Senior discounts

Save money by getting older

Until a certain point, the "senior discount" evokes a reaction similar to the first time one is "sir"-ed or "ma'am"-ed — utter disgust and self-loathing. And then one wises up: If merchants want to charge you less just because you've lived a long time, why should we begrudge them such a good deed. Although it causes acute embarassment to one's "less mature" friends, one of the true benefits of getting older is that one qualifies for "senior discounts."

Even more fun is when you discover that a discount was granted, and you didn't even have to ask! At the risk of seeming ungrateful, I'd rather the discount were applied to the Chicken McGrill sandwich rather than the cheap beverage. And don't even get me started on the "cash tendered $50.00" (it was really a $5 bill). Perhaps cash registers should have little pictures of various denominations of money along with the little pictures of menu items.