Page 125 - The Disneyization of Society

THE DISNEYIZATION OF SOCIETY

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Figure 5.1

reading ‘Always smile’ (see Figure 5.1). Hall researched five restaurants in
Hartford, Connecticut, which were quite different in character and clientele. 64
One was a franchise restaurant serving fairly standard fast-food fare; three were
outlets of middle levels of prestige (an Italian restaurant, a trendy restaurant, and
a formal restaurant whose waiters were in tuxedoes); and a prestigious and expen-
sive three-star restaurant. At all of them a friendly manner was encouraged among
serving staff. Hall explains that for all of the restaurants, the essence of the
friendly service to do with being able to smile irrespective of how the server
feels or how he or she is treated. At the upscale restaurant, the general manager
encouraged servers to smile when they were failing to display the correct
emotional state because it helps to create the impression that staff are enjoying
themselves.
Of course, conforming to the smiling service worker is not exclusively a matter
of managerial prescription. Servers in restaurants know that they are more likely
to receive gratuities if they are friendly and pleasant towards diners. 65 However,