My younger sister, newly arrived in Sacramento, wanted to get her car washed. Fortunately for her, she thought, she had stoped at Safeway earlier in the day and a “Free Car Wash” coupon for Harv’s was printed on the back of the receipt.

The coupon, doing what coupons should do, thus encouraged her to check out Harv’s and possibly become a loyal Harv’s customer.

Except not so much.

The coupon says “FREE Car Wash, $9.99 value. May be redeemed for an exterior wash or credited against any carwash package.”

So she pulls up, hands over the coupon and is greeted by a Harv’s employee who frowns at her saying, “We don’t really encourage using the coupon for a free car wash. A bit dumbfounded, my sister manages to stammer out, “uh, what?” The guy then looks in her car and says it’s pretty dirty in there, don’t you need a vacuum. She sticks to her free car wash guns and declines saying she’ll accept the OFFER that HARV’S made to her, thanks.

So when Harv’s says free car wash, apparently they mean, no, we’d rather you still give us money. Don’t misunderstand the “free” part as meaning “given without the need for payment.”

Combine that with Harv’s declining service and the bottom line is: Metroblogging Sacramento writers and family need some recommendations! Scrub Boys, anyone?

Related posts:

1. Turn On What Street?
2. Dear Sacramento Business
3. Free Advertising
4. The Quick and the Wet
5. Wi-fi might fly