Fast Food places asking for donations

It depends...

Some companies match the donations or are doing more behind the scenes. I participate in a motorcycle ride every year for a well known retailer that donates a couple hundred grand per year to Children's Hospitals.

The tech has just made it easier to hit everyone up. I don't have a problem saying no...

A lot of large charities though are scams in that they are bloated with too much administration. A company I worked for use to donate to United Way every year. They pressure all the employees to contribute. It really irked me as United Way isn't efficient and bloated. I also didn't like that it felt like my job performance/reviews were on the line if I didn't donate. They'd use shaming tactics to make you donate.

a reply to: olaru12

A fast food store manager driving a Lexus at 30-40k max a year??

Store managers are still at the bottom of the food chain. The ones who really get a bonus are the higher ups. Bottom of the chain is just pressured into doing this.

Even to the point of pushing store managers to write up employees who don't push their charity scam.

OP is right too. I'm seeing these charities everywhere.

originally posted by: blueman12
The circle k gas station has this "milk for kids" charity. If you read the fine print on the advertising, it says "for every $5 donated, half a gallon of milk will go to a child in need".

So how much money is going in the ceo's pockets and circle k upper management bonuses'?? Guarantee you that a large majority is. I've been to farmers' markets and grocery stores. Milk isn't expensive , especially if you buy it in bulk , which I'm sure the charity does.

Legal scams. Throw some poor kids a little milk while your wallet gets fat.

Where I live, there are these dropboxes where you can leave old clothes. On is GAIA. Most people think of it as giving clothes away to the needy. What is actually happening is that GAIA is reselling the clothes! It is a business...

Whenever they ask, reply with a question: How much food gets thrown away here every day? Why doesn't it go to a charity instead of asking for my money?

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Please don't ask cashiers that. They have no part in creating policies. Ask a manager or something.

originally posted by: Autorico
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Please don't ask cashiers that. They have no part in creating policies. Ask a manager or something.

Well then they can ask a manager. If everyone did this, the cashiers would tell their managers and maybe they would used their wasted food for something. Do you even know how much food is wasted in the world every year? Is about 30-35% of total production if not more.

Kroger has a thing going where you "round up for hunger" or something like that.
I usually do it, cause I just feel like a cheap ass if I don't.

Just googled that program, and they say 100 percent goes to local food banks in your area. So I feel pretty good about that one.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

They throw it away for legal reasons, I don't agree with it at all, but that's the way it is(for now).

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Yea, blame the poor cashiers for the issues of giant corporations. Also, don't blame the customers that support thrown away cheapfactory farmed food.

Let's all just blame the poor cashiers...

a reply to: JAGStorm
Just flip the script and tell them you run a charity as well and have donated all you can to it, then all them if they would like to donate a dollar.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Guilt trip?

I don't feel guilty not giving charity to every frickin' place I go to.

Want me on the street too?!

I like our grocery store.

They partner with the local food bank.

There is a pad of scannable coupons there at every check-out and food barrels by entrance. They also have pre-packed brown bags with items the bank usually needs lots of for pre-set amounts that you can just grab off a carousel.

No one asks you to donate. They just put it there like all the other impulse-buy stuff. You can call that pressuring if you want, but it's less intrusive than the other methods.

a reply to: Edumakated

Oh, there was another scam with those "donated" clothes too. the company I worked for would buy shop rags from this company. It was all cut up t-shirts and other items. They thought it pretty funny in the shop when they would pull out a complete bra or thong. Gross, but funny.

I don't have a problem saying no to any of them anymore when they hit me up. I research whom I am interested in helping and donate to them.

originally posted by: Autorico
As someone who was a cashier, I can tell you we hated asking it as well. Always felt like I was putting people on the spot.

Did you often not bother? Or were you always within potential earshot of a supervisor?

I can't imagine the customer complaining if you didn't.

originally posted by: ketsuko
I like our grocery store.

They partner with the local food bank.

There is a pad of scannable coupons there at every check-out and food barrels by entrance. They also have pre-packed brown bags with items the bank usually needs lots of for pre-set amounts that you can just grab off a carousel.

No one asks you to donate. They just put it there like all the other impulse-buy stuff. You can call that pressuring if you want, but it's less intrusive than the other methods.

That sounds ok, very different than being asked loudly "would you like to donate" and then you feel everyone else looking at you expecting you to say no and be shamed, or at least that's why they want you to feel

On the convenience store i usually go they already know i don't do it because in the past they didn't even bother to explain to what, they would just say "it is 17.60, you want to donate .40?" and expect you to say yes and if you asked "donate to what" they would not even have an explanation ready, and if you said no they would be bothered and act all grumpy. So i just started saying no every single time until they did not even bother asking me again to avoid the entire thing

In the end they just guilt trip people then gather all that extra money and donate it in the name of the company, for tax purposes, how low

The Humane society here asks if we would like to round up to donate to the Humane society or some local worthy charities like the woman's center. I do not mind doing that with my change but it does seem that there are a lot of stores now doing this with charities I do not think are so worthy. If you give to your local Humane society or the food bank or even the woman's center, the money usually is going to help the animals or people in the community, not provide money to well paid doctors. Our vets actually do a lot of free or low cost work for the humane society and they are not getting rich from that. But they do need to recapture costs of services anyway.

I have seen other stores doing this, but not for local projects, I do not donate unless I see a benefit for the community and reasonable spending of the charity involved. Some charities blow a lot of money just promoting their charity or burn up money like mad while providing little benefit to the people who are supposed to benefit by the donations.

a reply to: rickymouse

Be very wary of donating through a store, even if it sounds like a worthy cause like the women's center or humane society. I think it is almost always better to donate directly.

Years ago at my work they had a charity event, mostly for the United Way. We were pretty much pressured into donating. We could choose our own selected charities or United way. Well, I decided to choose a local charity that I knew the director. They never received my donation. That pretty much told me what happens to these funds behind closed doors. There is a lot more scammy stuff going on than people realize. The best charity is to stick the money or item in the person's hand that needs it.

I knew about a girl scouts mom that stole all the money from the sales of the cookies. For some reason they could not prosecute her. It was real hush hush, and I think this happens with a lot of these places.

If you want to donate to the humane society, take food or litter etc, directly to them. You will know for sure it will benefit the animals. Sad but that is how it is these days.