Comments on: You Can Bargain At Cosi And Starbucks

By: Grace

Grace — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:26:10 +0000

I don’t believe in skimping the little guy street vendor, but conglomerates like Cosi and Starbucks deserved to be heckled.

By: MariaF

MariaF — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:41:18 +0000

I have to agree with you on the crown fried chicken thing. I also live in bedstuy and the last time I went in there some guy who refuse to get extra cheese on his girlfriends slice of pizza but bought himself a three piece with fries refused to pay $7.50 even though he had a ten in one hand and six bucks in the other.

By: MattD

MattD — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:22:03 +0000

You guys would be completely outclassed by almost any random customer at the Crown Fried Chicken near my apt in Bed Stuy. I think I am the only person who goes there who doesn’t demand (not ask) for a discount every time.

By: Boo

Boo — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:39:57 +0000

To anonymous … Ummmmm, sure. I’m sure you’re somebody who probably undertips as well. Come on, these folks are getting a salary! And they’re getting a family meal a shift. Why do the minimum 15%? Just leave a couple of pennies and never go back.

And your comment about the cart guy versus salaried worker is ludicrous. Aside from all the benefits the salaried worker is getting (sick days, health insurance, etc.), most salaried workers don’t have to get up at 4A, stand in the freezing cold all day long and deal with douchebags who want to bargain 50 cents off of their hot dog. If you really can’t part with the 50 cents for your hot dog, you should be eating your hot dog at home and not giving these guys any more grief and setting examples for other bewildered patrons so that they can give these guys more grief. Go to Western Beef and buy those economy sized hot dogs and buns and stick in the freezer. I’ll bet that you can enjoy one for a hell of a lot less than going to a stand.

By: LC

LC — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:29:38 +0000

@Anonymous: You really think the guys who work the carts have a leg up? Seriously? Let’s just not even go into the net income question. I must’ve missed the posters in the subway advertising the union for cart workers and the insurance plans and benefits they receive.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:17:07 +0000

Love the bleeding heart philanthropists on here. Probably the same dopes agreeing with wealth redistribution via taxation. In our new quasi-capitalist economy you better bargain…even with street food vendors. It’s dog eat d… umm, bad choice of words. The gent with the cart has a leg up on the salaried worker these days anyway – less documented income and more likely to be the beneficiary of any new legislation, especially if an illegal alien with test-tube octuplets. Bargain away lunchers…

By: haw haw

haw haw — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:41:52 +0000

I love bargaining with street vendors. I’m not going to spend $4.50 on a pretzel when I know I can get a better deal other places. I go for the going rate. But I esp. love doing it after a family of 4 or 5 pay full price for everything. The look of shock and awe is the best mustard there is.

By: Boo

Boo — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:44:12 +0000

Oh, in certain situations this screams of bad taste. The Cosi and Starbuck guys? Fine, it’s a corporation and it’s probably not going to hurt them too much unless everybody starts doing it. The vendor at Central Park charging $9 a popsicle? Yes, that’s way overpriced. But to start nickel and diming certain establishments and vendors so you can save a few cents or a buck on something that’s already super cheap to begin with? Sorry, but you’re the one who sounds super cheap.

By: samwich

samwich — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:58:44 +0000

holy cow were the popsicles made out of gold!

By: the skint

the skint — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:40:20 +0000

I always do this at the vendors outside of museums… they definitely inflate their prices.