Seniors?

Found on Facebook today from someone named Steve Herman:

As I was waiting in line behind an older gentleman at Wendy's recently,I heard him ask for his senior discount. The girl at the register apologized and charged him less. When I asked the man what the discount was, he told me that seniors over age 55 ...get 10% off everything on the menu, every day. (But you need to ASK for your discount.)

Being of 'that' age myself, I figured I might as well ask for the discount too. 

This incident prompted me to do some research and I came across a list of restaurants, supermarkets, department stores, travel deals and other types of offers giving various discounts with different age requirements. I was actually surprised to see how many there are and howsome of them start at the young age of 50. This list may not only be useful for you, but for your friends and family too.

Dunkin Donuts gives free coffee to people over 55. If you're paying for a cup every day, you might want to start getting it for FREE.

YOU must ASK for your discount!

RESTAURANTS:
Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)
Arby's: 10% off ( 55 +)
Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)
Bennigan's: discount varies by location (60+)
Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)
Boston Market: 10% off (65+)
Burger King: 10% off (60+)
Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)
Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)
CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)
Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)
Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)
Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter ( 55+)
Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)
Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)
IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)
Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)
KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)
Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)
Long John Silver's: various discounts at locations ( 55+)
McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)
Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)
Shoney's: 10% off
Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)
Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)
Subway: 10% off (60+)
Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)
Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)
TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)
Tea Room Cafe: 10% off ( 50+)
Village Inn: 10% off (60+)
Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)
Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)
Whataburger: 10% off (62+)
White Castle: 10% off (62+) 

RETAIL & APPAREL :
Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)
Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)
Belk's: 15% off first Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)
Big Lots: 30% off
Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)
C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)
Clarks : 10% off (62+)
Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)
Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)
Kohl's: 15% off (60+)Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off
Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions
Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)
The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)
Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)

GROCERY :
Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)
American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)
Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)
DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)
Food Lion: 60% off every Monday (60+)
Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday ( 55 +)
Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)
Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)
Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday ( 50 +)
Publix: 15% off every Wednesday ( 55 +)
Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)
Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 15% off (62+)

TRAVEL :
Airlines:
Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)
American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up (call before booking for discount)
Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations
Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Rail:
Amtrak: 15% off (62+)
Bus:
Greyhound: 15% off (62+)
Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

Car Rental:
Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members
Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)
Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+) Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

Overnight Accommodations:
Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)
Best Western: 40% off (55+)
Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite (55 +)
Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)
Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)
Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)
Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)
Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)
Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)
Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)
Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT ;:
AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)
Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)
Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)
Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)
SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :

AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)
Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)
Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:
Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)
Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)

Now, go out there and claim your discounts - - and remember -- YOU must ASK for discount ---- no ask, no discount.

Everyone knows someone over 50 please pass this on

The time has come, Kansas City

Okay, that does it.

Kansas City, we owe it to ourselves to get at least good service at restaurants.

Don't we?

How long does this have to go on?

How long must we be exposed to people who have no idea how to wait on tables at restaurants yet they have chosen that as their vocation? (Did these people not have mothers?).

I just got back from a restaurant in Westport (it shall go unnamed), had a $10 ticket for stew and a drink yet the waitperson thought they should keep the entire $5 difference between the check and what I gave them to pay for it.

And with restaurants in town, it's always something.

I remember being at a restaurant not that long ago, on the Plaza, of all places, and the waitstaff didn't bring me anything near a bread plate.

And it was supposed to be a good restaurant. A "sophisticated" one.

In this town, it's all pretense.

I'll never forget the first time I flew into San Diego and went to dinner with my parents at a restaurant in that city.

There, in San Diego, they know the waiter or waitress is the face of the restaurant. There, they train them, before they even get near a customer, on not just how to wait on a customer--what a thought, huh?--but on the history of the place as well as what's on the menu.

Revolutionary, eh?

So the time has come, Kansas City.

Someone--someone--needs to open a school for waitstaff in this burg.

We're big enough, as a city. Millions is spent each year on dining out.

We shouldn't have to only go to the extremely expensive restaurants in this town in order to get at least good service with our meals.

It's gone on far too long.

Someone?

Anyone?

Veterans Day, in retrospect

I have to tell you, if you don't have a Veteran in your life and/or you didn't go to an Applebee's restaurant yesterday, you really missed something.

But first, a little background.

At my office this week, a newer colleague--a Vet--asked me Wednesday if I'd care to go with him to lunch Thursday--yesterday, of course--for Veterans Day as they were giving Vets a free meal.  (There really is a free lunch, occasionally, if infrequently).

Naturally, I said yes and we made plans.

So off we went yesterday and I had no expectations for the lunch or experience.  I didn't think much of it.

What a payoff I got.

When we arrived, the place was packed.  It was nearly standing room only.  I had no idea that a) it would be so busy or that b) Applebee's did this annually.  I didn't know any restaurant group did this.

Next, what I noticed was that Applebee's--this one, at least--was really ready for this onslaught.  Everyone was flying--calmly and under terrific control and organization--everywhere.

And check this out--instead of just printing up a sheet that the restaurant would re-use, year after year, without a date on it, Applebee's had a nice big laminated sheet printed up with the specials for the Vets right on it.  That was expensive.  They didn't have to do that, either.

After that I noticed that the camraderie was almost palpable.  Whoever wasn't just quiet and cooperative was ready and willing to chat nearly anyone else up.  It was all "hello" and "how are you?" and "when did you serve" and "where did you serve?" and all that.  It was terrific.  Really fantastic.

My co-worker and I chatted up another senior Vet who said he served from 1947 on and retired with the service after serving all over the US.  He was a really nice, talkative guy.

And the Vets were all ages, too.  Most were Seniors but some were young guys in uniform.

The staff got us to our table, took our order and after a little wait, we had our food.

Was it fantastic food?  No, not really.  But it was good.

And far more than that, it was served to a large and very appreciative crowd.  I'd never witnessed such a full house of good feeling before.  Really, there was nothing like it.

Sure, if you're cynical, you could point out that Applebee's more than made up for whatever they gave away. I recognize that.

But this "giveaway" and all the work it took was a great way to say thank you to all kinds of Vets, nationwide, and a terrific way for them to impart goodwill that would last all year, for me, at least (and I'm not even a Vet), but for a large number of Vets nationwide, who took them up on their offer.

So kudos, Applebee's.  That was/is a terrific idea, a great effort and a really nice thing to do for all the Vets and, who knows?  Maybe all the rest of us US citizens, too.

It warmed my cold heart on a cool, Autumn day.

Links:  http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/298663747131442.bsp
http://www.kbnd.com/page.php?page_id=60247&article_id=3552
www.applebees.com