Thursday, March 25, 2010

Is Free Really Free?

This blog doesn't have anything to do with Siberians, but, it is an observation.
I had done outside work yesterday, while it was nice-before yet another rain storm.
I had done trimming, mowed all the paddocks (which took much longer due to the uncooperative mower--that's another story-maybe, along with the normal everyday stuff of taking care of the dogs. The last thing I want to do is cook something for supper.
Then it dawned on me, Sonic has a special-Buy a SuperSonic cheeseburger, get a free order of tater tots. Free.
Now, I don't know about you, but, when I see free, it means to me, I don't pay for it.
Obviously, Sonic thinks otherwise. (I should note, this is the same place I wrote on my Facebook page a few weeks back about the change debacle.)
I go to Sonic, after having put the dogs up, before the rain.
I order a Supersonic cheeseburger, with the order of tots, and a medium root beer.
The burger is $4.19, and the drink is $1.59, which puts the total, tax included, at $6.26, by my math. The girl's voice over the speaker tells me the total is $7.13.
Huh???
So, the girl skates out my order, I look at the ticket, and it has the burger, the tots, and the drink, with a combo discount of .99. I tell the girl, aren't the tots supposed to be free? She asks "Did you ask for the number 2?" I told her what I ordered, and told her, the tots should be free, and my math tells me the total should be $6.26.
She goes in, and I presume discusses it with the manager, and I get the difference back.
So, I guess with Sonic, it all depends on how you order, when it says something is
free.

2 comments:

  1. Similarly, the local Subway used to charge full price for a $5 footlong when you order with chips and a drink. The combo was its own discount that did not account for a $5 sub. They refused to change it. Lesson learned- get the sandwich, then go BACK for the chips and drink. Sounds like the same thing at Sonic. Stupid programmers. (and the cashier didn't know to work around the issue)

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  2. That's the trouble, a customer should not have to make another trip to get the so called special, along with any sides he/she wants. What's the point of running specials, if the store/restaurant can't ring up the purchase with the freebie?

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