What was your last "free" food or beverage?
Free is always good :) Today, I walked into a local coffee shop for my usual daily brew. Upon entering, the barista recognizes me, knows & pours me my drink, then smiles & says "It's on us today"! Free & caffeinated, too---totally perked up my day! What was your latest free food offering? Was it an extra---like dessert or appetizer at a restaurant or maybe say an unexpected free vending machine snax? What was your reaction?
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
22 Comments:
The last free food I got was actually from a customer of mine (I work at a chocolate shop) and there was a cheese shop that recently opened down the road...well - this customer came back to the chocolate shop and gave me this fabulous piece of toasted bread with melted cheese, toasted pine nuts and prosciutto - it was melty and gooey and crunchy at the same time and just really hit the spot. And best of all it was free! Hey - it must be good karma.
lizrana at 10:29PM on 10/18/07
I went out for brunch with a couple of friends about a month ago. We were at a very nice restaurant on Newbury St. in Boston. I ordered french toast and a mimosa, one friend ordered an omelette and a bloody Mary, and the other friend ordered pizza (she was not in a breakfast mood). Our waiter was horrible. He barely paid attention to us as he took our order, he forgot to bring us things, and he even referred to one of my friends as "babe." Toward the end of our meal, my friend went to talk to the manager. She explained the situation nicely, and he said he would come out and talk to us and that he'd never received complaints like that about this particular waiter before. Well, he came out with the check, placed it on the table, and said, "Ladies, brunch is on us today. We're very sorry, and we hope you'll come back." We thought maybe one meal might have been taken off but not all three. I was incredibly impressed with how much the manager cared about his customers, and I enjoyed my free brunch. I also plan to go back now because the food was very good, the atmosphere was wonderful, and I refuse to let one waiter ruin the place for me!
Megs915 at 11:11PM on 10/18/07
I don't know that it was the most recent freebie I got, but one evening I was in my favorite restaurant, a place where I'm a regular and on good terms with everyone. I'd only had about three bites of my entree when a migraine came crashing down on me. I caught my favorite waiter's eye, explained the situation and asked for a box. He not only hurried to get it and my check, but offered me something for my head, AND comped my glass of wine as well.
thepictsie at 3:27AM on 10/19/07
at uni i went to get a can of coke from the vending machine, and when i pressed the button a whole pile of cans just flew out! The vending machine mechanic person let me keep the cans :D
And when mars bars were doing the 'win a free bar' promotion I managed to get 12 in a row.
choc_puddin at 6:29AM on 10/19/07
Just yesterday it was the 10th anniversary of the Chelsea Market in Manhattan. I wandered in there, not knowing of the festivities, and the abundance of free food was overwhelming. Bread, gelato, soup, salads, brownies, cookies and more, all for the asking. Quite a pleasant surprise!!
Mich23 at 6:54AM on 10/19/07
When my coworker and I were working (in our chocolate shop), we got the sudden craving for a soft pretzel and started talking about it. A couple overheard us talking about the pretzels and, while buying their candy, asked where we would get a pretzel if we could leave the store (we couldn't leave). About 10 minutes later they came back with pretzels for both of us from our favorite place! That totally made our night.
pbisNOTmyname at 8:39AM on 10/19/07
We have a local bar that we frequent. It's a bit Cheers-like in it's familarity. We were there last night and, as usual, our last drink of the eve was on the house. I can't say we're surprised when it happens, but it's definitely nice that they appreciate their regular customers.
eatnutmeg at 9:21AM on 10/19/07
Earlier this month, Bomber's Burrito Bar in Albany was celebrating their 10th anniversary by giving out free burritos all day. I went with my co workers and had an awesome lunch.
Kerosena at 9:26AM on 10/19/07
At an airport bookstore, I was recently given two Soyjoy bars with the purchase of a book. I haven't dared open them yet, they don't look too appetizing!
Library Lady at 9:38AM on 10/19/07
I offer FREE Italian food tasting night for work (do not get excited: tasting are held in London, UK ;-D) and I actually have problem to find people coming!
And now I see that people is actually willing to have free food (because you should be a fool not to accept it, you know!)...
Sounds like the States are SO different from England...
Yet, you ussualy find free sample on Uk food magazines... Actually, last week I made a cake with two Lindt chocolate sample I found in magazines! :-)
Sara - Piperita at 10:21AM on 10/19/07
Library Lady - I was given the Soyjoy bars at Penn Station. Stay away! They are very disgusting. Kinda smell like dog food and as my friend put it, taste like a very bad fruit cake.
ceforrester at 11:12AM on 10/19/07
this morning. the company i now work for provides bagels and pastries every friday morning, so i started today with a toasted bagel and hummus. i also snagged a pumpkin muffin for later.
i'm all about free food.
french tart at 11:29AM on 10/19/07
My wife and I went to dinner at a supper-club sort of establishment known for its excellent cocktails. The French 75 she ordered was disappointing so we asked the waiter for something different. The replacement (a house special spin on a cosmo, but not as sweet) was lovely, as was the rest of our meal. When he brought the check he said "Your desserts are on me tonight." Completely unnecessary and may have had nothing to do with the cocktail bit but it was the only reason we could think of. Definitely a pleasant surprise given that we had been entirely pleased the whole evening (one cannot expect cocktail perfection at all times and, as usual, the aplomb with which the waiter handled it negated any possible disappointment).
ccbweb at 11:54AM on 10/19/07
I don't know if this counts because it was a sample. However, recently I sampled some prosciutto that was amazing so I had more. Before this sampling I didn't think I liked prosciutto because the prosciutto I'd had before was tougher and too salty. This was soft and practically melted in my mouth. I guess that if I ever had a need for prosciutto I'd buy it there.
Non-sample free food is better, but free is free!
(Except when you're at a business meeting and it's free sandwiches. Those are usually bad.)
CanadianFoodieGirl at 12:24PM on 10/19/07
A diet pepsi on a flight back from New York.
susanl at 2:28PM on 10/19/07
Free things definitely brighten my days too. Hmm...well, last night a friend of mine bought me a drink! But in terms of free store give-a-ways, probably just select grocery store food samples like at CostCo...I live for those!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 5:23PM on 10/19/07
The coolest free food I had recently was at a "mens sale" at Marshall Fields (now Macy's) department store. They had free bottled beer, margaritas, and all kinds of food - mini chili dogs, tandoori chicken, ceviche, brownies. It was fun! and the food wasn't bad.
Chau at 5:51PM on 10/19/07
people are constantly handing out free energy drinks on my college campus...
alison2 at 6:32PM on 10/19/07
In my science of food lab the other day, we sampled 14 different types of cheeses and made several egg and dairy themed dishes (deviled eggs, angel food cake, cheese souffle, waldorf salad, creme caramel, southern spoon bread, and chocolate custard). Of course the free food came with a price...having to endure a two hour lecture about the science behind these dishes following our feast!
and like alison2 said, there's always people pushing energy bar/drink samples on my college campus too.
Ash at 11:25PM on 10/19/07
wednesday at the greenmarket i got into a conversation with a man selling apples and quinces and he gave me a russet apple to try. i ate it as i shopped and it was so delicious that i went back to tell him how much i liked it, so he gave me another! then i went to my favorite produce stand and the woman who works there gave me two teeny little watermelons as a gift.
by the way, i bought a quince out of curiousity, and used it to make a soup with carrots. it was fabulous.
cybercita at 12:05AM on 10/20/07
Smirnoff!
stumbler02 at 2:12PM on 10/20/07
my eggs and grits were comped the other week at brunch because i found a piece of twine in the grits. prior to that i went to a sake tasting thrown by jfc and they handed out really nice gift bags filled with lots of snacks and samples - shrimp chips, miso, soy milk, etc...
youthlarge at 5:38PM on 10/25/07