Free Dinner

[pacergal]

The only one we have gone to was in Hawaii, on our honeymoon, for a "free" dinner "cruise". Escaped without purchasing, should have escaped on the trip: a tight , tiny catamaran, waves, and numerous seasick guests, continuing to drink free mai-tais. DH and I were about the only ones not drinking and not ill. It couldn't end soon enough.

The ones we get now just go to the shredder, most of them advertise a nice looking steak at fairly good local restaurants.
Although we recently received one for a free airfare, 3 nights hotel, and car rental, anywhere in the continental US. Can't remember what they were advertising or selling for.

 

[mystang52]

Never went to one of those dinners. I did attend 2 timeshare presentations, years apart, both from Marriott. The first, about 30 years ago, I was genuinely interested and curious; even so, I only attended because of the 30,000 points incentive. I didn't bite, and wow the intense sales pressure really came on.
The 2nd was while on beach vacation, and it was a miserable rainy day. Took about an hour or so, got the incentive points, and left. I'd never go to a "free" dinner - the food just isn't that good, it's almost always food I wouldn't prefer to eat anyway, and I don't need that food in exchange for feeling like a prisoner.

 

[Dtail]

We very rarely get offered dinners at decent local eateries. Probably because "Florida Man" thinks Red Lobster and Olive Garden are decent eateries.

Hey mine was at Stonegrill, which is a step up from the other two.

 

[Sojourner]

I've never received an invitation to a free dinner sales pitch, and I highly doubt I'd go if I did. The whole point of going out to a nice dinner, IMHO, is to have some tasty, well-prepared food, wine, cocktails, etc. and spend some time in a quiet, pleasant setting talking with DW about interesting topics of our choosing. Seems to me that these "free" dinners offer virtually none of that. I might be tempted to go if they were offering, say, a tasting of rare, high-end Bordeaux wines along with the dinner and pitch. But for some steak or salmon? Nah, not nearly tempting enough.

 

[target2019]

We haven't been to free dinner by FA for quite awhile. I never minded the steak house locations. If you go frequently you might meet a like-minded couple or individual. It's a good test of your patience and knowledge. We only went to the next step for one because the FA promised to provide a personal projection. It was a nifty printed out table with plenty of columns. Those projections mean nothing the following year, of course.

 

[COcheesehead]

I'd take a free meal at Del-Bar.

I’d take an Old Fashion at Ishnala.

 

[Scrapr]

You are missing "Florida Man", that's the problem.

Does this mean if you look around the room looking for Florida Man and you don't find him....YOU are Florida man?

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I'd take a free meal at Del-Bar.

I’d take an Old Fashion at Ishnala.

Why choose? Let's have both!

 

[Koolau]

The only one we have gone to was in Hawaii, on our honeymoon, for a "free" dinner "cruise".

That's a booze cruise and drinking mai-tais is what it's for. Of course, that has nothing to do with time-shares as such - it's just your reward for attending a spiel. If you participate in a time-share, just be sure you know what you're getting for your time.

By the way, booze cruises are (at least were) extremely popular back when we were tourists. We went on one, and as you suggested, the waves were too high to leave the harbor, so the cruise just stayed inside the harbor. It was still a bit rough, but it's not about the cruise - it's the mai-tais. Glad those days are way in the rear-view. YMMV

 

[scrabbler1]

Never went to one of those dinners. I did attend 2 timeshare presentations, years apart, both from Marriott. The first, about 30 years ago, I was genuinely interested and curious; even so, I only attended because of the 30,000 points incentive. I didn't bite, and wow the intense sales pressure really came on.
The 2nd was while on beach vacation, and it was a miserable rainy day. Took about an hour or so, got the incentive points, and left. I'd never go to a "free" dinner - the food just isn't that good, it's almost always food I wouldn't prefer to eat anyway, and I don't need that food in exchange for feeling like a prisoner.

Your second dinner reminds me of the dinner I went to a few years ago (pre-covid). The event was very near to where I live, and I was mostly curious about what went on at these things. When I went, the man made a good presentation before the meal was about to be served. However, he had no Q&A after his presentation (contrary to what he told me in emails before the dinner). Instead, he sat down at each table to give his more detailed shtick to try to sign them up. I was sitting in the back of the room which had about 10 tables, so he hadn't gotten anywhere near my table.

Annoyed at his going against his promise, and when I learned I would not like the dinner being served, I got up and left. I did write out my questions and handed them to the presenter before I left. I never heard back from him. So, no dinner, no detailed shtick.

 

[Trailwalker]

Why choose? Let's have both!

The free dinner at Dell Bar and the not-free after drink drink at Ishnala had little down-side.

Today's mail came with an offer of free dinner at Hwy 12 Family Restaurant. I'm sure it's a very nice establishment with loyal customers but that's a hard pass.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

The free dinner at Dell Bar and the not-free after drink drink at Ishnala had little down-side.

Today's mail came with an offer of free dinner at Hwy 12 Family Restaurant. I'm sure it's a very nice establishment with loyal customers but that's a hard pass.

Hey, I cannot see much difference: ()