One phrase that's certainly overused, but I don't share the widespread annoyance with it, is "have a nice day" or "have a good day." It's really just a variation on the archaic "good day" as a standin for "goodbye."
I agree. It's banal, but the intention is to close the encounter on a quick, friendly note. And you really wouldn't want something non-banal, something more complex, that invited more thought or conversation, because then the encounter wouldn't reach the proper closure.
You know, "Good day" is probably a shortening of "Have a good day." But maybe now it's become too much associated with a terse or even hostile goodbye. Like when someone says, "Good day to you, Sir," puts on his top hat, turns and summarily marches out of the office. So we had to reclaim the "Have a" to make it sound more friendly.
Here's one I irrationally dislike. "I'm all about [whatever]." As in, "I'm all about oatmeal" from someone who eats oatmeal for breakfast every day. It's like, hunh, there's nothing important in your entire personality or life but oatmeal? (Note: "My breakfasts are all about oatmeal" would be acceptable.)
Oh, and here's yet another one: "jones" or "jonesing," as in, a craving some [non-drug] thing. Like, "I'm on a diet and I'm jonesing for a hamburger." I just can't stand that one. It's not that I object to drug-related slang on a moral basis. I wouldn't mind, "I went off my diet and ODed on french fries." Or "Please don't narc on me to the Weight Watchers leader." But I hate "jones," even when it applies to actual addiction. Way too cutesy. Does one really need a cutesy name for one's chemical-dependency problem?
Hmm .... I notice all my examples are food-related. So typical.
