Discussions

A note to local restaurants. If I happen to forget my mask at home, and then notice that you charge $1.59 for a mask. You WILL lose a customer, and I doubt that I'll be the only one. I try to keep masks in my car. Today I didn't have one and was stunned by the price they wanted to charge for 1 single-use mask.

Sooo you forgot your mask, put other customers and the employees at risk. Then come and complain? Sound like the type of customer they don’t want to have anyways. Good on them for keeping everyone safe, and good riddance to you (:

Lol. $1.59? Wow.. if you can afford to eat out, you can afford a mask. Next time stay home and save your $$,

Good for the restaurant to be proactive and have masks available at a low low price of $1.59. Sounds like a place I would like to go.

Great work to that local business for being able to provide masks to customers that still want to support them during this absolutely horrible time we're living in. I think more of us should be as good to each other as that business is to our community. I think they would gladly lose the Original posters business.

I eat out every day. As a single person, I find it cheaper than cooking every day. I find you either have to eat the same thing every day or cook for multiple people to make it worth it. As long as there are restaurants that treat me well, I don't need to darken the doors of those that start Nickle and diming.

I do support the restaurants in my community. I eat out daily. There are good restaurants out there that supply complimentary masks. I appreciate that. Most of the time I bring my own. I would not say much if they charged at cost, but $1.59 is not at cost. Everyone has had a cash flow adjustment in this pandemic, and I will be supporting the businesses that recognize we are all struggling, and are not too quick to take advantage.  
 
Edited by rum, 2020-08-27 21:37:20

Here's how I'm choosing to explain this to you, When you buy a burger, you're charged for the product you've purchased based on fair market value and mark up that dictates the business can remain profitable while still keeping the lights on, pay the staff that served you and made the food. If this is a multi million dollar chain then I could see a certain level of frustration in being charged under 2 dollars, less then a cup of coffee for a mask. That said if this is a smaller local business that has provided you a mask because you forgot (YOU FORGOT) being the key in this sentence then you should probably just be glad they served you at all. Now I don't run a restaurant I don't know the financial implications that they have during these times, but if I did and you came in without a mask because YOU FORGOT, I probably would have asked you leave. You can call it nickle and diming, but I inherently think you're in the wrong in this situation.

They didn't serve me (I turned around as soon as I heard the quote). Another establishment got my business. Yes, I do call it nickel and diming. Yes, it was a franchise. I am sure I am not the only one that is offended by this practice. For whatever it is worth, if I notice that type of practice, my support will be shifted to more worthy businesses.  
 
Edited by rum, 2020-08-27 22:04:46

Eating out daily is not cheaper than eating at home, and im assuming your eating out one meal per day.  
 
Edited by Iceman69, 2020-08-27 22:08:56

More worthy business? you mean one that doesn't have the option of supplying you a mask for a reasonable price. Do you have a problem paying for the box or paper bag your food comes in? its 1.59, look if there's a bunch of people that have issue with having to pay for a mask when they've forgotten on then I'd certainly love to see them come out of the woodwork. This business offered you the option of getting a mask for dirt cheap. all things considered and you chose not give them your business.  
 
I'm guessing you've had one of those days where you were looking for a conflict so I'll leave you with something to consider. This business cares enough about our city and our community to have the option to sell you a mask and still serve you. You eat out every day I'd assume that means you're at least in a position to be able to afford it, not everyone has that luxury, not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford a mask off Amazon or what ever other website you can get a reusable mask from, people are hard off right now so I assume some people will JUMP at the opportunity to get a mask for 1.59. Instead of picking a fight on the internet with complete strangers pay it forward and help, don't lash out at business for providing away to keep all of us safe when so many people are suffering it just makes you look like a jerk.

.....we have some to give to the customers if they forgot one. They are the one time use......that's great but then you get people that want 2 or 3 masks to put in their purse so they don't have to purchase their own masks....I would only let said customers only take one.....

Why are people jumping on this guy's case. It sounds like he just really forgot to bring a mask. Mandatory masks have only been going on for a few days, geez give people a chance to get used to having to wear it on a regular basis in public places. People for the past few months didn't wear masks and had delivery or pick up orders at some places that weren't curbside...now all of a sudden he's putting everyones lives in danger....gee that didn't matter before when most people weren't wearing masks when the virus was peaking, only social distancing mattered and washing hands. When we stood in lineups and even though 6ft apart when you moved up to the next standing point you are inhaling whaever just exhaled before you....we did that for how many months? Yet our numbers were low. Yes sadly there is a spread of the virus hitting our town in a bad way and hopefully it will stop and we can get to no new cases as before. Didn't he say he had masks and he just forgot? Don't you forget the odd time your keys or something in the car etc? Give people a chance to get used to carrying a mask on them or in their pocket or around their neck if have to. He has a differnt view on paying for a mask, but geez if he really did just forget this time, lets stop stoning people. He will go elsewhere or make sure he has a mask next time. Being safe and doing our part is very very important, but sh*t stop being so quick to judge and criticize. We all make mistakes. Yes if he does eat out alot then he could pay for a mask, and restraunts are kind to offer them, don't know if all restraunts offer them. I got a reusable at dollarama (and I have a hell of a time breathing under it, but I'm trying in my own way even though I am medically exempt, but in all honesty I am abit scared of getting verbally attacked in public or worse, and I am in no health conditon to defend myself physically,so I struggle to breathe under it to avoid this nasty mentality some people have) and aparently the mall stores have masks which is very kind, whether you are charged for one or not I don't know but a very kind thing for them or any place to offer.  
 
Edited by cheeseburgermonster, 2020-08-27 23:03:44

It's your hill to die on.  
 
As a service to you, they're selling you a single mask for $1.59. Like any single item sold in that manner, it's going to cost more per unit than buying a box of them. It's like when I take my toddler to a pool and forgot the swim diaper, and one can be bought at the pool for $2, when they only cost about 75 cents each if I bought a package. Public Health orders says you have to wear a mask, just like Public Health orders say my not-potty-trained toddler has to wear to swim diaper.  
 
It's up to you if you want to pay it or not. Ultimately, you're paying for the convenience. You could have just as easily turned around, went home and got your mask. Brandon isn't that big.  
 
And I agree with Iceman. There's no way it's cheaper eating out daily. The variety might be an issue, granted, but there's ways around that. Cooking is a skill like any other, and it takes time to cultivate. Some people are not interested in that, and that's fine. But don't use the "saving money" excuse to justify it, because it's easily demonstrably untrue.

That's good of you to do that, and ya don't let people abuse your kindness. Places who do offer masks don't have to. There are plenty of places to buy them even if its someone from this site who makes home made ones or you wear a neckwarmer over your face. Sadly there are people who will take advantage if they can...

I think everyone is "jumping on this guy's case" because he admits he forgot his mask, the business offers to sell him one at a reasonable price, he refuses to pay it on the sheer financial principal of it when he says he eats out daily, and then comes on ebrandon to complain about it.

I would definitely support your business. Forgetting a mask and collecting them are two different things. I appreciate establishments that you can see value their clients. Stay safe.

Where are you eating out at? Because I can't think of a single restaurant in town where food is cheaper than if you were to make the same meals at home. Restaurants shouldn't ever be cheaper as you're paying for a lot more than just the food when you order a meal at them.  
 
Honestly, I'd be grateful that they even offer a mask. When going to eat out anywhere, I expect everything to cost more than it would if I instead opted to buy my food at a grocery store and prepared it at home.  
 
Not quite sure why you're upset, but my main advice to you is that if it bothers you so much maybe permanently leave an entire box of masks in your car so that you can avoid having to pay for one at a restaurant again.

an example of polite constructive criticism (I think I spelled that wrong? lol)

Same establishment tonight I’m assuming. They too were selling masks at the door. We had ours but the people walking in behind us didn’t and they purchased them on the spot. I don’t think it’s unreasonable.

can you tell someone else whats the better price point for them lololol you have no idea what they are eating let alone how many times or where. good grief, thats like saying someones feelings werent hurt..you have no way of knowing that , youre not them

I work in the hospitality industry and if I wear a mask to protect uou and me, then you can do the same..

out to eat a meal at a restaurant lately but I want to say a couple of things. First of all I can't believe how tacky the restaurant was to offer to sell you a mask!  
I have been to a few businesses since the mandating of masks and they provide a mask at the door if you happen to forget yours at home. I like that, it shows that the business cares about you as a customer.  
 
Just curious about the payment of the mask at this restaurant, were you supposed to pay straight away? Or would they have out the charge on your bill?  
 
Yes we are all supposed to wear masks, I have three re-usable ones but I hope that if i do stand in a line-up and don't have a mask on me that the business would be kind enough to GIVE me one!  
 
Sorry OP that posters gave you such a hard time about your view on restaurants

Considering that just driving to a restaurant may well cost more than that mask, I find it hard to understand the complaint. Even needing 4 costs a mere $6.36. That is hardly the cost of 2 beers!  
 
Restaurants are already running close to the line with the limited capacity for daily turnover and the costs of COVID remediation. Paying less them a coffee for a mask that you can reuse isn't asking too much.