Sauron-that truly kicks ass.
I think the difference is that Sauron was not expecting a tip.
I totally agree with giving away free stuff, if it’s yours to give.
Thank you, Guinastasia. I don’t condone stealing from an employer, but in this case I think it was justified. The owner of the caverns wasn’t exactly hurting for money. It wouldn’t have been a big deal to him to let the guy in on a kid’s ticket. But the owner was the original tightwad. Thanks to him, I know what Lincoln sounded like when he was pinched. (He had a high, almost girlish squeal, in case you were wondering.)
Lest you think I’m saintly, though, remind me to tell you sometime about the scams I would come up with to make extra money on tours.
I’ve worked in three different food-service-type places, and in two of those three, it was ok(ish) to give food to people occasionally. Not often, and not every time a friend walked in the door, but we had a bit of leeway. If red_dragon60 wants to give a brownie, more power too him. I figure that he would know if it was something that would get him or the business in serious trouble, and be smart enough not to do it in that case.
As to the tipping issue, there’s a pub my friends and I frequent often (that’s a bit redundant isn’t it?), and every once in a while we get a round for free, 'cause we’re regulars. Now, usually in this case we tip much more than we would have (and we’re pretty generous to begin with), basically paying almost what we would have paid had we bought all our drinks. Also, when we get our first round free, we sure as heck get a second round, even if we weren’t planning on it.
However, we didn’t ask for it free. That’s just low on class. There’s no way I’d ask for something free and then tip. If I were asking for it free it’d be because I wanted to pay less.
I think an occasional freebie is a great way to show good customer relations. When I was in college, we frequented a few off-campus bars and would come in regularly. One of them had a friendly bartender who occasionally offered us free shots or something like that. It was nice and it kept us going back, and of course we always tried to tip well.
I guess the respect for regular customers is lost nowadays in many businesses, but I know I keep going back – and tip better, and spend more – at places that don’t just treat you like a number.
Yeah that’s what I’ve been wondering about, too. Seemed a bit obvious, so I wasn’t sure if I should post…why bother tipping, if the point was to get free food? I mean, yeah it’s not very fair, but if the point was to not pay, why bother shelling out more money to tip?
I’m the manager of a Sbarros Pizza in a busy food court. Everyone there has a natural tendency not to charge the other vendors, and their employees. For example, I want a sandwich, the people over there dont charge me. Likewise, when they want a slice of pizza, they dont pay. I keep trying to insist on paying, because I want my employees to learn to charge everyone else. Our food cost right now is over the roof, mostly due to the fact that everyone and their families are eating for free. What happens if we cant lower our food cost? We have to start firing people. Do I want to do that? No.
Im also managing a smaller downtown store. I figured since it wasnt in a food court, the food cost would be better, because there wouldn’t be the battering arrangement. Apparently, the old manager was feeding everyone in a 5 mile radius. Their food cost is twice of mine in the food court. I actually had a kid walk up one day this week and tell me “You know I eat on the house right?” He worked at Starbucks. “Oh really? Why is that?” He smiled, “Because I work downtown. We’re cool. We have to stick together.” If he hadnt said anything, I probably would have given it to him, or at least given him a discount. His cocky attitude pretty much guranteed he’d pay full price. So when I told him I wouldnt hook him up, he left. The next day, he came back. Asked for a slice and a drink, I rang it in. I told him the price. “Oh shit, I left my wallet in my jacket. Is there any way you can void that out?” “Sure, no problem. But if I void it out, you dont get the food.” He left again. So yesterday he comes back again. Asks for a slice, I stick it in the oven. “You arent gonna try to charge me again are you?” “Sure am. And so you know, I’m gonna charge you again tomorrow when you come in.” He left again. And on the way out, he told me he’d see me tomorrow. Sigh. Some people just dont learn.
So, Sauron, let’s hear the scams!!
The key word here is “offered.” There is a world of difference between offering regular customers free food or drinks and succumbing when someone begs. In the former case you (representing the store) are a grand and generous guy; in the latter you (representing the store) are a sucker.
I don’t think red_dragon60 did anything wrong, though it does lead to the cookie-mouse dilemma (Give a mouse a cookie and he’ll ask for a glass of milk). The customers are far more likely to come back again and pay more if this is the only instance of free stuff they get.
I worked in a Pizza Hut in college and one of the jerky managers often voided out his friends’ meals. And the rude jerks wouldn’t tip! $30 worth of pizza free and not even a couple of dollars left on the table. We had guys come up and ask for the pizzas left over at the end of the night (mistake orders, no pickups, etc.). Sometimes 6 or more pizzas were leftover. We didn’t give the food to them, though, because it would bring them in hordes. (One of us usually took the food home).
I used the obvious one only once – I turned out the lights and told them I wouldn’t turn them back on unless they paid me. They were drunk out of their skulls, though, and they thought it was hilarious. They were a terrible tour. That was when I realized that it was never wise to take the last tour of the day after a NASCAR race a few miles away.
We sold souvenir booklets about the caverns at the end of the tour, and the guides got to keep 50 cents of the sales price (which I think was $2.50). So I told folks up front that I got money off the sale of the books. I explained it wasn’t for me, though – it was for my little brother Joey. I was saving up to help pay for his operation.
This was said in an exaggerated melodramatic tone, so folks knew I was kidding. Still, I usually sold more books than the other guides. I’m sure Joey, wherever he is today, is proud of me.