called "Burning Man". 



It's a yearly event out in our Western deserts that draws hundreds of thousands of hippies, New Agers, bikers, dopers and what have you.

I doubt many Druids attend, though ...


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## Meanderer (Feb 1, 2015)

Wicker man, having a nice day!


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## SifuPhil (Feb 1, 2015)

Wicker Woman!


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## Meanderer (Feb 2, 2015)




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## oakapple (Feb 2, 2015)

Ha-ha, liked the wicker people! We used to have one of those cane peacock chairs in the 1980's.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 2, 2015)

oakapple said:


> Ha-ha, liked the wicker people! We used to have one of those cane peacock chairs in the 1980's.



I had one too until my cat discovered it ...


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## oakapple (Feb 2, 2015)

Yes, they make superb scratching posts.


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## rporter610 (Feb 2, 2015)

And here I thought "have a nice day" came from Forrest Gump.


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## Meanderer (Feb 2, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> I had one too until my cat discovered it ...


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## Meanderer (Feb 5, 2015)




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## Ameriscot (Feb 6, 2015)

I've heard many in the UK and other countries making fun of 'have a nice day' as insincere and annoying.


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## oakapple (Feb 6, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> I've heard many in the UK and other countries making fun of 'have a nice day' as insincere and annoying.


                                 Ah well, you know what we're like here, a bit on the cynical side.


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## Ameriscot (Feb 6, 2015)

oakapple said:


> Ah well, you know what we're like here, a bit on the cynical side.



Aye, a bit.


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