I'm just trying to figure out what it means when employees at places I to go to remember me so easily. I'm a creature of irregular habit. Once I like a place and know what I like there, I'll more likely than not visit it again. Cafes, bars, restaurants, clothing stores, bookstores, if I like what the place is doing then I'll be back.
I'm not going out all the time though, so when I do go to a place, it'll probably be many months, maybe even a year, before I'm back. But it's not super uncommon if the person working there is the same person as last time, they'll remember me and what I got. This is even for places I'm only going to for the second time, or if it's been ages since I've been back. "You got the....last time", "Yeah, I remember you got that last time", "Did you like the.....from last time?" isn't super uncommon for me to hear. Again, I do order the same few things every time, but the fact that they remember it for so long, or even at all always surprises me.
This would make sense if this was only occurring at places that take tips. But even at places like bookstores where no tip is involved, there's been times the cashier remembered what books I bought months upon months ago, then will ask what if I've finished or what I thought about it.
In terms of gender, I'm male. I notice women tend to remember me much quicker. Though male employees will eventually remember me. The tone I find is different though, with women the tone is much friendlier and chattier, while with men it's more "I remember you so we can get you in and out much quicker". Basically, with men it seems to be about efficiency, with women there's been times they've slowed down the line to have a "regulars" chat with me.
I'm just trying to understand this. Physically I'm not really anything out of the ordinary. I'm on the shorter side, but am in shape, full hair, and know I dress nicely. But I've seen men much better dressed than me not get the same treatment. I'm also pretty quiet and introverted. I'm polite, please and thank yous, but not overly so. The small talk only occurs if the employee tries, after that I'm decent at conversation but don't really initiate. So it's not like I stand out because I'm always chatting with them.