# Is this rude? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 15, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387 "2011-02-15T00:40:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/21 "2011-02-15T15:55:48Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > It’s not a question of manners, it’s a question if this business practice is acceptable or not. > > If I were the manager of the Philly Cheesesteak place, I’d complain to the mall management about poaching customers. All this stuff is governed by lease contracts. I bet they do it specifically because the mall allows them to. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/22 "2011-02-15T17:09:22Z")
I’m always amazed at the number of people who bring words like “classy,” “rude” or “good/bad manners” into a discussion about _business practices_. I have no doubt that the mall’s lease agreement covers this sort of issue very, very specifically. What, the quesadilla people are the first on the planet to figure out _marketing_? New businesses have been giving out free samples since there was such a thing as a business - there are probably free samples in the fossil record. (Okay, not really.) ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/23 "2011-02-15T17:18:13Z")
Who knows, maybe both places are owned by the same proprietors. Even if not, with business it all about traffic. If the new eatery down the strip center increases overall traffic to the strip center, all the owners will benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/24 "2011-02-15T17:21:34Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I have no doubt that the mall’s lease agreement covers this sort of issue very, very specifically. Okay… but, so? The fact that somebody has a _policy_ somewhere doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with whether a business practice is right or wrong, “classy” or “rude.” Plenty of things that are legal are still despicable–not in this example, but speaking generally. And plenty of things that are not _required_ are still commendable. It’s perfectly legitimate to discuss the actions of people and businesses in other terms than whether they are within the written rule. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/25 "2011-02-15T17:37:22Z")
It’s standard practice in the United States for food service businesses located in shopping malls to send employees wandering around the mall giving out samples. Actually, making people aware of the dining options is pretty much beneficial to all the food services located there. There is no real poaching factor here. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/26 "2011-02-15T18:32:41Z")
I guess what bothered me was that I was literally reaching for the door when teh young woman came almost running up with her palte and said, “Would you like to try a taste of our quesadilla, we just opened today.” It **seemed** very much like she was trying to get to me before I went into the other restaurant, which, I dunno, just seemed rude to doo to your strip mall neighbor. Yeah, I am probably overreacting, I get that it is business, but would they appreciate someone in front of their restaurant doing it? ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/27 "2011-02-15T18:41:14Z")
Like I said before, food service establishments locate near each other for the overall increased traffic, and I’m not just talking about the mall food courts. The owners could even explore joining together for shared advertising. There’s more opportunity here than there is “you’re taking my customer” competition ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/28 "2011-02-17T03:55:24Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I guess what bothered me was that I was literally reaching for the door when teh young woman came almost running up with her palte and said, “Would you like to try a taste of our quesadilla, we just opened today.” It **seemed** very much like she was trying to get to me before I went into the other restaurant, which, I dunno, just seemed rude to doo to your strip mall neighbor. > > Yeah, I am probably overreacting, I get that it is business, but would they appreciate someone in front of their restaurant doing it? This. They were poaching customers. It was not just wondering around inside a indoor mall with samples. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/29 "2011-02-17T05:24:06Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I’m always amazed at the number of people who bring words like “classy,” “rude” or “good/bad manners” into a discussion about _business practices_. I have no doubt that the mall’s lease agreement covers this sort of issue very, very specifically. What, the quesadilla people are the first on the planet to figure out _marketing_? New businesses have been giving out free samples since there was such a thing as a business - there are probably free samples in the fossil record. > > (Okay, not really.) Exactly what I was thinking. I actually laughed out loud when I read “low class” in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/30 "2011-02-17T05:35:32Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > It’s not a question of manners, it’s a question if this business practice is acceptable or not. > > If I were the manager of the Philly Cheesesteak place, I’d complain to the mall management about poaching customers. bah and if I was mall mgt I would tell you “too bad mate, competition is good”. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387/31 "2011-02-17T06:12:53Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > bah and if I was mall mgt I would tell you “too bad mate, competition is good”. Except for an indoor mall, there are certain rules and behaviours expected. When I have worked with malls for promotions before, it is never considered a free for all, but rather a competition within a friendly “co-op” like environment. Whether that makes the actions rude or not, I have no comment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rude/571387.md?page=1)