So I was at Resorts and this older gentleman at the table, obviously a BJ newbie, signals for a hit on his A9. The table howls in disbelief, but the dealer doesn't even blink and gives him a card (a 6) with no mercy. The old guy proceeds to bust out his garbage hand.

I understand there are legal reasons, with people saying the dealer talked them out of hitting/staying and they subsequently lost, but can't a dealer at least pause and ask "Are you sure?"
How about just explaining to the old guy that he has 20? Is this behavior proliferating with casinos telling employees to "go by the book" to avoid spurious complaints?