"No Problem"

[Kogo Shuko]

I don't see any problem (ahahaha) with "No Problem".

A little tidbit:

Growing up in Canada, taking both English and French, we were taught to say, "De rien" in response to "Merci". So what we were taught was to say, "It's nothing," to "Thank You". As far as I've ever understood, that was the proper response to a thank you, indicating to the person thanking you that no thanks is actually needed, because you were more than happy to do it.

Later in life, those words affected me to the point where I am VERY uncomfortable with people thanking me for services rendered, such as playing my trumpet at funerals and Remembrance Day ceremonies. I do not play Last Post to get thanked or praised. I do it because I want to honour those who fought for our freedom. But I invariably always get thanked and I'm always saying that it was nothing, it was something I am capable of doing and want to do, that's it's the very least I can do. I don't want to say "you're welcome" because that indicates that I wanted to be thanked.

If, as many seem to think, serving is part of the job and therefore should not be "a problem", then you need to stop THANKING them, because it's their job and doesn't need thanks. They're getting paid for it.

On the other end of the coin, I'm always thanking everyone for the things they do, and I accept any and all responses in kind. I don't judge someone by how they reply to my thanks.

 

[jen0610]

I'm going to H-E-Double Hockey sticks, but it seems interesting that you're nit picky on usage and then use the wrong form of your (should be you're) each time you point it out.

I wasn't nit picking. I was just letting Love know not to feel bad when she uses "no problem" in the context that she does. It's the correct useage.

As far as spelling. Thank you for point out my opps. I have always said and never hid that my spelling is horrid. Try as I may, even with spell check and proof reading, I don't always catch them. I retyped them several times and still goofed up.

 

[brooke789]

I say "No Problem" sometimes, but generally say "Of course" in response to a thank you for doing something.

 

[Jaya]

I'm older than dirt and it's "no problem" to me what they say as long as they acknowledge that I'm standing there. I, myself, tend to say "no problem" except in very formal circumstances, i.e. the Queen thanking me for coming to tea at Buckingham Palace - LOL - and that hasn't been a problem....yet....

 

[MIGrandma]

I'm 58 and have no problem when someone says "no problem" when I thank them for something and occasionally say it to someone as well, although mostly I say "you're welcome" as that is how I was raised. As a PP said it seems to be the younger generation's equal to someone saying "it was nothing. But we all have things that annoy us, so I'm not going to look down on someone who does have a problem with it. Oh, and I'm a "butter the whole slice of bread or dinner roll" type person too!

 

[sksjasams]

TBH, I think in the customer service world, the correct repsonse from the server/clerk is "Thank you".

I say thank you to them for giving me the goods/food/service, etc, and they say thank you back to me, as in thank you for your patronage. I think it sounds awkward when they reply with you're welcome. As PP said, that makes it sound like they did me a favor. I worked as a restaurant manager (fast food and casual dining) for several years, and "thank you" was always my repsonse to the customers' thank yous.

Either way, I see no problem at all with "no problem" or "you're welcome". They are both polite acknowledgements.

 

[Allison]

I wouldn't be so quick to brag. If you want to get all etiquette technical, your sons pointing out somebody else's etiquette mistake is a much bigger breach of etiquette than somebody saying no problem instead of you're welcome.

I completely agree on this and I do not care if someone says "no problem". What a silly thing to let bother you.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My knickers remain in their usual untwisted state when I hear it, but that does not mean that I think it is the proper response. Particularly in a business or sales situation. It's fine, I suppose, in a casual situation among friends or family; although I would rarely if ever use the phrase. To me it is rather dismissive, and bordering on disrespectful.

I love this phrase!

 

[Ambear]

I must have missed the "buttered bread" thread, but it sounds like it was a lot of fun!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Like the person upthread who referenced French, I recall living in Spain as a teen and other kids, who were studying English, asking WHY we say "estas bienvenido" in response to Thank you as if you are welcoming someone into your home or something. In Spanish, you say "de nada" which basically means "it was nothing" which is pretty close to "no problem" really.

In Germany, Bitte is the same word for both please and thank you, so I guess that is closest to "my pleasure"

I am with those who really do not see any reason to be offended, upset, or think society is degrading if the words used change or shift or can take different forms--so long as the acknowledgement and sentiment are there.

 

[PollyannaMom]

When did this phrase become an acceptable response to "thank you"?...

Apparently many years ago in France (and Spain too, per the post just above!) because I was going to say exactly this...

...we were taught to say, "De rien" in response to "Merci".... So what we were taught was to say, "It's nothing," to "Thank You". As far as I've ever understood, that was the proper response to a thank you, indicating to the person thanking you that no thanks is actually needed, because you were more than happy to do it...

and I was in high school back in the "dark ages" of the 1980's (which I guess makes me a "Gen-Xer," not a "Millennial") but I'm still comfortable with "No problem."

 

[SandiR]

I dislike the saying. No problem. Of course, it isn't a PROBLEM. It's your JOB. To say "No problem" implies it could have potentially been a problem and the problem was averted. Or that you helping someone is not a problem for you. Well, duh, serving someone is NOT a problem. The proper response has always been, and will always be "Thank you," followed by "You're welcome."

I don't think it's meant to be taken so literally and you might be reading far more into it than most people intend when they say it.


Or maybe I just don't understand most of what people get offended by these days.

 

[scoutie]

I say it all the time too. I didn't realize it was offensive.

Neighbor: Can you watch my kids for a few hours?
Me: No problem!

Neighbor: I know this is a lot to ask, but can you pick my son up from band camp?
Me: No problem at all!

Parent of a student: We are going out of the country for a few weeks. I realize this is inconvenient, but could you get assignments together for Sally?
Me: It's no problem! Enjoy your trip!

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I say it all the time too. I didn't realize it was offensive.

It appears it is not offensive to the majority, but is offensive to a minority of people for some reason. I wouldn't sweat it if I were you.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I say it all the time too. I didn't realize it was offensive.

Just because some people choose to be offended by it, does not make it offensive.
I feel the same about Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc

 

[3Gsandme]

I wasn't nit picking. I was just letting Love know not to feel bad when she uses "no problem" in the context that she does. It's the correct useage.

As far as spelling. Thank you for point out my opps. I have always said and never hid that my spelling is horrid. Try as I may, even with spell check and proof reading, I don't always catch them. I retyped them several times and still goofed up.

Well, your is a correct spelling, so of course your spell check will never catch it. Some word processing programs will catch grammar errors, but not a regular spell check. I struggle with then and than, which also are never caught by spell check.

 

[NobleAlyssum]

I have had too many snobby and rude "you're welcome"s given to me to use the phrase as my go-to. Informally, I use "no problem." At my job, I will use "my pleasure" or "that's what I'm here for." I will use "you're welcome" if I happen to remember to do so and someone greatly outranks me, but I make a point of smiling and putting a happy inflection in it.

I am happy with whatever someone will say, be it a "thank you" or "no problem" as long as the tone is sincere and they are being kind.

 

[EMom]

Personally when i waitressed and i brought something to the table, if the customer said thank you I would say youre welcomr and proceed with my business. If the customer was overly thankful and apologetic because i brought them the ketchup that they forgot to ask for when i said can i get anything else for anyone before i leave you to wnjoy your meal?" Then i would say no problem to reassure them that it really was ok. For the people who say "i dont care if its a problem for YOU or not its your job"....well you probably arent the type to be apologetic and overly thankful like the customer I described above You would perhaps have no problem making the server run back and forth a dozen times for things you forgot to ask for because hey -thats their job!

Where do you get that? I always thank people who help me/servers, because I appreciate what they do. I say "Thank you" or "I appreciate your help" or something similar. I taught my DD to do the same.

When someone says "No problem," I don't roll my eyes or correct them. But it rubs me the wrong way and unless I'm at a beach or pool in the Caribbean, it seems overly casual.

When someone says "No problem," it seems to imply that it was not a problem to provide whatever the service was, and by extension, had it been an problem, maybe the service wouldn't/couldn't have been provided. But customer service should be provided even when it's not easy/a problem.

Just because some people find the phrase annoying and/or obnoxious and don't want to know if anything was a "problem" doesn't mean we are rude to those who provide service to us. We're probably the very people who make it a point to thank them and wonder where the responding "You're welcome" went.

 

[TAX GUY]

Why do people have to take things so literal all the time? Cripes sake, its a phrase not meant to be taken literal.

 

[EMom]

I say it all the time too. I didn't realize it was offensive.

Neighbor: Can you watch my kids for a few hours?
Me: No problem!

Neighbor: I know this is a lot to ask, but can you pick my son up from band camp?
Me: No problem at all!

Parent of a student: We are going out of the country for a few weeks. I realize this is inconvenient, but could you get assignments together for Sally?
Me: It's no problem! Enjoy your trip!

But you wouldn't substitute "You're welcome" for any of those. You truly mean that it is no problem for you to do X.