Post #321090 by Swanky on Wed, Jul 25, 2007 8:26 AM

Taking a mug is stealing, period. The fact that someone saw her stealing, does not mean it was condoned. He's asking just how he should handle it. If it was the cash register, he'd know how to handle it.

The thing that I think will be telling is if she actually thought she was stealing. If she thought the mug was part of the price, then sticking it in her purse is what she would normally do. I think the easy way to politely do this is to say "Ma'am, I'm sorry but the mug is not included in the drink price." You aren't using the steal word. You are clearing up a policy. She can then say "Sorry. I didn't know." And you have cleared it up. Of course, you don't want to embarrass her, or you could say it so everyone hears and clear it up for the lot of them. But, that would be poor business.

Top of the menu: "Mugs are not included in the drink prices."

I honestly think she may not have been stealing. She may be of this popular notion that the mugs are free when you buy the drink. If it were a water glass, she'd know she was stealing. There is a confusion on the part of a lot of people.

And, you can make your mugs a part of your advertising budget as far as taxes. But, if they don't have "Thatch" on them, they are not really advertizing for your place. It's just lost money.

Robert, you could probably get someone locally to fire a permanent Thatch decal onto those mugs pretty cheap. That's a very economical way to have custom mugs. And make that advertizing costs in you taxes...