You got a free gift voucher from someone, which can be a meal coupon of KFC, for BJN group restaurants or it can be a shopping voucher for Coma, Copper's Stop or Adibas, Rebuke etc and now its expiry date is near , you want to encash it asap so you are worried and impatient.
If it’s a pure shopping voucher than it’s no problem, you can visit the respective shop, do some window shopping and then quickly go to the billing area and ask one of them silently if they are accepting. IF they say yes, then its great else you do some more window shopping chill inside their AC facility and go home. You can check in somewhere else in a different store. The more worth the voucher carries the more worried you are but higher chances that you will surely encash it.
Real problem is with gift vouchers of eateries like KFC & BJN or may be Leela group hotels. We used to get BJN group coupons worth 3000RS every year in my previous company. It used to have a six month validity period, during which you can go any BJN group hotel in India. I've used them in Bangalore & Gurgaon both. I always though it’s better to first check with the waiters or billing guys if they are accepting them and be cool. Otherwise if it comes as a surprise once you finish your free meal that coupons are not being accepted, suddenly the taste vanishes away, you hate that label and food and promise to yourself that you will never visit the place or palace again.
You check right away as you enter the restaurant, are they accepting your vouchers. If the answer is NO, they are not accepting or they accept them only in happy hours OR only on weekdays OR not acceptable in this outlet Sir. You feel disgusted, sidelined. And the difficulty is, you just suddenly cannot leave the place like this, leaving BJN, KFC (Leela palace in some cases) or such places without eating feels bad, humiliated , compromised and sometimes insulted. By now you had already decided to eat so much in free, your tongue takes over your mind. You entered with your wife or gf and now you are leaving so quickly, shame, what will he/she think ? So why not just sit here for few god damn minutes, order the least priced item may be just a fruit juice or cold drinks and come out of the place. And while I hate sipping that 250RS/glass colored soda water mixed juice I am thinking, I would have rather bought 4 KG apples than this fugazy thing.
If they say YES, you are relaxed, you feel valued , confident and worthy in your eyes, who doesn’t like free meals with friends. Then this waiter shows you a place for two to sit right near that big flower pot. He brings the menu and then places your order on the table. While eating you think, why did waiter made you sit at this corner, that too near this big flower pot and so close to gate ? I think the AC is not working. Is the quantity very less than regular order ? A trainee cook/chef must have cooked it . Is he treating us differently than those who are shelling their own dough? What was the waiter talking to that other waiter looking towards us ? Was he telling him that we came because we have free vouchers? Oh do I know this person sitting with his family on this next table ? OMG he too is from my office from the “KingNature” building, damn it looks like everyone from our office is here today. These waiters must be laughing at us. And at billing, you are cursing them in your heart when they don’t return the remaining 176 RS*.
*Terms & Conditions: Not exchangeable for Cash. KFFC/BBJN will be responsible for the humiliation and insult while encashing these.
If it’s a pure shopping voucher than it’s no problem, you can visit the respective shop, do some window shopping and then quickly go to the billing area and ask one of them silently if they are accepting. IF they say yes, then its great else you do some more window shopping chill inside their AC facility and go home. You can check in somewhere else in a different store. The more worth the voucher carries the more worried you are but higher chances that you will surely encash it.
Real problem is with gift vouchers of eateries like KFC & BJN or may be Leela group hotels. We used to get BJN group coupons worth 3000RS every year in my previous company. It used to have a six month validity period, during which you can go any BJN group hotel in India. I've used them in Bangalore & Gurgaon both. I always though it’s better to first check with the waiters or billing guys if they are accepting them and be cool. Otherwise if it comes as a surprise once you finish your free meal that coupons are not being accepted, suddenly the taste vanishes away, you hate that label and food and promise to yourself that you will never visit the place or palace again.
You check right away as you enter the restaurant, are they accepting your vouchers. If the answer is NO, they are not accepting or they accept them only in happy hours OR only on weekdays OR not acceptable in this outlet Sir. You feel disgusted, sidelined. And the difficulty is, you just suddenly cannot leave the place like this, leaving BJN, KFC (Leela palace in some cases) or such places without eating feels bad, humiliated , compromised and sometimes insulted. By now you had already decided to eat so much in free, your tongue takes over your mind. You entered with your wife or gf and now you are leaving so quickly, shame, what will he/she think ? So why not just sit here for few god damn minutes, order the least priced item may be just a fruit juice or cold drinks and come out of the place. And while I hate sipping that 250RS/glass colored soda water mixed juice I am thinking, I would have rather bought 4 KG apples than this fugazy thing.
If they say YES, you are relaxed, you feel valued , confident and worthy in your eyes, who doesn’t like free meals with friends. Then this waiter shows you a place for two to sit right near that big flower pot. He brings the menu and then places your order on the table. While eating you think, why did waiter made you sit at this corner, that too near this big flower pot and so close to gate ? I think the AC is not working. Is the quantity very less than regular order ? A trainee cook/chef must have cooked it . Is he treating us differently than those who are shelling their own dough? What was the waiter talking to that other waiter looking towards us ? Was he telling him that we came because we have free vouchers? Oh do I know this person sitting with his family on this next table ? OMG he too is from my office from the “KingNature” building, damn it looks like everyone from our office is here today. These waiters must be laughing at us. And at billing, you are cursing them in your heart when they don’t return the remaining 176 RS*.
*Terms & Conditions: Not exchangeable for Cash. KFFC/BBJN will be responsible for the humiliation and insult while encashing these.
thats awesome. but who doesn't like free vouchers no matter how much the shop guys or restaurant guys curse u. u come back home with a pair of coma shoes and other than ur friends no one will know that those were bought with a free voucher :D.
ReplyDelete@factsandnonsense:Thanks for visiting and adding comments.What you said is absolutely true who knows which mode the bill was paid. e.g. people used to exchange eggs for wheat or coffee in older times..:)Its the same..
ReplyDeletetry calling them over phone or mobile to confirm if they accept coupons before you go there. that way, you don't have to "return" if they say they dont accept the coupons, nor will they know its you if you turn up to eat :-)
ReplyDelete@Jam, thanks for reading it and your comments. Mostly they say no on phone :) if you try to inquire in advance.
ReplyDelete