"Free "Sliders"..."

Yesterday, I moved an e-mail from one of our popular local restaurants from the "spam file" to my "inbox", and then I opened it...

"In appreciation of your repeat business, and to introduce our new menu offering, we have "loaded" your "frequent dining card" with a free, $7.99 value of three "sliders."  You can choose three, buffalo chicken, pulled pork, or Italian meatball sliders.  The lobster sliders will be an up charge of $5.00"

Tonight I stopped by a downtown location of this restaurant chain, and sat at the bar to take advantage of the offer.

"I received a three free sliders on my frequent dining card offering, e-mail yesterday.  Are you honoring the promotion?"..."Let me check with my manager...Yes, we are, but you can only have the beef burger sliders free. There is a $5.00 up charge for the buffalo chicken, pulled pork, or Italian meatball ones, and a $10 charge for the lobster ones!"..."Well then the offer is hardly free!  I guess I'll have the free beef burger ones then."..."What type of cheese would you like?"..."I'll have Swiss."..."There will be an up charge for the cheese!"..."Then, I'll have the plain ones!"

"Sliders" have become popular offerings at many restaurants lately. They are named because like the old White Castle burgers were in the 1960's, they are small enough to slide down your throat, I guess!  They give you a feeling that you are eating less by consuming three smaller sandwiches in this diet consciousness time of our lives..."The whole would be greater than the sum of its parts!"

I noticed a kiosk with the e-mail announcement on the counter, while the gentleman beside me related that he got the same e-mail for his card and wanted to use it too.  As the kiosk showed that the three other sliders are free, and only the lobster ones have the $5.00 up charge, I called the waitress back to read it.  She checked with her manager and said that I was correct.  so I ordered the pulled pork ones.

The pork sliders had a bq sauce and a thin layer of coleslaw and were delicious!  And as I drank water with lemon, the bill came...$0.00 charge!  I thanked the waitress, and left a  tip based on the normal $8.00 cost, and proceeded to leave...

At the exit the two hostesses and the manager, thanked me for the business and hoped that I would return again soon!