Fast Food places asking for donations

I consider myself a pretty generous person. I have select charities I give to and I know my dollars are going toward their intended purpose.

I absolutely hate it when I go to a fast food place and they ask if I'd like to donate to XYZ.
This used to be a rare thing, but now I see almost every fast food place, and almost all our grocery stores are doing it.
It is annoying, guilt tripping manipulation trying to make you not look like a cheap azz while checking out with your huge first world plate of food. I see so many people just give the dollar, or five, just to get it over with. I doubt many even know where that money is going to. I think it is unethical too, does the joint get a tax write off on your donated money? A dollar here or there doesn't matter much,
but tens of thousands of dollars do. Some of these charities seem pretty sketchy too.

I will say Mcdonalds is the exception. Their Ronald Mcdonald house is known to really use the funds to help families (at least where I live) and has a flawless reputation.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Yah I agree, I got hit up for $1 today at Dunkin'. And as someone who worked many yrs for a few wealthy non-profits, I know what money grubbing scammers most of them are, so it bothers me to donate to a charity I don't check out first. But as you stated, I'm guilted into giving up the buck.

I donate directly to people all the time now via gofundme and I pay out of pocket to save animals, as the animal charities are some of the worst scammers out there.

I feel the same way, and have told some cashiers to inform their management that it feels like harassment. Unfortunately the workers hate it as well, but are informed to ask, as part of their job. They hate it as much as we do.

It’s time to send a clear message to these businesses that they should be grateful for the customer buying their products, but if you try and squeeze more money out of us, they may very well lose customers.

a reply to: eXia7

Oh my goodness, that is perfect, on the spot!

I remember one place asked if I wanted to help teen work (charity). I was like, ummm aren't I helping teen work buy buying this burger?

a reply to: JAGStorm

Donating to charity is annoying

J/K - I know what you mean. They hit me up at Taco Bell drive-thru the other day (first time I went to TB in a long time, okay? so don't hold it against me) Boys & Girls Club

They do the same at our grocery store (HEB) but they have a good rep.

But for the shady ones - it reminds me of this:

It's an easy way for a corporation to make big tax deductible charitable donations without using their own money to do so, is what it is. Just another way to game the consumer, by making them think they are being generous to a charity, when the real donation get s sent by the corporation in the corporation's name. But you do get a pretty paper balloon with your name written on it to stick on the store wall...

I've heard up to 90 percent of the funds can be kept to cover "administrative" costs.

Charity is big business

I give the bums food and drink first hand if I've got it to spare.
Screw dropping money a jar with no idea how it will be spent.

What really bugs me is that you have to actively decline. The request is part of the debit card pay process so you need to say "No" specifically during that process. That is far different than McDonalds, which simply has the box out there and you can throw money into it if you want. It doesn't force you to say "No." In those big box pet food stores they actually have a picture of an adorable puppy as part of the "ask." What they are saying is, "Donate or we're going to kill this puppy." Absolutely despicable.

originally posted by: eXia7

Fist thing I thought of, that episode was hilarious.

I'd be more inclined to not hate the practice if they matched the donations (they usually don't).

So a big corporation tries to look like they're doing something good by asking their patrons for charity money? That's just cheap.

It gives companies a corporate conscience. That's OK isn't it? If you don't want to give, then don't.

a reply to: paraphi

It could be considered a corporate conscience if they were using their own profits, this is totally something else.

originally posted by: paraphi
It gives companies a corporate conscience. That's OK isn't it? If you don't want to give, then don't.

It gives us consumer conscience to say what they're doing is cheap. How about they run a campaign 10% of profits will go to said charity?

This was the better part, couldn't find a better video.

Love the change dispenser. Great example of when south park is on point and hilarious.

When they ask for a donation, ask how much is the store contributing and if the manager drives a Lexus and how much has he or she contributed.

Then email the corp office and tell them it's BS to shame the customers.

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.

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.

Sadly I just bailed my aunt out of an $18,000.00 debt, credit card... She donates to animal welfare, she was a soft touch, used her credit to donate money
Tragically buisness knows how to manipulate people

We are responsible, be careful