# Would you like 2 for a dollar or one for $1.19? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 21, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149 "2003-04-21T22:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/1 "2003-04-21T22:14:12Z")
Some people are too stupid to breathe without being reminded. On Friday, I pulled off the road into a convenience store to get myself a bottle of water. The water was on sale, 2 for $1.00. Not being that thirsty, I picked up one. The cashier told me that, because I wasn’t getting two, I would need to pay the regular price. I said fine, figuring it would be something like 60 or 70 cents. She rang me up for **$1.19.** I don’t know, perhaps she felt that people weren’t drinking enough bottled water. Perhaps she believed that we don’t have quite enough litter and garbage. Perhaps she just didn’t have a lick of sense in her body. I informed her that, if she was going to charge me more for one than for two bottles, I would indeed purchase the second bottle … and empty it on her counter. She charged me $.50. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/2 "2003-04-21T22:29:11Z")
Negotiating skills in action. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/3 "2003-04-21T23:04:52Z")
I like your moxy, you’ve got the job. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/4 "2003-04-21T23:05:33Z")
My father buys detergent for barn’s pipeline system in 20 gallon, non-returnable, non-recyclable, white plastic jugs. During the spring of 1999 he piled up quite a few of them and sold them as “Y2K Water Storage Devices” at my sister and brother-in-law’s annual garage sale for $10 a piece or $25 a pair. He sold 10 pairs. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/5 "2003-04-21T23:54:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SuaSponte \* > **Some people are too stupid to breathe without being reminded.** Just because you’re peeved at being overcharged is no reason to sneer at people with a [serious medical condition](http://www.1uphealth.com/health/primary_alveolar_hypoventilation_info.html). For shame. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/6 "2003-04-22T01:08:43Z")
Ooh, ooh, was this the 7-11 in Kirkland, WA? Could have been the same drone who charged me for two coffees when I got a brew and an enpty cup to prevent hand scald syndrome(this was before the advent of the Little Cardboard Sleeve). Why? “well, you have two cups!” Hey, charge me a quarter, fine. but noooooo. So I left the cup and took a handful of napkins instead. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/7 "2003-04-22T01:19:41Z")
Uh, why is it necessarily the cashier’s fault? I may be wrong, but I’d venture to guess she didn’t have anything to do with the pricing or store policy. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/8 "2003-04-22T01:22:57Z")
Palm Beach County? Even dumber than Miami-Dade. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/9 "2003-04-22T01:26:04Z")
Maybe “convenience stores” have different policies, but every time I’ve bought something from my local Jewel’s or Dominick’s that was priced at “X for” a given price each item rang up on the register at the listed price divided by X. For example, I just bought 6 cans of Jewel brand vegetables priced at 5/$2.00; each can rang up at $0.40 each. If I bought one item priced at 3/$1.00 it rang up at $0.34, and a second and third rang up at $0.33 each, which seems reasonable to me. I never heard of charging full price just because you didn’t buy the exact quantity specified by the sale price. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/10 "2003-04-22T04:13:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LurkMeister \* > \*\*I never heard of charging full price just because you didn’t buy the exact quantity specified by the sale price. \*\* Happens all the time at Old Navy, but they also are careful to note “Must buy specified quantity to receive discount”. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/11 "2003-04-22T04:27:51Z")
ack…bottled water…what a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/12 "2003-04-22T05:01:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ataraxy22 \* > \*\*ack…bottled water…what a scam. \*\* Si A classmate was sipping a bottle of expensive water, I noticed on the side it read “not for individual sale”. Apparently she bought a _case_ of it. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Morrigoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Morrigoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrigoon)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/13 "2003-04-22T05:21:22Z")
Feh, you guys don’t live in California, I see. Our tap water SUCKS. It’s bottled, filtered, or NOTHING out here. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/14 "2003-04-22T05:55:19Z")
I’m sure the clerk doesn’t have anything to do with the policy. Most registers do everything automatically now. Some will ring up single two-for-one items as half priced. Others will require that there actually be two items scanned in before it will give the discount. The clerk does have some leeway (which allowed her to do what she did) but everytime she does something like that, the register records it and theres a good chance the manager will ask her “Why were you opening the drawer without selling something at three fifteen yesterday?” and barely believer her when she is telling the truth (or scold her for giving the refund that she did give). Clerks get no mercy. Everything they can and cannot do is determined by the computer and the computer records their every move. ---
**Author:** ![discoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@discoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/discoman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/15 "2003-04-22T06:05:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Morrigoon \* > \*\*Feh, you guys don’t live in California, I see. Our tap water SUCKS. It’s bottled, filtered, or NOTHING out here. \*\* Well, I live in California. My water is fabulous. But then again, the economy of my county could probably crush most countries. Things are nice in silicon valley. Or were a few years ago. My levit-town-inspired house sells for over a million, so I can’t complain. I perfer the sweet nectar of soda though. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/16 "2003-04-22T06:35:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Morrigoon \* > \*\*Feh, you guys don’t live in California, I see. Our tap water SUCKS. It’s bottled, filtered, or NOTHING out here. \*\* Actually, it’s good in Northern California. But by the time it gets down here to the Southland, it tastes like crap. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/17 "2003-04-22T07:15:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\*Actually, it’s good in Northern California. But by the time it gets down here to the Southland, it tastes like crap. \*\* It’s just real tired from the trip. 😃 It really does taste bad out here. ---
**Author:** ![Meface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Meface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meface)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/18 "2003-04-22T10:10:18Z")
Evian = Naive Not bad for a first post Cyas ---
**Author:** ![Meface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@Meface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meface)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/19 "2003-04-22T10:10:27Z")
Evian = Naive Not bad for a first post Cyas :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149/20 "2003-04-22T10:24:31Z")
I’m just gonna come out and admit that until recently, I always assumed that you had to buy the amount specified in order to receive the discount. “Two boxes of Kellog cereal for $5.00” meant that one box would be more than $2.50. To my ignorant and careless consumer brain, that is. And then I watched the display at the local grocery store and realized that the first box of cereal rings up at $2.50 even if it’s several items away from its brethren. Duh. The only thing that makes me feel better is that Mr. Levins interned at Wal-Mart in college for a semester, and just to prove a point to his supervisor, gathered up loads of regularly-priced merchandise, and put it in baskets in the “action aisle” by the registers. People sifted through it and snapped it up like it was on 80% clearance. Even though there was no sale sign, and no red tag on any of it. No one ever even bothered to ask or check to see if it was at a reduced price. So I’m not the only moron. _sob_ Now I proudly by just the one box of cereal. But I still don’t feel any smarter now that I figured out I’m a gullible moron. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-like-2-for-a-dollar-or-one-for-1-19/170149.md?page=2)