Freebies from shops/businesses

sligojoek · 02-01-2018 3:26am #1

Following on from another thread by someone who bought a snackbox and a cup of coffee in a petrol station and expected a free coffee/top up cos it was xmas and he was a regular customer.

Has anyone experiences of getting something from a shop/business as goodwill.

I'll start the ball rolling.

One good friday I was unexpectedly asked by a friend to a BYOB party at his house. Problem was I only had a bottle of wine and a few cans at home and the bottle of wine belonged to my wife.

I went to the petrol station/off licence and pleaded with the woman behind the counter to sell me a bottle of wine and four cans. Not a hope.

I went to the party anyway and it was no problem as there was plenty of booze there.

When I got home my wife said J????? from the shop left in a box for you. It contained a bottle of wine eight cans. I went in the nexxt day to pay him and he said "You're grand".

I've been going back there ever since.

Snotty · 02-01-2018 3:39am

My Barber gives me a free haircut at Christmas and in my old work, I used to give my regular customers a freebie in the week of Christmas.
It's good business, usually Christmas is very business so you aren't actually down money including the freebies, but it does gaurenttee continued custom in the new year.

JohnCleary · 02-01-2018 9:25am

I always give my clients either a free consultation or knock an hours Labour off an invoice for Christmas.

That is, my regular clients whom most I have a contract with.

This year I sent a bundle of OneForAll vouchers (tax deductible) and some hampers to my biggest client to raffle off among staff

razorblunt · 02-01-2018 11:01am

I was in Dunnes over Xmas.
Picked up the last few pieces on the 23rd for the dinner on 25th.
I've not been in there in years (live in the UK) but the woman on the checkout asked if I had any vouchers when the total came through. "I don't' says I, 'don't even have a card anymore now I'm away".
"No worries, you can use one of these" and she scans a voucher someone handed in.
Now I know it was more of the kindness of the customer who left it, but I thought it was decent they openly allowed that.
Saved a tenner in the end.

Left my own "Spend over €50, get €10 off" voucher with her then too to pay it back.

Bob Harris · 02-01-2018 11:11am

I put €50.01 of diesel in the car once. Let me off with €50.

topper75 · 02-01-2018 11:13am

sligojoek wrote: »

I've been going back there ever since.

And that is what it is all about.

A place I eat in once a week gave me complimentary meal before Christmas. That buys them a whole year of business back from me in 2018. I ain't going elsewhere. Well spent on their part.

_Brian · 02-01-2018 11:24am

Looong time ago my car broke down 2am on way home from night out.

Local garage owner was passing and stopped. He spent 20 minutes trying to get it going. When he couldn’t he drove me 10 miles out of his way to drop me home.

He’s a really stand up decent bloke and I’ve used his services ever since, that was 25 years ago.

biko · 02-01-2018 11:35am

Just free Xmas pints in my regular haunts, it's very nice of them.

the beer revolu · 02-01-2018 12:03pm

sugarman wrote: »

One absolutely sound bus driver often doesn't charge me anything for going up a few stops when I encounter him. Hes always in great form with everyone, having a laugh and a good chat. They're not all gruppy aul gits!

It's easy to be generous with someone else's money!

Mint Sauce · 02-01-2018 12:12pm

Its nice for local business' to reward their regular customers, but asking for it, is a bit cheeky, and not surprising if it results in a no.

A once local Centra, also in Sligo, gave me a free Breakfast Roll, at Christmas, totally unexpectedly, as a loyal customer. At the time, I used to go in at least once a day, even if it was just for the paper. At the time, also went to the Deli Counter, probably 2-3 times a week, for said roll, or other breakfast/lunch items.

Local Bar, also put up a free pint or two, a couple times a year.

Would only ever ask for discount my self, if I was spending a few hundred plus, either as a price match, or if was buying a few item, ie, electronics, furniture, etc.

James Bond Junior · 02-01-2018 1:15pm

I go to my local once a week with a pal for minimum 3 or 4 pints nearly every week and the odd time with herself. Christmas comes around and there isn't a sniff of a Christmas pint. I would consider myself a regular, I know the owner and barmen by first name. Really grinds my gears, any pub I ever worked in we were always under strict instruction to make sure every customer got at least 2 drinks at Christmas.

LirW · 02-01-2018 1:16pm

When we renovated our house recently, I had to drive around a lot for bits and bobs. I live in the backar5e of nowhere, but there is a decent enough builder supplier in the next village and they have been beyond amazing. They always knocked a few quid off, in the end instead of selling me a padlock for 4.50 they sold it to me for 4. Also bulky stuff they delivered to my house for free.
Nice bunch of lads there.

whoopsadoodles · 02-01-2018 1:26pm

Posted recently on another thread about a beauty salon I use. I was delayed by 10 minutes for an appointment and while in having my treatment the owner came in and apologised (for the 10th tjme) and put a voucher in my pocket for another free treatment.

Same place gave me a discount when three of us went in to have a few bits done for my sister's wedding and gave my daughter the bottle of nail varnish she got her nails done with.

Same place yet again only recently were getting abuse of some customers who they weren't able to give appointments to because they were fully booked with cancellation lists and the rest. There were people actually shouting at these girls over fake tan :rolleyes: so I sent in a small gift with a card saying they've plenty of good customers so don't let the crap ones get them down. The next time I was given a discount card

Needless to say I don't go anywhere else.

I once had someone drive into the back of me, no damage done....or so I thought until i couldnt close my boot. Brought it to a panel beater I'd used before and told him what happened. He fixed it and wouldn't charge me for it

Brought another car into a garage on way for NCT as I got a lightbulb warning on the dash but couldn't find what bulb was gone. Guy in garage spent ages looking for the bulb which turned out to be the licence plate

replaced it and wished me luck in NCT. Wouldn't take any money.

There's loads similar ones but I'd be here all day!

antodeco · 02-01-2018 1:29pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

It's easy to be generous with someone else's money!

Sure he's going that way anyway!

whoopsadoodles · 02-01-2018 1:29pm

Actually. The biggest one of all and should have been top of my list was when my kids died the funeral directors only passed on the cost of the coffins but all of their services they provided free of charge. The florist wouldn't charge us for flowers either.

piplip87 · 02-01-2018 1:36pm

Place me and the OH eat in regularly threw up a free meal last week for Christmas. It was very nice of them as it was the evening menu and we normally just pop in for lunch.

We used to have a coalman who would throw and extra bag of coal and bale of briquettes at Christmas.

Was out on the town a few nights over Christmas and noticed that the pubs that do well all year are the ones who put up a few pints at Christmas. The only pub that didn't is the one not doing well

January · 02-01-2018 1:43pm

The Chinese takeaway we have lunch in sometimes only charged us 10 euro for 2 adults and 4 kids the week before Christmas. We rang them on Christmas eve and the owner answered and knew who I was so she gave us the meal for half price.

They're really nice.

whoopsadoodles · 02-01-2018 2:57pm

The restaurant/bar I was in yesterday have really good service and we left a fairly hefty tip when we closed off the food bill and they came back to check it was right. They gave us free shots of the local liquer and cocktails as a result. My head wasn't grateful this morning!!

muddypaws · 02-01-2018 3:09pm

whoopsadoodles wrote: »

Actually. The biggest one of all and should have been top of my list was when my kids died the funeral directors only passed on the cost of the coffins but all of their services they provided free of charge. The florist wouldn't charge us for flowers either.

When my son died in the UK, the crematorium didn't charge me a penny, there's never a charge for children apparently, he was 20 but they said he was near enough to being a child. I really appreciated it and think not charging for children is such a lovely thing to do at such a tough time.

Other end of the emotional scale, I've done courier work for the last couple of years in the lead up to Christmas, and would use 5 local shops for parcel collection and drop off so would buy a coffee in a couple of them each day. One shop wouldn't charge me, I would go to the counter with my money each time but they wouldn't take it. Last year, the first time that I went in there, I asked if they did sandwiches, they didn't, but offered to make me one if I wanted, I got the impression they would take a pan off the shelf, ham out of the fridge etc and not charge me. The shop is fairly local to me, but not one that I would use regularly. I do now.

Freebies from shops/businesses

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