What happened to senior discounts?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
Yeah, some senior discounts still exist for places like museums, theaters, etc. I remember grocery store discounts for seniors, but now, you log on, get a store card, and anyone gets a discount. That's not a bad thing, but it isn't a "senior" discount. Pharmacies don't give a senior discount and we account for most of their business.
What happened to senior discounts?
 

Hey there, Fuzzybuddy! Since you're in PA, is there a Weis Markets near you? They have (can't confirm it's all their locations, though) a senior discount on Tuesdays. (10% on select items, but it's a lot of basic items.) They also used to have a Veteran's discount on another day, but don't know if they still do that.
 
When our business had a retail component, everyone and his brother asked for discounts. It was exhausting.

They claimed they or their spouse to be a senior, a single parent, a teacher, police officer, firefighter, in the armed forces, a veteran, a foster parent, disabled, on a limited budget, you-name-it.

My response to all was that our profit margin was already so slim that we charged much less than anyone else, and therefore we didn't offer discounts. Nor did we offer free shipping. (If you tell me where and how I can ship for free, I'll gladly do so. As it stands, UPS charges me for every single package.)

It's almost amusing how people sometimes quite forcefully demand discounts of others, but expect to be paid in full for their own work.

To answer your question, @fuzzybuddy, since almost everyone now expects a discount, retailers who offer said discounts simply mark everything up by an additional 10% then discount them 10%. It's a mind game.
 

I always forget to ask for a senior Discount... WE don't get very much in ways of discounts here anyway. The best one is the free bus pass, but then I never use it, given that I drive everywhere, but I'm happy I have it if ever I cant afford to drive...however the government..since this talk of 15 minute cities have been in talks to remove it. This would be an absolute disaster for older people who no longer drive.. or who live in rural areas.. who can't afford to get to doctors, hospital appointments.. etc...

I get a 1/3 off train travel.. but I have to pay Ā£15 annually to get that 3rd off.. and sometimes like the last 2 years I haven't used the train so I've been out of pocket for that discount

Staely homes, and tourist venues offer senior discounts, but they're very small..on an already overpriced ticket..
 
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Yeah, they seem to be fewer. But I got a discount at the County Fair - $5 for admission including a ride band (that I used for the Carousel once) but I could have ridden those twirly rides all day and got sick as a dog if I wanted to! Also got the Senior Special at a local diner and it was quite a nice deal! 3 pancakes and a nice omelet for $8.25!
 
StarSong said:
Never heard of this before and had to look it up. An absolute disaster is right!
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es it's very concerning, and many places including my nearby towns have already put in place restrictions , in preparation.. For example..regardless of how dense the traffic is.. 2/3rds of the busiest roads have been given over to cycles only.. causing huge traffic jams every day at both ends of the day.. .yet these dedicated cycle paths in many towns might see only a dozen cycles on it a day

People are incensed at this..but most don't realise it's intent is really for the 15 minute city concept, where cars will be all but banned.. cycling and walking will be actively if not forcefully encouraged as the only means of transport.....

from there very quickly, Big Brother will 'take care of all your needs''... which is another reason for the encouragement of a cashless society...
 
Michael Z said:
The Senior Discount that needs to happen in our state is for property taxes. Folks work their whole lives to buy a house and then find it very difficult to pay the property taxes in their later years when they are on a fixed income.
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hollydolly said:
Same everywhere...
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California solved that problem in 1978, thank goodness, and for the exact reason you stated, Michael.
 
Senior discounts vary from place to place, so I've heard.

So far, bus passes, Railcards and some stores and sports memberships plus cinemas, I think?

Only store that comes to mind which offers 10% discounts to seniors is Iceland Frozen Foods but it's on Tuesdays and I prefer going out Wednesdays. Since now we go to next village for Scotland's Frozen Warehouse, prices are so good that I don't miss the discount.
 
I know that Walgreen's offers a 20% discount on the first Tuesday of every month. I've used it twice to buy ink for my printer.
And, there's a couple of restaurants that offer a senior menu to choose from that we go to sometimes.
 
Nathan said:
I never think of "senior discounts", I didn't do anything special to 'deserve' a discount, did I? Just because I've lived longer...?
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A senior discount isn't a reward for living longer, it's a small (sometimes very small) amount off of an item to help with the cost since older people live mostly on fixed incomes. I know a few people around me that live solely on Social Security. I don't know how they do it. I sure couldn't, even with changing my lifestyle.
 
Next thing they need to do is to mail out reminders of where these discuounts are available as I have forgotten where they are offered. šŸ„“ :oops: :rolleyes:
 
Lots of places have Senior Discounts here. You pay less, but you also get less. Restaurants, for example, give a discount but serve a smaller portion. It used to be something places did to be nice. Nice isn't as important anymore.
 
Thrift stores still have discounts. One drug store has it every Thursday and the place is packed with seniors. There are a couple of other places that I know of.

What bugs me is seeing Adult price and Senior price is exactly the same. Why even pretend.

The bus system has lower prices for anyone within certain financial limits. I think they also should have a discount for seniors to encourage us to stop driving. This is seniors haven.
 
I'm still getting senior discounts at these places:
~Dunkin Donuts
~IHOP & other restaurants and diners that have senior menus
~N.J. Transit trains and buses (about 1/2 off fares)
~Amtrak
~I called Verizon (Fios internet) to ask if they gave senior discounts and the representative checked. He came back and gave me a special price (which I don't think was specifically for senior) that lowered my bill by about $13 a month. He said the lower price is permanent.

I believe Kohl's offered senior discounts on a particular day. I'm not a fan of Kohl's, so I havent' shopped there in a long time and don't know if they still do.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I'm still getting senior discounts at these places:
~Dunkin Donuts
~IHOP & other restaurants and diners that have senior menus
~N.J. Transit trains and buses (about 1/2 off fares)
~Amtrak
~I called Verizon (Fios internet) to ask if they gave senior discounts and the representative checked. He came back and gave me a special price (which I don't think was specifically for senior) that lowered my bill by about $13 a month. He said the lower price is permanent.

I believe Kohl's offered senior discounts on a particular day. I'm not a fan of Kohl's, so I havent' shopped there in a long time and don't know if they still do.
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What??? You actually got to talk to a human being like you and me at Verizon? Did they speak English? Did you have to wait 45 minutes for them to pick up? I'm trying to report a problem and that's what I get.
 
Don't forget military discounts in a lot of places if you served.
In Gatlinburg you can ride the tram and lots of other activities for free with military discount.
 

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