There is actually a word that describes precisely this type of chitchat: you're looking for the word **phatic**.

> **phat·ic** /ˈfatik/ _adj._  
denoting or relating to language used for general purposes of social interaction, **rather than to convey information or ask questions**. Utterances such as hello, how are you? and nice morning, isn't it? are phatic.

_(From [Oxford Dictionaries Online](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/phatic), my emphasis)_