Deli owner is too accommodating

Here's my latest first-world problem....

So, my company moved to a new building a few weeks ago. I'm the kind of person who usually brings lunch or just runs down to the deli (which the new building has) and then eats at my desk while I work. The owner is also the cashier, and he was very friendly when I bought there the first two times. The third time, this conversation ensued:

Owner: "So, you can't eat solid foods?" (I was currently purchasing solid foods)
Me: "Um.... I, uh... sometimes I like fruit?"
Owner: "Oh. I just notice you never buy spicy."
Me: "Oh, really spicy foods cause me some reflux. I try to eat bland things."
Owner: "Okay. I just wondered why you always buy salad." (I've never bought salad there)
Me: "Okay... Bye, then."


So I avoided the deli for a week or so, but I was forced back today.

As soon as I walked in, he announced he'd made very bland chicken tenders and potato soup. He then left the register and took me down the line (it's cafeteria style) and explained the spiciness level of every option. Then, he engaged the rest of the line staff and kitchen staff in getting me samples of all of the different foods so I could try them. Meanwhile, it's 12:30 and there are people in line behind me (and still trying to check out at the register). One woman sighed very loudly, and it's not like I didn't agree with her.

I feel I've dug myself a hole, here. Yes, I've said I don't like spicy foods, and it's some superior customer service there that not only does he remember me out of a hundred customers he sees a day, but also wants to make sure I don't accidentally get something I won't like... but I feel like shaking him and yelling, "stop being so nice to me!" And I feel like, now that he's gone to this trouble, I can't actually order anything remotely spicy without looking like a flaky asshole, like I must keep up this facade of "non-spicy food eater" forever.

I just want to get in, get my food, and get out, anonymously. How do I fix this so there's not a whole dog and pony show every time I go to the deli?

(On the plus side, the potato soup—which wasn't on the line and sort of makes me paranoid that he had it back there just for me—is actually pretty tasty.)

mirandashell said:

I think he fancies you. That's an awful lot of trouble to go to and he's not doing it just for customer service.

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*scrunches up nose* That's the one thing I was hoping it wasn't. I'm so uncomfortable with gracefully deterring that. At least now, if it comes up, I can say I'm married.

brswain said:

It's lovely when people remember you, and what you want. It's less lovely when you want something different and they've showed up at your table with your usual hot coffee and it's 90 degrees out at 8:30 in the morning and you wanted iced coffee that day for a change.

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I guess the one thing that saves me is that I'm such a wimp about spicy foods that things I think are spicy don't even register on other people's spicy radar, so he won't even know if I get something that I think has a little kick.

WriterDude said:

Yeah, I was gonna ask if you is hot, cos that's an icky amount of special customer service by any measure.

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Is I hot... mmm... no, I'd have to say not. I used to be, but I'm nearing forty and overweight now. He's younger. It's difficult to imagine this is flirting. Maybe I remind him of his sainted mother...