Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Free Milkshakes: Ten Cents

You seen the ads for that new Spiderman game at Burger King?

Yeah, me neither.

But they are running some silly game where you get a scratch-off ticket on your fries or drinks or something. And you have to pick from either the red or the black Spiderman. And there might be a prize underneath.

You can't scratch both, or the ticket is void.

At least that's how I think the game is played. It was hard to find the English instructions. And hard to read them because they printed them so small.

Anyway, I went to the new Burger King in Columbus yesterday for supper. I heard they had a wi-fi hotspot, and wanted to check it out. They do. So I ate supper there. And got an order of fries that had a scratch-off ticket. So, I scratched off the red Spiderman. And won a small milkshake.

So, when I was done eating my BK Stacker ... which turned out to be a small bacon double cheeseburger -- I thought they were more than that ... I went and asked for my free small milkshake.

The lady behind the counter took my ticket, looked it over, saw I did indeed win a small milkshake, and rang it up.

$1.40.

Plus 10 cents tax.

Then keyed in the winning ticket.

Which brought the price down to zero.

Plus 10 cents tax.

And she asked for 10 cents.

So, I dug into my pocket, found a dime, and handed it over.

Now, I'm not sure if that's how it's supposed to go. It's certainly the first time I've ever had to pay sales tax on an item I've won.

Maybe I've been lucky my whole life before now.

Or maybe there's a new way of handling free stuff.

Or maybe she keyed it in the wrong order.

Or maybe they key things that way to keep the shopping cart people that hang around the area from finding winning tickets and coming into their new store.

If that's the case, I need to get a better-looking tie.

7 comments:

  1. Actually, Basil I had to do the same thing in Idaho when I got a couple for a free Propel. Tried to make the 7 cent purchase with my debit card (as I carry no cash around) and the bank declined it for suspicion of fraud adn the clear let me go with Albertsons paying for it.

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  2. I think the lady must have made a mistake keying it in...I've never had to pay tax on the items I've won at burger king. Or maybe she's discovered a new way to add to her retirement fund.

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  3. You do have to pay tax for prizes won, but a milkshake?!

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  4. Income tax, sure. But sales tax?

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  5. Certainly, there has to be a place in Columbus to buy a real hamburger.

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  6. Geeze, I hope my kids don't see the commercials. They are wearing spiderman costumes as it is...

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  7. Big White Hat: Yeah, a few. But not with a wifi hotspot.

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