Has The USA Killed its Service Model?

OK, OK, I had a great trip. An extended trip to visit a client saw me spend time in Hawaii and California, and overall, it was a great trip. Except the service. Oh. My. Days.

America, once renowned globally for its impeccable hospitality, seems to be witnessing the demise of its celebrated service model. The hallmark of attentive, intuitive customer service now feels lost amidst a sea of automated interactions, overwhelming rules, and spiraling tipping expectations.

Consider the relentless and arbitrary RULES. Everywhere! Why must diners automatically receive a glass of water the moment they sit down? Most don’t want water immediately; it unnecessarily clutters tables and detracts from the dining experience. Service should be about anticipating needs, not enforcing outdated rituals.

The epidemic of uniformity plagues even premium dining experiences. Take teppanyaki: a spectacle-turned-stale performance featuring the repetitive "onion choo choo train," ubiquitous zucchini, and asparagus dishes. Authentic teppanyaki is nuanced and varied, yet American versions remain stubbornly predictable, rarely venturing beyond the unimaginative beef and chicken options. Where's the creativity, the authenticity, or the genuine choice?

This leads to another concern: America’s stark culinary disparity. High-end meals costing upwards of $500 per person contrast harshly with the masses dining at chains like McDonald's or Raising Cane's. The service ethos feels fractured and polarized - exclusivity for the few and fast-food mediocrity for everyone else.

Adding insult to injury, food and beverage costs have skyrocketed to extortionate levels, exacerbated by the tipping culture spiraling out of control. Machines now default to a 20% tip, inflating costs further and alienating customers who increasingly question the fairness and necessity of such expectations. Has tipping morphed from gratitude into entitlement?

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) epitomizes this service crisis. Visitors’ first impressions upon arrival in the USA are marred by TSA's reputation for rudeness, rigidity, and robotic coldness. Does this organization genuinely require a "rudeness test" to qualify for employment?

Automation, another culprit, strips the human touch from service. At LAX Airport, establishments like PF Chang’s exemplify the flaws inherent in QR code ordering systems. These systems rigidly enforce transaction structures, obliterating the distinction between starters and mains, inconveniencing diners, and reducing human interaction to the bare minimum. Another unnamed restaurant at LAX eliminated 16 jobs due to automation, yet paradoxically, diners are still expected to tip 20% for severely reduced human engagement.

Chain restaurants, such as the Cheesecake Factory, enforce strict table quotas per server, resulting in closed tables and unnecessarily prolonged waiting times. The rigid tipping-driven quota system has strangled flexibility and service quality. And bartenders, entrusted to swiftly deliver drinks, often seem more invested in casual banter amongst themselves, indifferent to customers' frustrations and delays.

Robot servers, while initially fascinating, highlight the ultimate endpoint of this trajectory: complete dehumanization of hospitality. Coupled with brash, indifferent human staff, these robots underscore the disturbing potential future - robot bartenders, robot chefs, and ultimately fully automated service devoid of any genuine human connection.

The root cause of these systemic issues can be traced directly to a glaring lack of emphasis on training for soft skills. Few establishments today invest in comprehensive programs teaching the basics of hospitality - how to greet guests warmly, smile genuinely, or perform subtle but impactful gestures like pulling out chairs or neatly presenting menus. The art of meaningful conversation, a fundamental pillar of exceptional service, is nearly extinct. Employees are frequently thrust into their roles, expected to shadow existing staff briefly, learning through mere imitation rather than structured, intentional training.

Such shallow onboarding typically emphasizes technical systems - learning how to operate a POS terminal, process orders, or manage reservations - rather than the essential choreography of a memorable guest experience. Rarely is there a formal guidebook or structured methodology outlining how to enhance a customer's visit, anticipate their needs, or even gracefully handle complaints. This deficiency perpetuates an environment where genuine human interaction becomes rare, mechanical, and often disappointingly transactional.

Contrast this with the exemplary hospitality standards of South East Asia and Japan, where service remains genuinely attentive, personalized, and deeply rooted in cultural respect and meticulous training. Service staff in these regions undergo extensive education emphasizing empathy, situational awareness, and communication excellence. They learn through formal training sessions how to curate a visit that feels uniquely personal and thoughtfully designed, turning mundane interactions into memorable experiences.

America must urgently rethink its service ethos. It’s time for businesses to prioritize comprehensive soft skills training, recognizing that genuine human connection remains irreplaceable by automation. Otherwise, it risks losing its global standing, becoming a nation where "computer says no" becomes the unwelcome refrain heard far too often.

What has YOUR experiences been lately? Agree or disagree with my sentiment?

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