Do promotions drive your dining choices?

Today is National Doughnut Day. Who knew? Aparently this is a real holiday started in 1938 by the salvation army to celebrate the efforts of ladies who served doughnuts in the Big One (WWI). To honor this important day, Krispy Kreme is giving away a free doughnut... well not just one, but I think one to each visitor who wants one. Probably more in the hopes that somebody who was not already going to come in would come in for the free doughnut and spend actual money on a coffee or some other product.

I also just heard that Groupon, the coupon company, is going to go public and offer up shares of stock in the company. Groupon's deal is just that, they negotiate a daily deal with local businesses and they send out an email to everybody on their contact list and those people can buy the deal for real money. Then I guess they print off something that says "I paid money and got this piece of paper" they then take that to the business that brokered the deal with Groupon and get some rediculous discount on something.

Like a city guide to fucking Boise Idaho

Now, I don't see how Groupon needs to sell stock and become all high and mighty about the "service" they provide. I could do the same thing from my couch... without even the pretense of wearing pants, and you don't see me filing with the SEC.

But that's not the point.

My point is, how well do promotions work on you?

I'm fairly vulnerable to promotions. I'd cite my lack of impulse control, so really if they can just plant the seed in my mind, I'm likely to be hooked and go be a patron of their business.

But what's your story? Do you have Living social, groupon, and Yahoo! Deals' messages sent to your smartphone so you don't miss a minute of being marketed to? Or do you take more of a "I know what I want and I'll do it regardless of some promotion" attitude?

Let's do a little excercise here. Follow me:

Think of your veto items. Heliocentric = mushrooms (standard, magic ones are exempt from my veto), Watchdog = banannas, Lunchczar = 'light on the mayo', Hatertot = drinks without booze...

What kind of promotion would it take to have you willingly get involved in one of your veto items?

What kind of promotion are you having for lunch today?

Also as a note, I'd like to pint out that while we have recycled posting topics frequently in the past, this one speaks of our most recent renewal... since I think that there were no smartphones, groupons, or websites that acknowledged the existance of Baise ID back in the day. We're back baby.

Better Late than Never?

I've been on a slow cooking kick of late. I love it because in my old age, my teeth are falling apart, and the crock pot creations are so soft and easy to chew. The down side is that slow cooking is... well slow. That doesn't work with my ADD. I'm interested in food, and I want it now.

Thinking about this got me to wonder about the service you sometimes recieve at your lunch spots. Time is critical at lunch time. So most places open for the mid-day meal have figured out how to keep the lines moving. With the occasional exception.

Like at fucking Cosi

Sometimes though, at a late lunch, or at a place that's not quite ready for the lunch rush, you have to wait... ane wait... and wait. Until your lunch is ready.

Does that tardiness make it taste better? Or is it that you're so pissed off, all you can taste is your blood rage?

What are your thoughts on the (sometimes) long wait for lunch to be prepared for you?

What will you be waiting for for lunch today?