[rosaespanola]

My friend's daughter has just been to get some shopping from Waitrose for her and when she paid, the cashier said "here's your token" and gave her a green plastic token the size of a 10p with Waitrose written on it. For some reason best known to herself, she didn't ask what it was a token for but just brought it home with her! Does anyone have any idea what it's for? I'm sure they don't have parking barriers or anything that would need a token, we've racked our brains but we can't think of what it could be for.

[probedb]

They've been doing it for ages. Waitrose give to different causes each month (?). They pick three and you put the token in whichever one you would vote for. The one that has the most gets the cash or something.

[neeeeeeeeeek]

Next to the doors are bloody great big clear plastic containers with different charities named above each one and you stick your token in your preffered charity and they donate them money.

[tulipa]

Originally Posted by rosaespanola

My friend's daughter has just been to get some shopping from Waitrose for her and when she paid, the cashier said "here's your token" and gave her a green plastic token the size of a 10p with Waitrose written on it. For some reason best known to herself, she didn't ask what it was a token for but just brought it home with her! Does anyone have any idea what it's for? I'm sure they don't have parking barriers or anything that would need a token, we've racked our brains but we can't think of what it could be for.

The cashier should have explained what it was for, rather than just assume everyone knows about them.

[Ginger Daddy]

These clear plastic bin things are rather large, its hard not to notice them!!!

[Dozy]

Originally Posted by tulipa

The cashier should have explained what it was for, rather than just assume everyone knows about them.

The cashiers probably assume that if people don't know what they're for, they'll have the gumption to ask! If the cashiers automatically explained to everybody, then (a) it would hold up the queue and (b) people who already knew all about it would probably come on the Forum and complain about being told what they already know!!

[LitleMermaid]

Oh me and haddock got one of these the other day when we were transporting some rescue dogs down south. We didn't know what it was for either, we assumed (never having being to this Waitrose before, and it being in a large shopping area) that it was for a parking barrier. But when we got outside, there was no barrier, so it went on the dashboard and stayed there. Perhaps we just aren't observant enough. Can you tell I usually shop at Morrisons?

[tulipa]

Originally Posted by Dozy

The cashiers probably assume that if people don't know what they're for, they'll have the gumption to ask! If the cashiers automatically explained to everybody, then (a) it would hold up the queue and (b) people who already knew all about it would probably come on the Forum and complain about being told what they already know!!

So, saying 'the token goes in the charity box near the exit' is too time consuming is it??!! There's loads of opportunity for this to be said during the transaction! Besides, the tokens are dished out at random, not everyone seems to get one, so it wouldn't be said everytime.

[Ginger Daddy]

Originally Posted by tulipa

So, saying 'the token goes in the charity box near the exit' is too time consuming is it??!! There's loads of opportunity for this to be said during the transaction! Besides, the tokens are dished out at random, not everyone seems to get one, so it wouldn't be said everytime.

Random? There may be a mimimum spend.

[dosxuk]

When they first started the scheme, they told everyone what they were for, a couple of months later it went to asking if you knew what the token was for, and now they just hand them over.

I think the randomness comes from the staff forgetting to hand them out. You might not see one handed over for a couple of weeks, then suddenly all the staff are handing them out like there's no tomorrow. If there's a minimum spend I've not found it - I've been given tokens for £4 shops, but not for £20 shops...

[neeeeeeeeeek]

Just ask for one if you want one, they don't always give them out.

[chimay]

My local Waitrose hands out green tokens at the checkouts without fail. The checkout ladies here usually say something such as 'don't forget to pop it/them into the charity box' or other polite reminders. Well done Waitrose. I just wish that I could afford to shop there regularly (don't let Asda hear me say that!).