To think a discount isn’t embarrassing?

[Queenslotus]

I went out with my friend for lunch today, and as I have meerkat meals (from my v expensive car insurance) we could get our meal 2/4/1 meaning that the price was halved of each of our meals essentially. We went halves on the final bill. All fine.

Well, when I got out the app my friend was mortified saying that it was embarrassing and humiliating. Our bill would’ve only been around 40.00 to be fair, but it ended up being 25! (Drinks not included in deal) So only 12:50 each. We both have good jobs, but I didn’t see the problem in trying to save us some money.

When we got to the car, friend said that discount codes should definitely only be used on things over 100.00?! And it was “mortifying” to see me get out the app for the lady to scan.

So was ibu? I’m not sure?! Friend is acting like she can never go back there again!

She's a snob. My sister works at motorway where they give you card for large discount at Moto. She gets a 60 percent discount but she gets a second card with 40 percent on. Her DH does not want it as not fond of fast food so she gives it to me. My son's in 20's love that card and borrow it when going out with their friends. They regularly save £20 between 4 of them.

Your friend is an idiot!
She whinged about it, but happily only paid half anyway 😏

I’d have been made up! She’s obviously got more money than sense.

Tell your friend that the best way to focus any embarrassment about special offers that you don’t need is to donate any savings to the charity of her choice.
During the ‘eat out to help out’ promotion last year because we didn’t agree with the idea, we donated to UK based poverty charities, giving mainly to our local food banks. We would have eaten out any rate so it felt immoral to get a reduction.

Friend is weird! Never pay full price if you don't have to.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

I didn't know what a 'meerkat meal' was, so I looked up what they eat...

As natural omnivores, a meerkat's natural diet consists mainly of insects, although they'll also happily eat small rodents, fruit, birds, eggs, lizards and scorpions. Meerkats will naturally spend much of their time digging in the sand in pursuit of prey.

Actually I wouldn't pay anything for any of that. 🤮 (Well maybe the eggs if they were poached properly.)
Did you have to dig it up out of the sand too? 😳

if anyone thought that snobbily I wouldn't hang around with because clearly, they would find my poor background 'mortifying' to be associated with.

Rich people use things like that all the time its how they stay rich (some rich people I know are the tightest people you'll ever meet)

Poor people use discounts because well frankly we cant afford to pay extra for no go reason

Only snobby middle class 'keeping up with the jones' people would even stop to think it's 'embarrasing'.

The same way someone once tried to mock me for wearing a charity shop item, backfired on them when everyone in the gathering (their friends included) was shocked they wouldn't lol.

Rich people use things like that all the time its how they stay rich (some rich people I know are the tightest people you'll ever meet)

Yeah, quite. I just came to say the same thing.

Very odd of her. I have no problem with using a discount, but If the service has been decent I leave 10% of the original price rather than the discount price.

Your friend is bonkers!!!

@Fairyliz

I’ve got a friend like this. When I first met her I assumed she came from a fairly ‘posh’ background, only did her shopping at Waitrose, John Lewis etc. I don’t think she has ever been in Aldi and she refused to come into TKMaxx. However the opposite is true she was bought up in a really rough council estate. Having moved away from there she seems terrified that anyone would think that she is poor. Apparently this is quite common the aristocracy wear clothes and pass them down the generations, people on benefits wouldn’t be seen dead in second hand stuff.

I don't know where you get your info but half the people I know are on benefits and we all happily wear secondhand, buy-in charity shops and pass items on to each other.

No one I know would shop in John Lewis or Waitrose... Tesco, Asda and Aldi rein supreme.

Absolutely bizarre. We are financially comfortable but I love a bargain. If we take the kids to pizza express it's nearly always with Tesco vouchers

She's a twat. I hope she has some redeeming features.

My brother’s like this. If a jumper is on sale in one shop, he’ll go to another shop where it’s full price to buy it. Absolutely mad. YANBU, I love a good bargain!

You should point your friend to the Mumsnet Christmas threads and watch her head explode.

I’d love it if you turned up with a discount code but it’s very rare I pay the full rate for things. I’m a discount addict!

A discount is a discount. The restaurant has already set it up with whatever app, nothing shameful in taking advantage of it. I think it shows your friend up to be insecure.

Tell her she can buy both your meals next time!

@ThinWomansBrain

or of course she could have left her £7.50 discount as additional tip for the staff.

I bet that didn't occur to her...

I love discounts, I have Honey set up on my computer so I can scour the internet for codes. If I can save a bit of money I will.

@Queenslotus text her and say if she feels uncomfortable she can donate her saving to a local food bank.

Your friend is the worst type of ignorant snob, worrying about the judgment of an anonymous server, but not caring about upsetting her friend.

Tell her that you prefer to give spare money to worthy causes, not arbitrary restaurants or bars. Hope that shuts her up.

You have meerkat meals thanks to your v expensive car insurance you say OP! Well I have it thanks to deliberately booking 1 days travel insurance for £1.75 for a UK holiday (that didn't exist) for the privilege of half price little desert animal meals. (A top Martin Lewis tip). And I'm not ashamed so I don't think you should be!

Very simple answer to this one.

If your friend is unhappy with the discount and somehow thinks it is morally wrong,

suggest she use the 12.50 to buy food to go in the food bank box at tescos.
www.icrc.org/en/donate/afghanistan#:~:text=DONATE%20TO%20AFGHANISTAN%20A%20regular%20donation%20enables%20us,or%20just%20after%20the%2025th%20of%20subsequent%20months.
Or donate to Afghanistan. 12.5- could potentially buy a lot of food for others.

@Bimblybomeyelash

Very odd of her. I have no problem with using a discount, but If the service has been decent I leave 10% of the original price rather than the discount price.

Agree with this, your tip should be based on the undiscounted price.