Some establishments offer senior discounts for customers 55 and over. For example, McDonald’s gives “senior citizens” discounted or free coffee. IHOP has a special 55+ menu, and Arby’s offers such customers 10% off at participating stores. Usually, the customer has to inquire about such discounts in order to receive one. But an Arby’s worker took it upon themself to give a customer the discount. The only problem is that the customer is not 55 years old yet. Should she feel grateful for the good deal or slighted by the assumption?
TikTok user @tvtangentspo shares her thoughts in a video that’s been viewed 58,000 times.
“So, I ordered a buffalo chicken slider and a small Dr. Pepper. I swear that she said my total was $6.73, so I handed her $7,” she says. “She gave me, like, $4.27 back.”
So, she says she checked her receipt to see why she received so much change back.
“Look at this,” she says, unveiling the receipt.
“Senior drink,” she reads.
The customer notes she feels bittersweet about the worker’s assumption. On one hand, she got a good deal. On the other, the worker aged her by a whopping six years. “I have six years before I’m a senior at Arby’s,” she says. “I mean, I appreciate it.”
However, @tvtangentspo proposes a theory. “Maybe it’s because she recognized me ’cause I come there a lot. I don’t know,” she says, hoping the worker simply noticed her and wanted to hook her up. “I will be 55 in six years.”
“So I guess I should ask for my senior discount from now on,” she quips in the caption.
@tvtangentspod So I guess I should ask for my senior discount from now on #firstworldproblems #genxtiktokers ♬ original sound – TV Tangents
@tvtangentspo told the Daily Dot this took place at an Arby’s in Nebraska. But, she didn’t feel offended by the gesture.
“I wasn’t upset at all by the discount but thought it was funny. I have no issue with my age and I know I don’t look 55,” she said via TikTok direct message. “You’ll find a lot of Gen-Xers on TikTok finding humor in ‘getting old’ because most of us don’t feel old at all.” (Gen X is the generation born between 1965-1980.)
The TikToker doubled down her theory that the worker was doing her a solid.
“I go about twice a month for lunch when I’m working if I don’t bring lunch with me,” she shared. “The employee may have recognized my car or my voice or maybe just gave me the discount because it was a slow time of day. I will keep going back because I’ve been going there for years and never have issues at that location.”
Viewers in the comments section also encouraged the TikToker to take the gesture in stride.
“That’s all good. Take that discount who cares lol you look great by the way,” one viewer wrote.
“I would be upset for like a minute.. then happy I only paid .50!” a second commented.
“Don’t worry she was just helping you out. I thought you were going to say you were 27,” a third agreed.
Why do companies offer senior discounts?
The reasons why companies offer senior discounts include marketing, rewarding a lifetime of work, and helping stretch a loyal customer’s wallet. In the 1960s, the senior discount was created to help companies boost brand loyalty and for PR purposes.
The Daily Dot reached out to Arby’s via press email.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
