Free Ketchup!

[Jadedcarguy]

I went to Wendy's for lunch today. As I was going over to the napkin/straw/whatever island, I saw this woman in front of me grabbing big handfuls of ketchup, salt packets, and napkins and stuffing them into her purse. Not ten or twenty packets mind you, but BIG HANDFULS. I'm sure she took about 50-60 at least. I must have been displaying my "you-gotta-be-shittin'-me" face(very similar to my "I-don't-give-a-shit" face I mentioned in another thread, except my eyebrows go higher), because she looked at me and spat "Mind your own business!"

Alrighty then.....I didn't say anything to her before or after my tongue lashing, but damn, woman! Ketchup is cheap. So is salt. Quit rippin' off the late Mr. Thomas!
This is why what was once a $5 value meal is now $6.50. Bitch.




[/rant]

[powerboy]

I hate that crap. They are the same ones who will not understand why the meal has gone up. Yeah I will occasionally take a few more salt/pepper/ketchup packets, but at least I will use them. Most likely she probably tossed them away

[Gawdzillers]

MR. THOMAS IS DEAD?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO(cont)

[Jack7957]

MR. THOMAS IS DEAD?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO(cont)

Yep, in 2002.

[mslisarose]

Been there, done that

From the other side, sorry.

Though, to be fair, the manager caught me and reamed me out for it.

I had just moved to Mpls and had very little money after the move. Managed to get hired and start work at the right time to not get paid for 3 weeks. Every dollar I did have had to go to bus fair to get to the job (way way way too far to walk), so I had to buy the cheapest food possible. I went with eggs. After a week or two hard-boiled eggs are very plain so I went to the McD's in the city center just to steal a few salt packets...

So yeah, half the purpose of the story is to bring up the "other side" perspective, and half is to say there are fast food managers who will say something if they see someone stealing the condiments.

(BTW, first thing I got with my paycheck was a full meal from McD's. I don't think I have ever appreciated or enjoyed a meal as much. The ketchup was just so flavorful and delicious.)

[Becks]

Everyone can have my share of ketchep, mustard, salt, etc.

I'm only picky when I'm at home or a sit-down type restaurant.

[laundryhater]

Hubby used to do this

My hubby used to take many extra ketchup packets when we'd go to fast food places too. Sooo embarrassing!

I'm happy to say that I've broken him of this awful habit. I scolded him and said "We can afford to BUY a bottle of ketchup, that's stealing please don't do it again!"

He hasn't done it again since.

Laundryhater

[GolfCart34]

Our bank has free coffee in the lobby for customers. We also have a few homeless people in the area of the bank. About once a week they come in, grab a cup of coffee, and steal all of the sugar packets that we have out. Today they even waited outside the lobby for over two hours, waiting for it to open, just to grab their coffee and sugar. We've actually had to resort to only putting a few sugar packets out when we see them and hiding the rest in the back since we can't just run out to the store and buy more when we run out.

I mean, I feel bad for the homeless people, I really do, but there are lots of places in that particular area that provide meals and food for the homeless.

[myswtghst]

I can understand taking a few extra. Heck, I know people who use a metric ton of ketchup or hot sauce on their food. But when it extends to literally taking half the stores stock and stuffing your purse, that's a bit tacky. I'll take a few extra packets of Fire Sauce at Taco Bell, so if they forget it with my order in the drive thru, I've already got some, and I'll grab some extra napkins to leave in my car for the next time I spill. What I won't do is steal enough to last for more than an extra meal or two.

[tollbaby]

oh, or the hot chili oil at Wendy's.. You can't get that stuff without asking for it, and my ex LOVES it on his taco salad. So every time I go, I ask for three or four, and they're happy to give it to me. He has a nice little stash at home, and I'm not hogging the condiment bar LOL

[blas]

Was she an old lady?

There's a reason old ladies have such large diaper bag purses. For coupons dating back to the Stone Age, blue eyebrow and eyeliner pencil, and.....

Ready for the shocker?.....

So that when they go out to eat, they can steal all the jellies from the jelly caddy, so they can steal butter packets, so they can steal ketchup and salt packets.....any little type of condiment you can think of.....old ladies are going to steal them and horde them in their purse. Remember Sophia on the Golden Girls?

Two words: Depression Babies

[Jadedcarguy]

Was she an old lady?

There's a reason old ladies have such large diaper bag purses. For coupons dating back to the Stone Age, blue eyebrow and eyeliner pencil, and.....

Ready for the shocker?.....

So that when they go out to eat, they can steal all the jellies from the jelly caddy, so they can steal butter packets, so they can steal ketchup and salt packets.....any little type of condiment you can think of.....old ladies are going to steal them and horde them in their purse. Remember Sophia on the Golden Girls?

Two words: Depression Babies

I wouldn't call her old, but she was older than me(33). Most likely late 40's/early 50's. I know what you mean about depression babies. Still convinced they have to hoarde. Kinda sad.

[blas]

People in that age group are Baby Boomers.......but they do have a tendency to horde as well, because their parents, who are Depression Babies, have been hording since the Depression.

My dad is a Baby Boomer and he hordes and picks shit up off the side of the road. And he is an accounting executive driving a business car wearing a suit. It looks so unprofessional and tacky. He is so damn cheap and it's not like he can't afford to buy his own stuff. But no, he just HAS to horde and go road diving (like dumpster diving, except you search for treasure on the side of the road).

EDIT: My father was born on the tail end of the Baby Boomer generation. Most Baby Boomers are in their late 40s to I think 60 or so.

[XCashier]

I went to Wendy's for lunch today. As I was going over to the napkin/straw/whatever island, I saw this woman in front of me grabbing big handfuls of ketchup, salt packets, and napkins and stuffing them into her purse. Not ten or twenty packets mind you, but BIG HANDFULS. I'm sure she took about 50-60 at least.

Oh, man. We had problems with people like that when I worked at Arby's (here's the post about that). It got to the point where the manager stashed the condiment trays underneath the registers, so the customers would have to ask for condiments, and we'd give them one or two per sandwich. Yes, SC, it's "free" for you, but when everyone swipes our condiments and we have to keep buying more from the distributor, it costs us $$$!!!

[Naaman]

I used to do it, but never by the handful.

Was handy as I used to go to Re-enactment pretty much every other weekend during the summer which meant camping. Having handy little sachets of all your favourite condiments goes a long way to making your cheap, generic "just add water and boil" food edible (well the beer helped as well )