FREEBIES!

 

 

 

 

I'm always up for free stuff, especially free food.

At the first of the year I let my  youngest daughter talk me in to going to Chic Fil A's 100 first free meals.  If they have over 100 people, there is a draw.  I went with my daughter, her hubby, my oldest son, and a few grandkids. Lucky for us, all of us were chosen to participate in the give away. 

Chick-Fil-a has had a lot of experience with these giveaways, and it was very well organized.  We were lined up in groups of 25.  We were given wrist-bands and checked in at various times.  Chick-Fil-a fed us breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We were given a couple of snacks.  There was water available and hot chocolate (and coffee) in mugs they had provided.  We had a chance to set up a tent and make ourselves cozy.  They had drawings and games throughout the day.  It was a lot of fun.

I let myself be talked into going to another giveaway for Freebirds.  There were no rules that we could read online.  The offer of 52 free burritos to the first 25 people in line was all I knew about the giveaway, even though my daughter had looked on line to help us out.

Again, there were 4 of us and we were the first 4, the afternoon before the giveaway.  People walked in and out of Freebirds, and told us that later, someone would be there for crowd control.  About 10:00 p.m., two managers came to control us.  There were about 10 people by that time.  We got to smell things cooking, but at no time was food ever offered to us.  In fact, if we needed to eat something, we could walk down the street a ways to McDonald's and get something.  We could also walk there if we needed to use the restroom.

We were told by the male manager that we would be able to use the restroom - one at a time.  If we abused that privilege, it would be revoked.  Really?  There are 10 people outside!!  Around 4 a.m., two more guys came.  I'm sure they were all rested up, because they were pretty chatty for the rest of the morning.

Through the night, the  manager called roll call - to see that we were all there.  About 5:30, we all had to line up around the building, on the sidewalk, so that we would be ready.  That is to be ready at 8:00 to put all of our stuff into our vehicles.  Eventually there were 17 people.  My daughter called home to see if her hubby & children would like to come get in line.  The two boys came over with their daddy.  Those three were numbers 24, 25 and 26.

Earlier a mom had come over to bring her son and his buddies breakfast.  She told him that he couldn't miss school.  He left shortly after that.  Freebirds didn't change the roster.  My son-in-law and boy should have been moved up to numbers 23, 24 and 25.  When we went in to get our prize - a gift card that will be loaded with 1 free burrito a week - they had given the littlest guy's card to someone else!!  What a gyp! 

Also, when the dignitaries were in having a ribbon cutting ceremony, we were all outside, lining up.  We had to wait for the Taylorsville Cheerleaders and other people to be able to get anything to eat, and then, we had to activate our cards before we could get anything for free!!  Oh, we did get a free drink and chips IF we ordered a burrito that day.

At Chick-Fil-a you are encouraged to go to many grand openings.  At Freebirds, they want 25 DIFFERENT people to be able to get the cards.  Don't come back, basically.  If it's just the food, Freebirds is OK.  If you are going for a fun experience, go to a Chick-fil-a grand opening.  If you want to feed your friends and family immediately, go to Chick-fil-a, if you want to wait a while - 1 burrito a week, saving up for a crowd, go to Freebirds.

I guess in the long run, it's all good.  It's all free!!

To find out what Bren thinks - go to
http://benniegirl.blogspot.com/2013/10/camping-out-at-freebirds.html

My finishing prize - at Chick-fil-a!!

What is one of the craziest things to do in the winter?  
Chick-fil-a grand opening parking lot camping!!

SKye, Preston and veterans Brenda, Justine, Riley and Max 
talked me into doing the crazies with them.

If more than 100 people show up for these things, there 
is a drawing.  There was about 135.  Drawing time.
SKye was number 19.  Oh, a good thing about having 
your ticket drawn, you got to go into the warm building.
SKye took the kids inside with him.  Pres was number 36.
I was number 59 and Bren was 87.  My heart was pounding 
like crazy until her number was drawn!

This took place on February 27-28.  It was for a freezing 
24 hours!!  The high that day was 18 degrees.

We all got mugs and could have all of the hot chocolate, 
we wanted most all of the day.

SKye has lots of camping equipment, including heaters.
I would have been dead without them.  He brought a tent, 
lots of mats and heavy-duty sleeping bags.  I brought a 
couple of chairs and some blankets and pillows.  Bren 
and Pres had lots of stuff, too, 

The good thing about the parking lot camp is that you 
really don't need to bring any food.  Chick-fil-a fed us 
three meals that day.  Mimi's restaurant brought over 
muffins in the mid morning.  The Sweet Tooth Fairy 
provided each of us with one of their famous cup cakes.

So, when we went to go to sleep that night, the heaters 
didn't fit in the tent with all of us.  We were under the 
brightest Broadway light, and it was cold.  Bren & Pres 
and fam all fit into 2 sleeping bags zipped together.  They 
were sort of as snug as a bug - in a rug.  

There were no worries about sleeping in!  About 5:15 a.m. 
there was a huge blast of some cheery song to wake us 
all up!  We lined up, got our prize of 52 meal tickets and 
then started taking down our tents as fast as possible to 
have the lot ready for their 6:30 a.m. opening.

I don't know that I will ever go to another opening, but 
it gave me an appreciation for those who do.  I hope 
someday some of my grandkids think I'm a fun grandma.

We were very blessed to all be able to win.  As we have all heard before, "Winner, winner.  Chicken dinner!"