On the House!

I had couple of times coffees and kids drinks on the house in Pret A Manger. I don't think I have a secret to share though I just think someone had a good day and we do go there quite often.

I get freebies on the house very often at restaurants, especially those I go to frequently. Freebies engender my loyalty for sure!

My top tips are:

• Choose independent restaurants where the owner is present, not chains. Owners usually want you to come back and generally recognise how to create loyalty with free extras.
• Choose Italian restaurants! They tend to be more generous with the Digestivi
• If you go regularly on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays, when restaurants are less busy, you’ll be especially welcome, and easier to recognise as being a regular. When that happens the freebies start to flow – free coffee, free drinks etc, wine glasses more generously filled, free samples from the chef to taste etc. When it's less busy the staff / chef / owner have much more time to focus on (marketing to) their patrons!
• Get to know and be nice to the chef / waiters / waitresses, ask their name and use it when you go back again, ask how they are etc. It pays off. If they genuinely like you, you’ll get much better service, and freebies are much more likely to be proffered. But in my view the biggest benefit is actually the friendships you create!
• Some waiters and waitresses will give you freebies if they think it’ll result in a bigger better tip. If you want to play that game, and if you do get great service from them, then pay the bill by credit card but also discreetly give them a tip in cash – with a ‘this is for you’. Often your cash tip will go straight into their personal pocket. There’s a trade off here though if you are friendly with both the chef-owner and the waiter/waitress. The owner may not like their staff not sharing or pooling tips. Be careful!

Johnny