We all know the phrase...although it is not used to much anymore in the original context. Back in the day (before combo meals) everyone ordered their items separately. Fries were an after thought, not an assumed accompaniment. So, to bolster their profits, the fast food restaurants started to "pad" their sales...
Waiters and Waitresses are taught how to do it. Add an appetizer, some specialty drinks and a dessert and you have raised the total bill from $27 to $40.
Clothing stores were the next (that I noticed) to do it. How about some socks... or a scarf... earrings are buy two get one free.
Always, right at checkout...anything to squeeze that last dollar out of you.
Sometimes it feels natural for someone to offer something on top of what you were already going to get. Other times it feels forced and false. Which either makes me annoyed or just plain sad for the hour wager that is forced to be the mouthpiece for an anonymous corporation.
But today.... today's incident takes the cake. I was at the post office buying some stamps. That's all, just some stamps. When I walked up to the teller I asked her what designs she had for the new price stamp, then I picked a few out for the next couple months. She was just about to ring me up when she turned to me and asked " Would you like a bear or a key chain with your purchase today?"
"What?" I almost didn't believe what I was hearing. "A bear or key chain." she repeated herself and gestured to a display board with ... you guessed it... stuffed bears (kinda like Beanie Babies) and some key chains. "No thanks... just the stamps please." I was so caught off guard that it didn't occur to me to be anything other than baffled."
I got back in the car and told Mason what happened. He laughed and said" I guess they were out of their Commemorative Thursday Post Office Visit lapel pins? Damm!" "Next time get the bear!" :-)
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