# "Veteran Moves" at Restaurants
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 31, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882 "2013-01-31T04:49:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Emphant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emphant)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/1 "2013-01-31T04:49:51Z")
A few days ago I was at subway with a friend. He ordered first and then when my turn came, I ordered a sub combo but replaced my chips with a bowl of soup. He looked at me with respect and almost a little bit of awe and said “Whoa, nice man. Veteran move! Not just anyone can make that play”
I admit, I do tend to know my way around a fast food restaurant. What are some other good moves at restaurants that you’ve pulled off that not a lot of people know are options? Doesn’t have to just be fast food. I think my second best play is ordering a McDouble off the dollar menu and getting mac sauce put on it.
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### Author:  [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/2 "2013-01-31T05:40:27Z")
I’m not trying to brag, but… at Starbucks, I sometimes ask for a cup of ice water with my coffee, and they give it to me for free. Slick as shit, man. I’m telling you. I just got the moves. Not everyone can pull that off. Some people don’t believe me when I tell them that, but when I take them into Starbucks, they’re like “You’re the master, man.”
I’d tell you how it’s done, but I don’t want everyone doing it. Got to keep some secrets for myself.
EDIT: I’ve successfully gotten real fancy, high-falutin’ sit-down-type restaurants to give me free ice water, too. It’s easier than you might think. Sometime I’ve even scored free loaves of bread without even asking. I make it look easy.
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### Author:  [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/3 "2013-01-31T05:57:08Z")
A _little bit_ of awe? I think you’re underestimating his level of shocked admiration because I would have been floored by your savvy!
Soup, not chips! Who could believe it?!
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/4 "2013-01-31T06:18:16Z")
I was at Chic-Fil-A the other day and ordered a number 4, and she could tell right away what kind of guy I was so she said, “monterey jack cheese, right?” and I smiled and said “yup!”
Talk about smooth.
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### Author:  [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/5 "2013-01-31T06:28:39Z")
I was in an Italian restaurant once, with the hot young waitress flirting with me shamelessly. Though in latish middle-age I showed her some of my charm. When I ordered a beer, she asked me if I’d like a straw with it – I doubt she makes the same offer to other customers – and I knew she was signalling that she appreciated my youthful ways.
I took pity on the envious lusting young guys, and didn’t ask for her phone number.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/6 "2013-01-31T06:31:30Z")
I used to go to Popeye’s and ask what special they had going on for a box-o-chicken, and they would give me the current coupon special without making me turn in a coupon. And no extra charge for all dark meat. That’s not even on the menu, man.
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### Author:  [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/7 "2013-01-31T06:42:17Z")
I regularly use fast food coupons (they come in the mail and are usually good for a month) at drive-through windows without relinquishing the coupons and then use them again. And the ones that say “Cannot be combined with any other coupon or offer”- No, you can use a separate coupon for every piece of food.
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### Author:  [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/8 "2013-01-31T07:21:44Z")
I sometimes have sushi rolls for lunch. I’m totally down with the prices they charge and I can use techniques I learned decades ago from ancient masters to combine the prices into a single figure. I work out that figure and when I get to the cashier I just whip out the coins required, hand them off and walk. Don’t even need to be told the price, or wait for change. I am like the wind.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/9 "2013-01-31T12:25:32Z")
I used to have this thing I did at pizza restaurants where I’d get different toppings on each side of the pizza. So if one person likes sausage and mushroom, and the other really doesn’t, you can still split a large instead of getting two smalls.
You know they wouldn’t do that for just anybody.
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/10 "2013-01-31T12:59:26Z")
You can get a “Home Run” at Wendy’s (4 patties) if you ask.
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### Author:  [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/11 "2013-01-31T13:13:53Z")
Mcdonald’s used to have an All American Meal that they didn’t advertise: regular cheeseburger, small fries, small drink. Don’t know if they still do that as I am hooked on Filet 'O Fish these days.
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/12 "2013-01-31T13:14:47Z")
I don’t go to fast food places.
However, if I ask the bartender for extra olives in my martini I am never charged for them and sometimes get enough to be an appetizer all on thier own!
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/13 "2013-01-31T13:29:27Z")
At a local Chinese restaurant, I order the eggplant special with tofu (the menu offers chicken, beef, or pork). A new cashier will run to the kitchen to see if it is ok. The owner will yell out, “Hey, kayaker!”.
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/14 "2013-01-31T13:36:56Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#):
>
> I used to go to Popeye’s and ask what special they had going on for a box-o-chicken, and they would give me the current coupon special without making me turn in a coupon. And no extra charge for all dark meat. That’s not even on the menu, man.
There’s a lot of snark in this thread, but you _can_ go to Popeyes/KFC about 1-5 minutes before closing and ask them if they have any “late night offers”. Many times you can get extra chicken as they’re just going to throw it out anyway.
In the spirit of the thread, I was a regular at a Mexican place in Knoxville, so much so that I didn’t have to order my drink… the waitress just _knew_.
Be assured that I used this power only for good and did not gloat at the obvious stares of envy from all the other customers.
In addition, a lot of times I’ll ask for a booth and get one - four, FOUR spaces all for me! MWAHAHAHAHA! (That power I use for evil, sorry.)
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### Author:  [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/15 "2013-01-31T13:55:17Z")
Since this is really about The Fine Dining Experience, I think I’ll move it to Cafe Society.
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### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/16 "2013-01-31T14:18:26Z")
> [@Emphant](#):
>
> A few days ago I was at subway with a friend. He ordered first and then when my turn came, I ordered a sub combo but replaced my chips with a bowl of soup. He looked at me with respect and almost a little bit of awe and said “Whoa, nice man. Veteran move! Not just anyone can make that play”
Holy shit. You… you did WHAT? Asked for a substitution? At a _restaurant_? My friend, truly you are nature’s greatest miracle.
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### Author:  [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/17 "2013-01-31T14:41:15Z")
> [@hrhomer](#):
>
> Holy shit. You… you did WHAT? Asked for a substitution? At a _restaurant_? My friend, truly you are nature’s greatest miracle.
Meh. I’ve asked for and received _plenty_ of menu substitutions at restaurants.
I’m kidding, of course. You’re amazing, OP!!! I wish I knew “my way around a fast food restaurant”!!!
mmm
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### Author:  [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/18 "2013-01-31T14:53:24Z")
> [@kayT](#):
>
> Mcdonald’s used to have an All American Meal that they didn’t advertise: regular cheeseburger, small fries, small drink. Don’t know if they still do that as I am hooked on Filet 'O Fish these days.
I used to get that too, but because they liked me so much, they also gave me a fun toy and put it in a cool box with an “M”-shaped handle.
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### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/19 "2013-01-31T14:54:35Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> Meh. I’ve asked for and received _plenty_ of menu substitutions at restaurants.
I’m sure you’re a go-getter.
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/veteran-moves-at-restaurants/648882/20 "2013-01-31T14:57:49Z")
> [@hrhomer](#):
>
> Holy shit. You… you did WHAT? Asked for a substitution? At a _restaurant_? My friend, truly you are nature’s greatest miracle.
Get this.
Went to a restaurant because they had a coupon where I could buy a combo - fries, burger, and soda. The coupon said, very seriously and in all-caps: NO SUBSTITUTIONS.
I asked for a tea… _and got it!_
BOO-YA! Take that, mo-fos!
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