In the 1990s, a high school student worked at a fast food chain that was in the process of phasing out their denominational gift certificates.
How It Works
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The way the certificates worked was that if a customer spent more than half of the certificate, they were given the remaining amount in cash. The manager was responsible for destroying the existing certificates as they transitioned to credit card-looking gift cards.
An Amazing Discovery!
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One night, when the high school student was closing the restaurant, they discovered two boxes of the gift certificates that were supposed to be shredded. The student took the certificates, brought them out to the dumpster, and threw them away.
They Were Still There!
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After closing, the student returned to the dumpster, recovered the certificates, and brought them home. The student counted the certificates and found 1,000 $25, 1,000 $10, and 500 $5 certificates, all without expiration dates. The total value of the certificates was $40,000.
They Spent Them!
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Over the next three years, the student and their girlfriend toured every location in their state and the next four states, ordering food and getting the change. They never kept track of their spending on a spreadsheet, but they became skilled at knowing which menu items were just about half the value of the certificates.
They Bought a Car!
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After the first year, they started saving the change in a shoebox and let it build up. Eventually, the student was able to buy their first car for $7,800 in cash from the change.
Figuring Them Out
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They also discovered that a kiddie cone was $1.05, and if they paid with a $5 certificate, they would receive $3.95 in change. They threw away a lot of kiddie cones. The manager never said anything about the missing certificates, as they had reported them destroyed weeks earlier.
They Ran Out
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The student and their girlfriend continued to use the certificates until they were no longer accepted. They were told to keep honoring the certificates because they were prepaid and not coupons.
Not Ethical
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In the end, the student and their girlfriend had a lot of fun and enjoyed their fast food adventures, but they also knew that what they did was not entirely ethical.
Stolen
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They had essentially stolen $40,000 worth of gift certificates, and they had taken advantage of a loophole in the system. They had also wasted a lot of food by ordering items they didn’t necessarily want or need, just to get the change.
Not Fair
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As time passed, the student began to feel guilty about what they had done. They realized that they had taken advantage of a situation that was not entirely fair to the fast food chain.
Better Security
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The student also wondered if they would have been caught if they had been more careless or if the fast food chain had implemented better security measures.
Thrill of the Chase
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In the end, the student and their girlfriend decided to stop using the gift certificates and move on from their fast food adventures. They had enjoyed the thrill of the chase and the excitement of getting something for nothing, but they knew that what they had done was not entirely right.
The Commenters Opinions
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One person wrote, “I Just did some quick math, but To get $7800 in change, say from 25$ certs. Wouldnt you need to visit a restaurant about 680 times.(say if you spent just over half of 25$) seems a bit time consuming?”
Another said, “A win for the middle class…I like it”
More Internet Responses
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This commenter said, “Creative way? Sounds like ordinary theft to me.”
HIS HOA DEMANDS THE REMOVAL OF SECURITY CAMERAS: THEIR OVERSIGHT TRIGGERS A LEGAL BACKLASH, ENTRAPPING THEM IN A RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE LOOPHOLE!
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A couple bought surveillance cameras to monitor their property, which inadvertently waged a costly war with their HOA.
She Demands Her Brother Share His Daughter’s Inheritance With Her Stepdaughter – Who Wasn’t Bequeathed Anything!
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When it comes to family dynamics, few things can stir up emotions, quite like inheritance disputes. A contentious situation has emerged in an unfolding saga that tests the bonds of blood and challenges the concept of fairness. At the center of this narrative stands a sister who adamantly demands her brother to share his daughter’s inheritance with her stepdaughter, who, to her dismay, was not bequeathed anything.
HE ISSUES AN ULTIMATUM: IN-LAWS MUST VACATE OR HIS DAUGHTER’S DOOR REMAINS LOCKED IN A HEART-WRENCHING POWER STRUGGLE
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OP’s brother-in-law, Sammy, moved in with his twin daughters, Olivia and Sloane, after losing his home due to a divorce. OP’s daughter, Zoey, is 16 years old and gets along fine with her cousins, but they do not respect her privacy.