Want a cheaper meal? Bring your old lamp

[*honey*]

Okay, this article is priceless. Made my day.

http://www.nrc.nl/international/Features/article2259767.ece/Bartering_is_revived_as_recession_hits_hospitality_industry

The article describes the creative ideas of some restaurants that do well despite the overall loss of customers.
Like "Recession Night": "On that evening guests at Cuba Libre are able order a recession menu for 10 euros, pay for someone else’s dinner as a gift (the Bos menu – named for finance minister Wouter Bos) or negotiate the price of their dinner. Customers can bargain the price of this special three-course meal with the wait staff when they order."

Bartering. Also brillant - the classic country version is pheasants for beer (the pheasants then ending up on the menu, of course), but here's one for us city folks:

"Customers are permitted to offer goods or services in the negotiations. The novel we’ve brought along is met with mixed enthusiasm. The waiter takes the book to the back to check on the internet how much it costs (19.95 euro). He deducts 5 euros from the menu price.
“And a kiss on your forehead, what will that get us?”
"Hmm, 2.50 euro.”
"And if we wash our own dishes?"
“That will bring the bill to 25 euro.”
“Do we get coffee with that?”
“Sure”
“With a cookie?”
“We don’t have cookies.”
“A chocolate then?”
“Deal.”

 

[nanbullen]

That actually sounds like fun. They are making the best of a bad situation.

[Kushtaka]

No doubt!