--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When service is overly attentive, I…" description: "\"When service is overly attentive, I become uncomfortable - I don't like it, for example, when a waiter tops up my glass as soon as I take a sip of wate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/nobu-matsuhisa-8499_attentive_when-service-is-overly-attentive-i-becom_571793.jpg" --- # When service is overly attentive, I become uncomfortable… ![“When service is overly attentive, I become uncomfortable - I don't like it, for example, when a waiter tops up my glass as soon as I take a sip of water. It's better when you realise you need something and then the waiter is immediately available. You can say the service is good when it isn't…” quote by Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/nobu-matsuhisa-8499_attentive_when-service-is-overly-attentive-i-becom_571793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/nobu-matsuhisa-8499_attentive_when-service-is-overly-attentive-i-becom_571793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/nobu-matsuhisa-8499_attentive_when-service-is-overly-attentive-i-becom_571793.jpg) > “When service is overly attentive, I become uncomfortable - I don't like it, for example, when a waiter tops up my glass as soon as I take a sip of water. It's better when you realise you need something and then the waiter is immediately available. You can say the service is good when it isn't intrusive, but comes straight away when required.” [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective service should be responsive without being intrusive, allowing guests to feel in control while receiving timely assistance. **In simple terms:** Good service is timely yet unobtrusive. Key Takeaway Balance attentiveness with respect for autonomy. Themes service customer experience boundaries hospitality comfort Mood calm thoughtful professional Type advice hospitality philosophical When to use this quote - restaurants - personal interactions - customer support Key Concepts personal space anticipation mindful presence Questions to Reflect On - When does attentiveness become annoyance? - How can staff gauge a guest’s readiness for help? A Different Perspective Over‑anticipation can feel invasive, reducing genuine comfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Sip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sip/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Waiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiter/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Nick's mother and I were attentive, probably overly attentive - part of the first wave of parents obsessed with our children in a self-conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/nick-s-mother-and-i-were-attentive-probably-overly-attentive-part-of/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [I've never had a sip of alcohol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-mariota/i-ve-never-had-a-sip-of-alcohol/) [Marcus Mariota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-mariota/) > [“Place October in a golden cup, Sip it slowly and carefully, so, it doesn't Fall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-fo/place-october-in-a-golden-cup-sip-it-slowly-and-carefully-so-it-doesn/) Charmaine J Fo > [People seldom think of soup for summer, so they are unusual - an interesting, unusual touch for the first course or for dessert. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-glick/people-seldom-think-of-soup-for-summer-so-they-are-unusual-an/) [Ruth Glick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-glick/) > [I'm petrified of spiders. I hate them. I sleep with a glass of water beside my bed every night. I woke up once to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schmid/i-m-petrified-of-spiders-i-hate-them-i-sleep-with-a-glass-of-water/) [Kyle Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schmid/) > [“A sip of coffee is my eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/a-sip-of-coffee-is-my-eternity/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [Once I'm on stage, there's just no time for a sip of water - I've always got my hands in puppets! 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I stay at a lot of hotels, and the ones I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/i-travel-all-over-the-world-usually-10-months-out-of-the-year-i-stay/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [Large fish such as tuna are shown already cut into fillets and bought by the block. Fillets should be almost transparent. 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Attentive to life, attentive to scripture, attentive to your heart. Pay attention!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-redman/most-songs-come-from-being-attentive-attentive-to-life-attentive-to/) [Matt Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-redman/) > [Be attentive when talking. Don't roll your eyes or slouch when your partner is talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/be-attentive-when-talking-don-t-roll-your-eyes-or-slouch-when-your/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [So if you aspire to be a good conversationali st, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/so-if-you-aspire-to-be-a-good-conversationali-st-be-an-attentive/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“The process of attentive listening makes the other person feel important, valued, and heard. For Nick, listening was, and still is, love. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/the-process-of-attentive-listening-makes-the-other-person-feel/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Meditation is a state of mind which looks at everything with complete attention, totally, not just parts of it. And no one can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-a-state-of-mind-which-looks-at-everything-with-complete/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Sometimes it is good to hear criticism because you are more attentive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred/sometimes-it-is-good-to-hear-criticism-because-you-are-more-attentive/) [Fred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred/) > [“Pay attention to your goals and never let the euphoria of the early success convince you to brag about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/pay-attention-to-your-goals-and-never-let-the-euphoria-of-the-early/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“To Become an Attentive Listener . . . • Observe a person’s physical presence to see how their body language aligns with their message.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/to-become-an-attentive-listener-observe-a-person-s-physical-presence/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [I am hyper attentive to detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/i-am-hyper-attentive-to-detail/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [I am so attracted to ambition and drive and talent. If a man loves something and can put his heart into it, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meaghan-rath/i-am-so-attracted-to-ambition-and-drive-and-talent-if-a-man-loves/) [Meaghan Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meaghan-rath/) > [I think that one of the things I'd learned from being so attentive to the careers of the people I've admired is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-think-that-one-of-the-things-i-d-learned-from-being-so-attentive-to/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [Attentive listening to others is important regardless of their stations and positions. Wise people consider the deep meaning and true values of all suggestions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chungliang-al-huang/attentive-listening-to-others-is-important-regardless-of-their/) [Chungliang Al Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chungliang-al-huang/) > [I have a house full of dead succulents but I was very attentive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-levine/i-have-a-house-full-of-dead-succulents-but-i-was-very-attentive/) [Alice Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-levine/) > [“Always be attentive of your ego.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupama-garg/always-be-attentive-of-your-ego/) [Anupama Garg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupama-garg/) Browse all 89 Attentive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When service is overly attentive, I become uncomfortable - I don't like it, for example, when a waiter tops up my glass as soon as I take a sip of water. 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