# Free sample abusers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 26, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578 "2014-08-26T18:14:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/61 "2014-08-27T20:15:15Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > You’re lucky. I’m only allowed to put company expenses on my company card. I’d definitely get in trouble if I was using it to get free food and booze for myself. We have to say grace before downing every company-provided beer. “Let us give thanks to Bob our boss, who art not an asshole. Amen.” ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/62 "2014-08-27T20:37:02Z")
Our state fair is running right now and all the local network affiliates are broadcasting the local news from there. A lot of them have freebies they give away during the day and a line immediately forms and stretches for half a block. The local news guys get a kick out of taking a camera to the end of the line and asking the people if they know what they are in line for. Most of them have no idea. All they know is it’s a line for some free shit and by golly it’s their god given right to stand in line and get free shit at the fair. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/63 "2014-08-27T21:05:31Z")
I really don’t understand why lunches are partly deductible for executives dining a business buddy, but not for the lesser echelons such as a deliveryman who might like to take the deliveree out for a meal ( to discuss business, of course ). I’ve shopped as a customer regularly at many local shops and never once has a proprietor offered a free lunch as goodwill. Maybe the tax laws were written by executives. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/64 "2014-08-28T19:46:54Z")
You were entitled to make piggy-snort noises at him. Castigating him was over the top. I am a sample-glutton, but even I do not fill my pockets; I make loops around the store. Plus, I’m thin, so it’s okay, right? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/65 "2014-08-28T20:27:15Z")
Maybe he saw the video on YouTube and thought [you wouldn’t care](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi-lrpqkh4A). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/66 "2014-08-28T23:32:00Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > I really don’t understand why lunches are partly deductible for executives dining a business buddy, but not for the lesser echelons such as a deliveryman who might like to take the deliveree out for a meal ( to discuss business, of course ). I’ve shopped as a customer regularly at many local shops and never once has a proprietor offered a free lunch as goodwill. > Maybe the tax laws were written by executives. Small business owner here I have on several occasions offered various perks to good customers, Baseball tickets, starbucks cards, etc. Maybe you dont realize the scale of what goes on. For example, I would never bother sending out free baseball tickets to someone who just came in for a virus cleanup. However I did buy a batch of 10 $50 a pop tickets for a local wine trail event and gave pairs of them to some of my best customers. These are people who drop $2,000-$3,000+ a year on my services. One customer just racked up about $6K in bills with my biz over a 6 week period. I will be dropping by with a nice gift basket for the owner next week including a hefty gift certificate for one of the nicer restaurants in town. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/67 "2014-08-29T00:48:30Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > These were _peanut butter_ cookies. Miss Manners and Emily Post will back me up on the proper response being a shanking. Anything else would be uncivilized. I’m with you, and I don’t like peanut butter cookies. Some people just need killing. 7 billion people on the planet. He won’t be missed. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/68 "2014-08-29T00:59:39Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I always say “no thank you” when offered a sample. Do sample-pushers take it personally, or are they relieved? If its busy they don’t have time to offer. But they don’t take it personally, nor do I suspect they are relieved. Its a mindless job. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/69 "2014-08-29T01:00:59Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What I’ve noticed is that _whatever_ Costco offers at the sample tables will sell big that day. Usually it will be sold out by the time we get there. I think they use the sample tables to clear the slow-selling stock. Actually, the suppliers decide what they will pay Costco to sample. ---
**Author:** ![Bouncer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Bouncer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bouncer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/70 "2014-08-29T02:56:17Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Yes. They need the calories. Well I mean, are we talking like slim, supermodel slim, or Ethiopian refugee thin? Cause let’s face it, I’ll let the Ethiopian starving refugee have all the sample cookies they want. They earned those fuckers by surviving to reach the USA! I think that’s a reasonable view and I will have the DC Honeybadger bite anyone who disagrees. Don’t think I won’t. Regards, -Bouncer- ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/71 "2014-08-29T03:41:09Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Small business owner here > > I have on several occasions offered various perks to good customers, Baseball tickets, starbucks cards, etc. Maybe you dont realize the scale of what goes on. For example, I would never bother sending out free baseball tickets to someone who just came in for a virus cleanup. > > However I did buy a batch of 10 $50 a pop tickets for a local wine trail event and gave pairs of them to some of my best customers. These are people who drop $2,000-$3,000+ a year on my services. One customer just racked up about $6K in bills with my biz over a 6 week period. I will be dropping by with a nice gift basket for the owner next week including a hefty gift certificate for one of the nicer restaurants in town. I have run (not own, just run) a little mom and pop type store. My best (retail type) customer has spent over $50,000 in the last 5 or 6 years. When she called me one day and said "Joe, I hate to ask, but I’m getting an endoscopy and my driver just backed out, can you drop me off and pick me back up, I didn’t even have to think about it, I just asked what time. @claverhouse, Get to know the business owner, say hi, make sure he sees you when you’re there, spend some real money, over the years you might see some perks tossed your way. My ‘regular’ customers might not get taken out for lunch, but, hey, you forgot your wallet, NBD, bring the money tomorrow. I’m making some new salads in the back and I want another opinion, here, take one home and let me know what you think. Sprained your ankle, call me with what you need and I’ll run it out to your car (or even send someone to your house if you live close by). Some of our vendors take us out to lunch, but it’s pretty casual, it’s not a big formal thing. It’s them stopping in around noon to take an order and asking if we want to grab lunch at the bar up the road. It’s deductible because when you’re (we’re) spending $100k-$500Ka year with them (and we’re small) a few lunches can increase that business. The government sees it as a business expense. A Sysco rep writes off a $50 lunch but sells you another $5000 worth of product that sell for $15000, that’s worth it for them since it ends up being more taxable income, all from a $50 lunch that they might not have taken you out on if they couldn’t write it off. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/72 "2014-08-29T15:12:02Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > @claverhouse, Get to know the business owner, say hi, make sure he sees you when you’re there, spend some real money, over the years you might see some perks tossed your way. My ‘regular’ customers might not get taken out for lunch, but, hey, you forgot your wallet, NBD, bring the money tomorrow. Yeah, there are a couple places where I’ve been a regular customer with no wallet on occasion. They knew I’d likely be back the next day so they let me pay then. The coffee shop across the street from where I worked was going to do that one morning but the guy behind me covered it instead. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/73 "2014-08-29T15:34:29Z")
> [@black\_rabbit](#): > > He got a burrito and beer, too, only his burrito had: > > [ul] > [li]Rice[/li][li]Chicken[/li][li]Steak[/li][li]Pork[/li][li]Black Beans[/li][li]Pinto Beans[/li][li]Hot Salsa[/li][li]Medium Salsa[/li][li]Mild Salsa[/li][li]Cheese[/li][li]Sour Cream[/li][li]Guac[/li][/ul] > > Effectively, everything on the menu. The burrito required three tortillas. Madre de Dios, that’s not a burrito, that’s a whole string of burros! And the biggest [burro](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=burro&rlz=1C1QJDB_enGB602GB602&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=MJ4AVIaiKYzpaP-HgOAL&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=645), the one eating… ---
**Author:** ![la\_fille\_intellectuelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@la\_fille\_intellectuelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/la_fille_intellectuelle)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/74 "2014-08-30T21:20:08Z")
Personally I stay away from free samples as their nothing more than the mass companies way of pushing totally crap products. Note:Anything that is truly of any value will never be given away for free,whereas crap is always out there. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/75 "2014-08-31T04:09:43Z")
My sample etiquette: 1. I work with kids, so I have a cast-iron immune system. Y’all are chickens if you’re worrying about old people fingers. 2. Samples are an advertisement. I can try it even if I have no desire to buy the product, because they’re advertising. There’s no implicit obligation. 3. A store that puts out samples is marginally more likely to get me to shop there again than a store without samples, so they’ll make a bit of money off me with their samples regardless of whether I buy the sampled product. 4. I’ll take a sample for my kid, too, because fuck off, that’s why. Also because if I can get my kids to be happy at the store, everyone’s happy. Also see #3. 5. Taking more than one sample per person is obnoxious. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/76 "2014-08-31T04:19:37Z")
> [@la\_fille\_intellectuelle](#): > > Personally I stay away from free samples as their nothing more than the mass companies way of pushing totally crap products. > Note:Anything that is truly of any value will never be given away for free,whereas crap is always out there. That’s just not even kind of true. Look at it this way, if it’s good, I need you to try one so you say ‘wow, this is good, where is it?’. If it’s crap, I’d rather you bought it without knowing how crappy it is. Why would I want you to know it isn’t good before you gave me your money? ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/77 "2014-08-31T19:40:42Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Why does it matter that he was fat? > > Would it be ok if a thin person abused the free samples? Oh shit! He just flipped the script. What’s up now? ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/78 "2014-08-31T19:46:44Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I actually have a long standing problem with this prick aside from the cookies. Every time he visits the checkout counter he talks to the black checkers in his cool, very loud, black street voice as if he expects them to relate to that. He is a first class prick who really needs his ass kicked. Wait a minute, I missed this the first time. You’re saying this motherfucker comes in and uses his black guy voice? Saying black stuff? Live jive? Rapping his order? What the fuck is wrong with this piece of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/79 "2014-08-31T22:36:39Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Do you have a secret code you announce over the PA when he pulls in? “Attention employees… Situation Purple!” “Code [Creosote](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Creosote)” While I was in the last few years of high school (late '80s) I had a holiday job working in the kitchen of one of the local hospitals back when they still cooked all their own food. None of the permanent staff that worked in the kitchen ever brought lunch, they just grabbed a plate of whatever they fancied from the day’s menu. Many also had breakfast there and took dinner home with them each day. I suspect the only time they didn’t eat at the hospital was on weekends and even then they were probably stealing foodstuffs. :mad: It was only the permanent staff could get away with it, if any of the temp. guys tried the supervisor would rip into them and if it happened twice they were gone. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578/80 "2014-09-01T07:22:33Z")
I have two different friends and I go out to eat with them sometimes. On the way out of some places there is a bowl with some mints. To my great chagrin, if I am out with either of these friends, they seem to think a free mint bowl means “fill your pockets!” I say, somewhat loudly, "I think _one_ will be enough for me. Did I mention that they were politically very conservative (the greedy and self-centered kind, not the racist kind)? And rich? And they don’t really like mints? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-sample-abusers/696578.md?page=5)