I really want to pay you for this......

[Trytobenice]

I went to a local Pizza place to get a nice lunch. Their EFTPOS machine was down. No big deal, while they are making the Pizza I wander up to the ATM to get cash. ATM machine is down as well, turns out the phone system is on the fritz. All EFTPOS/ATM machines in the city are down.

I go back to the shop, and tell them I have no way to pay.

The guy behind the counter nods in understanding, and hands me the pizza anyway! I never asked for it, I would have been happy to leave it, but he understands, and he's so cool about it.

I get home, get some cash from my wife, drive straight back, and pay the guy, plus 25%. Keep the change!

I really like being a non-SC. Karma is so cool!

[bean]

Last fall I walked into a Boston Market (across from my work) before work to get a meal before I clocked in. During a really bad thunderstorm.

Just as I walked in, the power went out - as in the lights literally went out when the door closed behind me. They still served me, and since all I had was my debit card, told me not to worry about paying.

The power came back on before I left, and I insisted on paying them - the manager looked shocked that I was insisting on it. She asked if I minded waiting while the registers booted up, which would take a few minutes. I told her I didn't mind at all, and paid for my meal in full. Too bad I couldn't leave them a tip, they really went above and beyond by serving me with no power.

They did lock the doors after I walked in so nobody else could come in though (they have the kind of doors where you can exit even if they're locked).

[MageAkyla]

I was in a situation like this today. I pulled in to start filling my gas tank and had gotten to about $5 on a credit card when the power went out. I didn't realize until I went in, and they were rushing around trying to figure out why (apparently the entire two small town area went out for still unknown reasons).

Now I could have left, they told me I could, with what I had, but I remembered when I used to work at a truck stop that most the time if the pump hasn't been hung up at the power outage, the credit authorization is lost. I waited around about 15 minutes since I don't carry even that much cash and was about to leave and check my credit card for a purchase or call back down later, when the power came on. Sure enough the system flashed "please pay clerk". They thanked me for sticking around to pay.

I stayed patient the entire time since I had no where really to go and luckily for the owners there were no real SCs, just a few whines, especially the but "I'm almost out of gas" whiner that left to stupidly drive the 10 miles to the next city, 30 seconds before the power came back . This was surprising as this was get out of school/work "rush hour" in the area.

I myself could never knowingly leave without paying (A couple did, but I doubt they were as familiar as me with pumps) or promising to pay. All told that power glitch probably lost them $50 in gas sales and another $30+ in sales from the more impatient people without cash or wanting food. That can really hurt a small business.

[Sparky]

One time, a thousand years ago or so (okay, more like 20 years), before bank cards were as common as they are today, I used to use this stuff called "cash." One Friday, I got paid, took my paycheck to the bank, cashed it, and stuck the envelope down in my purse. Later that evening, I made a run to Wendy's. And as I was leaving the house, I said to myself, "Ah heck, I don't want to bother with my purse, I'll just take my wallet."

Can you see where this is going?

So I pull up to the speaker and order dinner for my family of four, including Frosties, and pull around the corner to the window and ... remember that my money is in my bank envelope. In my purse. At home. I looked in my wallet and found $2. Prices have gone up, but dinner for four was never available at Wendy's for any two bucks.

Got up to the window and shamefacedly admitted my plight. I asked if they could put the stuff under a warmer or something and I'd be back in about half an hour. Clerk looked at manager... they gave me the food. Asked me to pay later. Of course I drove back right after I finished eating to pay.

I wanted to write a letter to the editor or something telling about their wonderful kind service, but I figured that would just be an invitation for them to be swamped by scammers.

[Andara Bledin]

I almost left without paying at a Denny's, recently.

Nekojin & I had spent the day at Disneyland, for the second day in a row, and we were bushed. We stopped to eat as much to perk me up for the drive home as to get some food in our bellies.

So, we finish our meal, get our bill, and start walking out the door. We're about 5 steps outside when I look at the bill in my hand and go "Oops" and walk back in.

When someone got to the front to take the money, and I commented that I almost left without paying, she was frankly shocked, and notably pleased, that we bothered to come back in.

I could never not pay for something. It bothers me. Heck, I once forgot my bus fare, and the driver let me ride without it. He didn't even remember me the next time, but I still paid the fare I owed.

^-.-^

[bean]

Heck, I once forgot my bus fare, and the driver let me ride without it. He didn't even remember me the next time, but I still paid the fare I owed.

^-.-^

Several years ago, a friend and I had purchased day passes on DART's rail service (Dallas Area Rapid Transit). If you purchase a day pass on the rail system, you get unlimited transfers on the buses too, all day (along with unlimited rides on the light rail system). Really a good deal for under $10.

Friend and I were having trouble finding our day passes and had no cash when we got on the bus - the driver just told us "Just sit down in the front, if you find them show them to me before the next stop, if you don't, it's not a big deal, I'll just have to kick you off after a few stops *wink wink*". Thankfully we found them and made it all the way back to the train station, we'd been walking all day after getting off the train and probably walked 8-10 miles from the station.

[Tiberious]

This had happened to me about a week ago.

I'd gone with my father to the local chili parlor (a chain with interesting locations: only around this city, and some in Florida; also the relocated first store), and though I'm not a big chili fan ('boo! hiss!', right?), they had some stuff I'm cool with.

I wasn't quite certain how hungry I was, and the place was fairly empty at the time we were there, so I'd ordered two of their double weiner buns with cheese (think of a coney, minus the chili). Turns out they'd goofed and put three on the plate when it came. We were only charged for two on the bill, and after eating the first two, I realized I'd've ordered the third anyway (and certainly, if I hadn't eaten it, I'd've boxed it and taken it home; I'd been raised right, and hate wasting food), and we asked them to add it to our bill.

Not only that, my father'd realized the root beer syrup was starting to run low, and mentioned to the waitress that they might want to take a look at it soon. the waitress was adamant about taking it off, and she ended up doing so, despite several rounds of 'we're fine with it, it's something that happens, and we don't mind paying for it' followed by 'we'll take it off, don't worry, sorry that it happened, we want you to be happy'.


In the end, we tipped based on the amount we expected to pay, and added in what the uncharged items' prices were... must've shocked her to get $8 on what was billed as a $13 lunch.