Position on Freebies

[Silas G. T. Brontë]

What are your thoughts on freebies? When should they be appropriate? And when not?

Last Sunday evening, our manager decided to close earlier because he didn't expect many more customers coming since our Chili's is located at the University of Houston and it's nearly empty during the weekends. The cooks began to clean the kitchen and put away the food around 7:30 P.M.

All of a sudden, we had a stream of customers coming and the cooks didn't know what to do. Long-story short, some of the customers waited like 35 mins and they got impatient and when I passed bythey told me they wanted some free drinksfor the wait. I asked the manager and he said, "yeah, go ahead."

I gave them their drinks, but a few minutes later I saw them arguing with the manager and I overheard they wanted more free food. That's when I thought they crossed the line!

It reminded me of my days as a cashier when customers whined for free coupons for little things. After I left my old job, I thought those days would be over.

[BusBus]

BusBus needs sleep.....I thought you were talking about frisbees, not freebies

Anyways, it's not up to the customer to determine whether or not they are "entitled" to a freebie. They got free drinks, eh? That's pretty decent. It drives me nuts when folks think that they "deserve" some sort of compensation for no reason. Want fast food? Go visit Macdonald's.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

All of a sudden, we had a stream of customers coming and the cooks didn't know what to do. Long-story short, some of the customers waited like 35 mins and they got impatient and when I passed bythey told me they wanted some free drinksfor the wait. I asked the manager and he said, "yeah, go ahead."

I gave them their drinks, but a few minutes later I saw them arguing with the manager and I overheard they wanted more free food. That's when I thought they crossed the line!

That attitude is why working in the service industries is as enjoyable as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick sometimes.

If the manager wanted to comp some drinks and food, I'd be OK with that. As BusBus said, it shouldn't be up to the customers to decide what freebies they're going to get.

I waited at the restaurant with my girlfriend for at least an hour on Valentine's Day to be seated. Why oh why didn't I ask for free drinks or free food? Wait, I remember, it's because I'm not an entitlement whore.

[Phone Jockey]

Freebies will always be what customers want. ALWAYS. You'll never escape it. I've had a woman hounding me for DAYS for free Internet service. I even gave her a week's worth of free service. She wants more! Too bad, she already got her limit.

[Broomjockey]

When I go to a resturant, I know sometimes things go wrong, there's gonna be a wait, etc. so I don't even bother to complain unless it gets rediculous, like the time my dad and I had to wait 35 min to get our check, AFTER we had completely finished eating. No one even came by to clear our plates or ask if we wanted dessert or anything. We got our food, and were left completely alone until we got our check. It wasn't even busy. And there were plently of staff on. We never went back there.

Of course, then there's the time I went to a different place with my friend, the food took like 20 min longer than it should have, and the server comp'd our drinks without us even looking annoyed! Definitely going back there.

[Banrion]

***I write this story with the utmost confidence that no one here will pass this on to the gimmepigs on PFB***

My b/f and I went out to a Chili's one fine Saturday evening. The Chili's we go to is usually busy with a 15-20 min wait for dinner. We are seated, get our drinks, and order our meal and appetizer together. About 30 mins later, still no food. We weren't in a hurry, the waiter had come around and apologized for the wait and refilled our drinks so no big deal. Another 20 mins later the manager comes out to us to apologize and explain that there was a problem in the kitchen, our food will be out shortly. Again, no biggie, my b/f and I are having a nice conversation. So 10 mins later appetizer comes out, looks like things are good to go. Another 10 we get our food. The waiter being attentive the whole time, never drinkless. Finally we finish and get the check. The whole meal was comped, except for the alcohol. So our total bill came to abou $15.00. We left $60.00 as thats what we had expected to spend on dinner, and left with a feeling of great service despite unforseen problems causing delays. In all, dinner probably took us about 3 hours.

I went home that night and wrote a letter to Chili's corporate about the waiter and manager and how well they had handled what must have been a kitchen nightmare. Chili's corporate sent me a $50.00 gift certificate with a letter that expressed their gratitude for taking time to write a good letter, and not just a complaint. My b/f and I still frequent that Chili's a couple times a month and they are always good. In my world, I figure that the people who complained got maybe $10.00 or just a letter acknowleging receipt of complaint.

Moral of the story. Freebies should be given to reward good behavior, and recognize those people who are the anti-SC. And you really do get more if you are nice about things.

[Gurndigarn]

What are your thoughts on freebies? When should they be appropriate? And when not?

It's pretty simple. When you offer them, they're perfectly appropriate. When a customer requests them, they're only appropriate if you probably would have offered them one if you thought of it. If the customer demands them, you don't want them as a customer any more.

[Ringtail Z28]

I second that. A customer can't demand anything for free. If they feel things aren't moving fast enough for them they could always go somewhere else. It's not like we're gonna stop them, let them be someone elses problem.

[Silas G. T. Brontë]

I agree with many of the points posted here, but also agree with freebies if one of the workers acted intentionally for no reason (but it's rare).

Still, I never understood the deal of asking for freebies.

[JustADude]

I went home that night and wrote a letter to Chili's corporate about the waiter and manager and how well they had handled what must have been a kitchen nightmare. Chili's corporate sent me a $50.00 gift certificate with a letter that expressed their gratitude for taking time to write a good letter, and not just a complaint.

That makes me want to start sending in compliments to the places I go where the service is excelent. Seriously, nice to see someone getting tipped for being a good customer.

[Banrion]

That makes me want to start sending in compliments to the places I go where the service is excelent. Seriously, nice to see someone getting tipped for being a good customer.

I do it quite a bit. It means more to a company and the employee to get a good letter than a bad one. When I have a bad experience, I usually just let my wallet do the talking and take my business elsewhere, but when I have the really good experience I take the time to write to every address I can find.

[Becks]

It's pretty simple. When you offer them, they're perfectly appropriate. When a customer requests them, they're only appropriate if you probably would have offered them one if you thought of it. If the customer demands them, you don't want them as a customer any more.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. Perfectly put.

[MystyGlyttyr]

The obits I type are the "free" obits. A very particular, specific format, but it's very reasonable to get for free...all the vital info is there...date of death, birth, biography, survivors, services, memorials, whatever. But people still call and bitch and complain because "I don't want it to say 'a number of other relatives' at the end, I want it to say 'a number of dear friends!'" or "I don't want it to say 'died' it should say 'flew to the arms of his Lord Jesus heavenly father'" or some other such insanity.

(note, not knocking religion, knocking the people who can't be happy with getting ANYTHING for free. We don't gotta do it, you know!)

[Retail's Bitch]

What I hate are the repeat customers that say,

"Well the last time I was here, she gave me free xxx."

or "Well don't I get that item free with my order?! I got it last time."

They drive me nuts.

Usually the only free stuff we give away lately is free reprints - but even now we can't do that - because we're getting into xmas.

If you're a nice customer and I like you. or maybe I'm trying to get you to buy a certain package - I'll throw in a free sheet... But piss me off and you can't get blood out of a stone.

People suck.

[Customer Beating Robot]

Freebies will always be what customers want. ALWAYS. You'll never escape it. I've had a woman hounding me for DAYS for free Internet service. I even gave her a week's worth of free service. She wants more! Too bad, she already got her limit.

I completely agree. If a person opened up a business based on the honor system, where by people take what they want and are trusted to deposit money in a box up front for the goods they took, with no supervision, the business would go under in a day.

That is just the nature of the world today. Humanity has evolved into a self-absorbe, me first culture.