It's Not Just Indians Who Love Free Stuff
An X user named Arvind recently shared a photo of a “Tasting Policy” sign at a Frozen Fun in New Delhi. Frozen Fun is an ice cream chain that offers gelatos and sorbets in about two dozen flavors. Customers used to be able to sample unlimited flavors before making their choice, but that got out of hand, apparently.
Here’s what the sign says: “Our policy allowed customers to try any flavor until they found their favorite. However, we noticed that many people were taking advantage of this generosity. There have been numerous instances where individuals and groups of friends requested to sample 5 to 10 flavors and then left without ordering anything. No business can sustain such costs. Therefore we are now offering two sample tastings per client. We hope you sympathize with and understand our perspective.”
Two samples only? What if you’re having trouble deciding among three flavors?
Customer: “May I please have a sample of salted butter caramel, crunch coffee and vanilla Madagascar?”
Employee (pointing at sign): “Sorry, only two samples per customer.”
Customer: “Well, good thing I brought my dog Fifi with me.”
Employee: “Your dog does not get samples. Cute dog though.”
Customer: “Will you sell a gelato to Fifi?”
Employee: “Yes, of course.”
Customer: “So you’re willing to let Fifi be a customer, but denying her the opportunity to make an informed choice? She has to make a random guess, all because she was born with a tail.”
Employee: “It has nothing to do with her tail. If we allow your dog to have samples, people will be bringing their cats, rabbits, goats, pigs and parrots. They’re already bringing their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, and cousins. Just a few days ago, this huge family — about 25 people — was walking past our store, saw our sign and said, ‘Let’s go taste some flavors.’ And just like that, we were down to three flavors.”
Arvind’s photo of the Frozen Fun sign was also shared on the Reddit group “IndiaSpeaks” under the title “Every time there's something nice, we find a way to spoil it.”
The title implies that Indians like to take advantage of free stuff, and one Reddit user was quick to share an example from his workplace in the United States. He works at a company that would stock the breakroom with snacks and drinks for employees to enjoy while working. Some of his fellow Indian co-workers would take the free stuff home, filling their bags and emptying the shelves. When he asked them why they did this, the typical response would be: “Bro, it’s kept for us wonly, bro.”
While you may occasionally hear stories about Indians stocking their kitchens with free stuff from restaurants and other places, including condiments, napkins and other items, it’s important to realize that this is just a stereotype. Many people of Indian origin do not take advantage of free stuff. For example, whenever I order fries at McDonald’s or other fast food places, I limit myself to 10 ketchup packets.
Trust me, it’s not just Indians who take advantage of free stuff — it’s Pakistanis and Bangladeshis too.
No, it’s also people in other parts of the world — and not just the ones who emigrated from India.
If you think over-indulging in free stuff has anything to do with one’s ethnicity or country of origin, you haven’t been to Costco.
The membership-only warehouse store, which has more than 900 locations worldwide, is renowned for the free and often generous food samples that manufacturers provide. Just go to a Costco and you’ll find people of all backgrounds crisscrossing the store to help themselves to all the tasty morsels, some going several times to the same sample station.
Customer: “May I have a pierogi for my girlfriend too? She’s in the produce section.”
Sample person: “Of course. And how did your wife like the one you took 10 minutes ago?”
Customer: “My wife? Oh yeah, my wife. She loved it. That’s why I’m getting one for my girlfriend too.”
Sample person: “That’s very chivalrous of you.”
Customer: “Thank you.”