I know you are not like me, and don’t think like me – that probably makes you normal doesn’t it?
I definitely watch too many Seinfeld reruns. I have watched them all more times than I can count and more times than old mate can believe.
It’s about people watching and they cover most things, but I reckon they missed a topic — the dreaded gift voucher.
What is it with vouchers at restaurants? You know, someone kindly gives you a voucher for a fine dining gig, not realising the challenges it throws up.
Firstly, it nearly always costs more than the value of the voucher.
Secondly, the dreaded expiry date sneaks up on you like a ship in the night and thirdly, the attitude of staff when you produce a voucher out of your pocket rather than cold hard cash.
It is the last two that really give me the sh***.
Sadly, if you are unlucky enough to let the thing expire, the rigmarole you have to go through to extend it, and the whole attitude thing with the voucher when you pull it out of your pocket.
Now I am generalising here. Some places are great, but others treat you like you are asking them to give you one of their kids when you ask for an extension, while the whole voucher handing-over suddenly changes you from a valued client to some desperate person who found the voucher in the bin.
I used one the other day and it still cost me nearly $200 over the value of the voucher, but the look on the young lady’s face when I pulled the voucher out of my pocket was priceless.
All of a sudden it went from gushy to let’s get the Munsters out of our restaurant before they steal the cutlery.
I would like to remind all those operators who look down on vouchers that someone paid for it. It is cash but it is not my fault if you have already spent it.
Imagine the fun Jerry would have with an expired voucher?
