Well, it's cultural in some places - about personal prediletcions and so on, what we call "common sense."

For the OP, this is undue intimacy; somene else might actualy feel flattered because they have been "accepted" into the "family."

A bit like going into a restaurant and when ordering, being called "honey" and "sweetheart." Some like it, some don't. Having your first name used -some do, some don't. I recall a complaint an FA was addressing passengers in F or J as "Good evening, Mr. Phelps; I am xxx yyy, your purser..." feeling they'd rather just be "mam'ed or sir'ed." Can't please everyone, especially if that everyone doesn't feel comfortable telling the other person how s/he prefers to be addressed (adn not everyone can accept this kind of construtive feedback in good graces, either.)

Thsoe practicing the behavior are doing the "Gold Rule" literaly - treating others as they like (or have been acculturated into) being treated. In Customer Service training, we teach the "Platinum Rule" - do to others as they would be done unto; get to know your subject enough you understand their preferences.

But many places today do not provide the direction and training needed to make for good customer service - and sometimes, managers or employees have difficulty handling what they see as friendly behavior as the ignoring of boundaries in a service industry these really comprise. This certainly seems to be the case here - the undue intimacy, exceeding of boundaries and "chiuminess" is so unwelcome it is about to make a valued repeat customer flee to another service provider!

Managers, take note, please...