If you're going to do something "nice" for someone, the decent thing to do is expect nothing and carry on. If the person wants to express gratitude, fine. If not, so be it.
What is not right, and what used to be looked down on in society, is EXPECTING people to grovel in praise of you for doing a nice thing. It turns from something nice to some sort of perverse exchange; I do this for you, now you kiss my ring. Oh, and we're not going to agree on it beforehand; I'm just going to expect it from you after the fact.