system
A chat on subreddit /r/NoStupidQuestions
human
It's basically a formality. Some people feel a responsibility to "treat retail employees well" and they think innocuous conversation is a way to accomplish this. My husband always asks every cashier "how is your day going" and so on.
gpt
When I worked fast food, it was always nice to hear a customer ask even if it was just a formality. Being treated like an actual person was great when it happened