Free coffee (and more) today only!

Go to your local Starbucks, tell them you voted, and they'll give you a free 12-ounce coffee.

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Presidential elections are a great time to experience the essence of democracy … and the discounted food and beverages are nice, too.

Various outlets in the Sacramento area are offering special deals this Election Day, even as federal officials frown on some practices.

Arguably, the biggest effort is being made by Starbucks Corp., the Seattle-based coffee giant. The company said it will give a free 12-ounce cup of brewed coffee to all people coming into a U.S. Starbucks outlet today and saying they voted.

Company spokeswoman Lily Gluzberg said: "Simply vote and ask your barista for a tall cup of brewed coffee at no charge. In the best tradition of democracy, we're using the honor system, so absentee voters shouldn't have a problem."

The offer's limits are one cup of coffee per customer and the standard "good while supplies last" contingency.

The offer – promoted on the Starbucks Web site, in e-mails to journalists nationwide and in national television commercials – surprised regulars Monday at Starbucks Coffee at 1401 Alhambra Blvd., in Sacramento.

"Wow, do they have that much coffee?" asked Sacramentan Timothy Potter.

"That's a lot of free coffee just for voting," said city resident Heather King. "I hope that's not the only thing making people vote. … Can they control people going to different Starbucks? That would be like voting twice, right?"

Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's also is making a nationwide offer of one free scoop of ice cream to voters coming into their "scoop shops" between 5 and 8 p.m. today in the respective U.S. time zones.

Ben & Jerry's outlets, including the one at 500 First St. in Davis, said voters must show their voting receipt or "I voted" sticker to get the free treat.

Late Monday, federal officials warned that the Starbucks and Ben & Jerry's offers amounted to a violation of election law, but the feds indicated they might not press the matter. Ben & Jerry's said it would likely make its free ice cream offer open to everybody.

Other Election Day specials offered by area businesses run the gamut.

The Bidwell Street Bistro in Folsom ran advertisements in The Bee promoting the restaurant's "McCain/ Obama Election Special." The ad, which noted that it "does not matter who you vote for," included a coupon good for one free dinner entree (up to $18.95) with the purchase of another entree. The coupon had an expiration date of Nov. 12.

The Papa John's Pizza Web site touts an Election Day special today of a large pizza with three toppings for – you guessed it – $11.04. Depending on various factors, a large pizza with three toppings might normally go for $15 or more.

The Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation said restaurants and food/beverage retailers – especially those offering take-out – tend to do well on quadrennial presidential election nights. Likewise, movie-rental businesses do well among those who would rather see the returns only after all the precincts have reported.

Department stores and other traditional retailers don't do so well, given the large number of people watching returns on television.

Some U.S. businesses are going the extra mile to lure consumer dollars.

For example, Broadway In Chicago, a source for tickets to shows in Chicago's Downtown Theater District, is celebrating election of the 44th president by "making every seat in the house available for only $44 on Election Day."

Not only that, the company promises that election returns will be announced throughout theaters at intermissions and at the close of all shows.

Then there's the owner of a tattoo parlor in the northern Missouri community of Kirksville offering discounted body piercings today to voters. The $20 service can be had for $5 to those producing a valid ID, a voter registration card and an "I voted" sticker.

Coffee...:puke2:

I like coffee (so long as it's black) but Starbucks is way overrated.

bobrob2004 wrote:

Coffee...:puke2:

:puke2:

Why can't it be beer

I got the FREE coffee and added a scone....$5.50!!

I used to go to that Starbucks! It has a really neat enormous coffee cup as part of the storefront.