TGIF Complaint - Too Much Money - The Bill

Posted by *Brenda* on 2010-01-07:

sooo don't go there anymore. BTW unless you have unlimited funds, you're on a limited income so I'm not sure why people use that excuse.

Posted by Tennboy1981 on 2010-01-07:

Coffee should not have cost you extra. You should have gotten free refills for coffee at TGIF as far as I know. Ive been to TGIF a few times. They show the prices for their food on the menu, so you should have known what the prices were going to be. As far as your broccoli, you should have asked them to cook it better, or asked for another side. If cole slaw was extra, then it must not have been included on your entree so of course its going to cost extra.

Posted by littleyaya on 2010-01-07:

Maybe they don't combine discounts with gift cards or gift certificates. And not all restaurants include free bread with the meal

Posted by Eloise on 2010-01-07:

Why wouldn't they charge for coffee? Isn't it a beverage? If you wanted water or butter for your broccoli why didn't you ask for it? The waitress can't read your mind. As for the lack of a 'senior discount' did you ask if there was one? Better to ask then to assume. Just because you are old and cranky doesn't mean you deserve a discount.

Posted by Eloise on 2010-01-07:

BTW, TGIF doesn't offer free bread! Neither does Applebees for that matter.

Posted by littleyaya on 2010-01-07:

Chain restaurants also don't offer free coffee. Some may have free refills, some don't. It should say that on the menu

Posted by Nohandle on 2010-01-07:

It's a shame you had a bad experience but surely you were presented with a menu before you ordered. It should clearly state the price for every item plus the cost of drinks if extra. No matter your income or the fact you're retired has bearing on this. You received a meal for $10.00, good or bad. Thank the giver of the gift certificate and don't go back.

Posted by PepperElf on 2010-01-07:

Most restaurants have a Senior Menu of reduced portions and reduced prices

And technically you only had to pay 10 for the food, plus tip.

Posted by LadyScot on 2010-01-07:

Pepper, probably didn't leave a tip.

And if the waitresses were nowhere to be found, how were they standing doing nothing? And if they were doing nothing, they were probably doing exactly what they were supposed to at the time: allowing their customers to eat until needed.

Being old is not a disease that gives you special treatment. It is an aging process that everyone goes through if they are lucky. Discounts are a luxury, NOT a right.

Posted by PepperElf on 2010-01-07:

well i'll give them the benefit of the doubt

my own parents are on fixed income and are senior citizens but they always tip

Posted by spiderman2 on 2010-01-07:

Wow, the last time we went there, my family ate for $40 and that included an appetizer sampler, two adult meals and two kids meals. I thought we got out of there pretty cheap. The food isn't the best there, but you get what you pay for. Also, Fridays doesn't have a seniors menu, but they have a section called Right Portion, Right Price, which has smaller portions and reduced prices.

Posted by Ponie on 2010-01-07:

Brenda, you brought up one of my BIGGEST pet peeves! 'BTW unless you have unlimited funds, you're on a limited income so I'm not sure why people use that excuse.'

Most retired seniors throw this expression round hoping to get sympathy. Well, it's in the dictionary under "S." If they consider their social security checks as 'limited income,' they get a raise each year. This year is the fist in ages that no increase was given. How many individuals in the private sector are guranteed a raise the first of each year?
I suggest this 'poor retiree' read the menu in the future to find out what is or is not included with a particular listing.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-07:

Well Cablevision told me there is a senior discount but only if teh senior takes teh barest package with only basic few channels. That is not a senior discount, then. That is a poor person who is a senior also discount.

Posted by Ytropious on 2010-01-07:

So you were given a gift to go to TGIF, and you went. The decor (crazy crap on the walls) is their signature thing, it's unfortunate you found it unappealing, but your in the minority. There are more places that DON'T offer a senior discount then places that do, so why assume? Why not ask? Coffee is almost never free unless it's a diner. Also, as pepper pointed out, you only paid 10+ tip! Why are you whining about price then? Even on a fixed income that's a pretty good bill! Did you want to pay nothing at all, because that's what it sounds like.

Posted by redmx3racer on 2010-01-08:

Gee, I'm on a fixed income. I'm on salary, and I get the same check every week. Unless I get a bonus, which I don't count on. Should I be entitled to things like discounts and free coffee?

Posted by yoke on 2010-01-08:

Unless you get a payraise every week you are on a fixed income. I hear it all the time from seniors when they want a discount.

Posted by Ben There on 2010-01-08:

I think the OP is more of a Denny's or IHOP customer and should stick to establishments like them.

Posted by Stew on 2010-01-08:

Yoke, That's not the definition of 'fixed income'. Fixed income refers to an investment or annuity that pays a fixed amount over time which may or may not be adjusted for inflation. Examples would be various bonds, retirement pensions or social security annuities.

Posted by yoke on 2010-01-08:

Stew, then you may want to tell people to stop saying they are on a fixed income because they did not get a payraise in SS this year. I hear it all the time.

Posted by Ponie on 2010-01-08:

yoke, it's not just this year that they're claiming 'fixed income.' This is the first time in 30 years that there was no increase in social security bennies. I didn't hear an outcry when a couple of years ago they got a (I think) 3.5% increase. I always contend that unless you own your own business or work strictly on commissions--*everyone* is on a fixed income.

Posted by yoke on 2010-01-08:

This year is the first time since my husband retired from the Navy that they did not get a pay increase in their retirement pay. Does anyone know how much of a payraise congress gave themselves?

Posted by goduke on 2010-01-08:

Unfortunately, pay raises in Congress aren't governed by statute. They can vote themselves anything they want. Pay raises for federal employees, Soc Security, etc., are governed by statute are are indexed to the cost of living generated by the government. In 2009, the cost of living officially went down.

Posted by Stew on 2010-01-08:

goduke, Federal worker's pay raises are link to the congressional pay raises or vise versa . I hear tell them federal workers got themselves on average a 2% pay raise this year.

Posted by sarahnkrystal on 2010-01-08:

On the comment about Dennys or IHOP. I have to say my hubby and I actually went to TGIFridays for lunch one day and got an appetizer, lunches and a dessert for $35. We went to Dennys the next week and got an appetizer and some gross sandwiches for the same price. I couldn't believe Dennys got expensive for the poor excuse of food they serve.

Posted by yoke on 2010-01-08:

Denny's has gotten really expensive. We used to go to Denny's for breakfast after church and would spend an average of $35-40 for the 5 of us. Then one week it went up to almost $50 for the same things. We went to Friendly's and only cost us $40 for all 5 of us.

Posted by Slimjim on 2010-01-08:

Denny's has gotten expensive. We took the kids there a couple weeks a go and the meals all looked to be about 2-3 bucks higher than I remember. Oh yeah, don't get the "new" prime rib Philly cheese steak unless you like paying over $8 bucks for burnt rubber.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-08:

The problem of seniors is NOT that they are on a fixed income but on a limited budget that they have no way to replenish once exhausted (spent) since they have NO NEW income. So if you younger people keep getting a 50k salary every year. then Oh Well if you spend it, there is the next pay check for the next 50 years, whereas if someone loses all their pension money which they had ( 200k let us say) well they need public assistance now cause they have no way to get another job and keep on going. Seniors do eat and need a roof over their heads. GET IT? Not the fixrd part but the limited ability to get new income part is teh problem.No new money can ever come in again, but all old money MUST go out to be used to live on. Could you live 30 years on savings alone? Maybe if teh stock market didn't evaporate it or Enron or these other unsafe places.It is the income part that has stopped and dried up. Can YOU live on savings alone if the $ you saved back in the day are not likely to buy much and when all your life's savings are gone who can you turn to? Not guys with little comprehension or sympathy for this. How can you compare your young healthy selves to a senior?

Posted by Ytropious on 2010-01-08:

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Denny's is really expensive now.

Posted by Ytropious on 2010-01-08:

"So if you younger people keep getting a 50k salary every year." PLEASE I wish I made 50 grand! Also I worked with two old ladies who were on SS and they got more hours then I did! Just because your on SS doesn't mean you are forbidden from working, so they could very well go out and work somewhere if they wanted to.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

What happened to my post?
I repeat some of it here.
It is not that the seniors have a fixed income but that most do not work after 65 and will never replenish what they use up.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

YTR where is my post? I used 50k as a salary in Ny for mangement, where expenses are very high ( rents not under 1000 for a studio).
It was to stress that seniors who lose their money have nothing to live on and NO they do not find work easily although a few may.

Posted by old fart on 2010-01-09:

Voice off... look at the "other comments" section... that's where your original post is...

Posted by Starlord on 2010-01-09:

With all due respect, ponie, not only are we not getting a COLA this year, but for the next two years, at least. They claim the COLA is to offset inflation, but that there is no inflation this year. I would like to know where they got their figures. Our rent went up, forcing us to move, groceries went up, gas went up, everything went up except our Social Security checks. When we did get COLAs, it was like 2 to 4 percent. My SSDI check is just over $950 a month. I doubt if many can live comfortably on that small amount of money. That, plus I had to fight the SSA for three years to get my So-so Security benefits.

Posted by old fart on 2010-01-09:

It's interesting that not only didn't I get a COLA increase. I am getting charged 5 dollars extra per month for some kind of extra benefit...go figure.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

Where is the "other comments" section and why was mine the only one put there? How can anyone comment on it if they do not see it. Hope it was not censored as this is the reason for this forum to express ourselves and our view. It certainly had no profanity. Just honest stuff you need to know.
Seniors have no way to get a new job and will be at the mercy of others if they are not helped to maintain their savings. Too much shenanigans went on with their retirement savings and fixed means the ONLY income they can ever hope to have. So when a DR or Lawyer eats it up, that is it. Nothing to do but be poverty stricken.

Posted by old fart on 2010-01-09:

Look down to the lower right of the screen between your last comment and the "add your three cents line... it's in BLUE...Just below and to the right of this line...

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

Old, I think I respected others so if this was censored I have no idea why. I would gladly delete anything that is objectionable to leave the rest, which is highly informative.
Do you think there was something disrespectful in it? If so, what? I want a copy of it to reread.

Posted by old fart on 2010-01-09:

Just click on the blue link... it's not censored...

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

What blue link? Do you recall it not meeting guideleines? I read them and none applied to that post. I want it right here with everyone else's.

Posted by old fart on 2010-01-09:

It is directly to the right of my last comment! as far as why it is separate, I'd take that up with admin. I saw nothing that would justify separating it.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

All guidelines were met. I feel for senors as they are in a very different category unless super rich. They save and save and then in one swoop it is gone sometimes even when it was supposed to be in a safe place. Or if not dwindles away it is gone via inflation. A salary of 20k may have been good 45 yrs ago but the savings hardly pays rent now. They cannot get a new higher paying job . That is my point. If it annoyed someone so be it bc it is true and needs to be repeated ad infinitum till understood.

Posted by voiceoff on 2010-01-09:

I would like to edit it as I see it may come across too forceful and has typos too. I guess I wanted to elicit a better undertsanding but maybe I will tone it down if I can edit it. It was just that all the comments failed to appreciate the difference between a younger person getting a paycheck and a senior using up savings. Feels like being kicked out of class. I think it enlightened on this serious matter where seniors live longer ( over 80) but their $$ won't stretch that far. Thanks Old fart has this happened to anyone else? Put "aside" literally boo hoo? In the corner ( missing the dunce cap).