Shamelessly stolen from Reddit

My Dad died five years ago, and my mom will still spend 15 minutes haggling over his 10% military discount at Lowe's over $20 worth of plants. She doesn't do it anywhere else, just Lowe's.

JFC, Mom, here's two bucks, let's move on.

The only time I would give a military discount would be if you are a military member that meets the following criteria:

You were conscripted for a defensive war

OR

You volunteered (as in you weren't paid) to fight a defensive war

If you fight for a professional army, you're a professional, and professionals don't need discounts because they're doing what they're paid to do.

As I understand it, it came from the military essentially vietnam vets off at bus stations and then letting the local communities figure out what to do with them from there. It's been co-opted to some degree, especially by the larger chains, but most of the local businesses near me keep up the practice because the military traps the uneducated into contracts that pay far less than poverty wages. Among many things, it's a way of maintaining some measure of goodwill between local communities and military bases, and it's looking more and more likely that we're going to need every scrap of good feeling we can get as this slow descent into fascism continues...

I'm not from the U.S., but why would people from the military get a discount? If you do that as a store, why not doctors and nurses too? Why stop there and why not include firefighters, government workers or teachers?

And who compensates you as a business owner for these giveaways? If your store happens to be close to an army base, do you just accept the disadvantage of giving away part of your profit?

It sounds pretty stupid. People should get paid enough to pay full price for their stuff. Especially by the government. Especially in a country that allocates an enormous part of their GDP to their military.

It sounds pretty stupid.
America in a nutshell
If your store happens to be close to an army base, do you just accept the disadvantage of giving away part of your profit?
No they just raise the base price for everyone.
Many Americans have an uncanny reverence for the military and those who served. I guess that reverence seeped its way into many a retail store’s management.
I think it’s just about optics for the most part.
Teachers did actually get benefits in my country until 2016. It was a pretty decent system.
If you are a landlord then having an operational school nearby increases local rent prices so you do get to profit from charging teachers less rent.
I could be wrong here... but around the George W. Bush administration + 9/11 and the government painting everything they do as something to protect "against the terrorists!!!!" that's when a lot of things started happening.
That's when the view of the military seemed to flip and it's just been stuck that way. Movies like Top Gun were made as a PR stunt to make the military look better. The same is for basically every cop show out there: make cops look like the good guys. Anywho, every company went out of their way to really show "how much they support the troops" by giving a discount. And every smooth-brain started saying "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE" every single time. The hero worship was/is real, and it shouldn't be, and it's a real problem. (Totally different conversation, but it's led to an influx of people joining the military, or trying to, who really shouldn't). Before Bush + 9/11, I don't recall military discounts outside of, like, businesses that were owned/operated by vets.
- I've heard that some food joints would offer military discounts back when people were figuring out how bad Vietnam was especially with how many vets were coming back broken and homeless. Theres at least one place near me that's had a veterans discount as far back as '78, they also let folks camp out in their parking lot since it was a bit bigger to accommodate the firetrucks since they were in a more central location than the fire station at the time.
  Rambling aside, veterans discount started out as a way to help conscripted veterans during and after the fustercluck that was Vietnam and then was hijacked at some point.
- Military discounts have been a thing for longer than that. Couldn't tell you when it started.
"Land of the free, home of the brave", but with the caveat that those other professions don't qualify as brave enough is my guess.
why not doctors and nurses too? Why stop there and why not include firefighters, government workers or teachers?
Some places do this.
Who compensates you
In a round about way - everyone else. Though it's possible you just make less profit 5% of the time.
It's plain old jingoism. Just point and laugh at it.

Years ago I used my USAA card to pay for food at a mall food court and the cashier gave me a military discount since my dad used to be in the army. Only time that's ever happened. I didn't ask for it, but I certainly didn't turn it down.

But...why? I never faulted people asking for any sort of discount when I worked retail. Why blame them for simply asking if there was a way to get something cheaper? I couldn't give a fuck if corporate was making less money while my fellow citizen saved some cash.

A lot of them just assume that everywhere bends over backwards for them. It's incredibly obnoxious. Source: was a bartender for a decade
- Source: was a bartender for a decade
  Thank you for your service 🫡
- Wait, people asked for a vet discount... at a bar?
  I can see a restaurant, but a bar!?
Because they are military and some people do not like that.
Certain! I'll be honest. We'd start putting way less shame on not knowing and encouraging asking.

Maybe I'm weird, but I guess I don't care about military discounts. I probably just don't have much experience with veterans. But like we give senior citizens discounts some places, because it's expected they don't have much money. And there's lots of old folks who need it. Haven't military folks traditionally had a hard time reintegrating? Like isn't that the plot of "the forever war"? If it helps the ones who need it then good. Helping people in need is a good thing. I'm probably missing something so let me know what it is.

There are two ways to look at it, as I understand:
Many (certainly not all) vets have a chip on their shoulder and expect white glove treatment. Kind of like a less whiny Karen.
Many are of the belief that we should not reward people for aiding the government in its atrocities.
I think the meme is an exaggeration of those positions.
That's not what a military discount is or does. It's for active duty only, or full time retired, meaning you need an active and valid military ID on your person that matches YOU. Not your wife, not your friend Larry, not your brother Darrell, not your OTHER brother Darrell, YOU. It's one of the things that makes life harder for people who leave the military. And while your in it, it does you little good.
I know this because I've managed stores with military discounts. The only thing worse than having to say ''we don't do that'' is ''Yes we do'' Because the reality is that unless your talking to an old guy in a military insignia cap, or a surprisingly young enlisted person in uniform or military sweats, they aren't getting the ID. You got your shins blown off in Vietnam? Well fuck you, the discount is for active enlisted and CAREER officers. No one the fuck else. Guess how many dessert storm, Vietnam, Iraq, Korean War, or WWII vets like hearing that shit explained to them. They are LIVID. They want ass pats and bjs they don't want to hear they can't save $0.07 on a pile of lumber because they didn't make being drafted a career just got PTSD and forever shrapnel. I LOVE telling people no discount for anyone. It's fantastic.
- Ah I get it now, yup that is shitty. I have some compassion for someone who was stupid enough as a kid to enlist. But only for active members? Love how in America we all get fucked over, unless you win the wealth lottery.
Why would they get a discount for choosing a job that involves them attacking other countries?

I had an American ask me if he could get a military discount.

In Canada.

Actually that is not that insane. Canadian military often gets to take advantage to discounts in America.
- That something happens in America is not an indication that it isn't insane.

I love people getting upset when someone says fuck the troops 🥰

make sure you mean metaphorically

As a military veteran, this makes me a little sad... but the whole military discount thing has always made me feel weird. I mean, I'm no hero. I spent 20 years sitting at a desk, fixing computers. Why should I deserve a discount over any other office worker?

I currently live in an area far away from any military bases, so I've mostly stopped asking about military/veteran discounts. Most people here aren't used to military being around this area anyway so there's rarely a discount to offer. And I don't really care if I get a discount or not; it doesn't hurt me to pay full price.

But I've definitely worked with service members who would boycott businesses near our bases if they refused to provide a military discount. Some people get really entitled about their status. Those were the worst people I had to deal with in the service.

I know you got paid to be there, but still. A country without a military, even in times of “peace”, is a scary thing. Especially given the direction the world is heading these days… sure you sat behind a desk but who knows what you may have been needed to do if called upon in a worst case scenario, and so for that I say thank you for your service 🙏
- The Facebook moms found us — who's making the next link aggregator?
- Reading this made me cringe.
- 👅💦🥾✨
- lol
- "Thank you for your service" cringe apart, you are right, militaries are paid for the inherit risk their profession carries, even if unlikely.
  Also, on a little more distopian way, if incentivized, people are more likely to enroll in your military. And I'm guessing these discounts are on the shops, so it's free benefit from the state.
But I’ve definitely worked with service members who would boycott businesses near our bases if they refused to provide a military discount.
that seems like a plus

The idea that I should care about a corporate losing money is laughable to me. I'll give anyone a discount when allowed by the company without hesitation.

Oh, I'm all in for spending company money. But I'd rather not incentivize murderers.

I don’t see how this is helpful. I guess you’re trying to remove incentives for joining the military? But really you’re just punishing veterans with PTSD. Keep in mind the military, at least in America, recruits what are effectively kids and then makes it a crime to disobey orders or quit. I’m not saying soldiers aren’t responsible for their actions, but also that kinda feels like punishing the working class for the crimes of the ruling class.

But really you’re just punishing veterans with PTSD
Failing to give special treatment to someone is not punishing them. Especially when we're talking about special treatment for an entire category of people, most of whom don't have PTSD (estimates range from 6-27% of those deployed to a war zone, and not all veterans served in a war zone), many of whom are financially well off.
Maybe the VA and the federal government should do more for vets. Maybe the military itself should take care of the troops a bit better. But asking private businesses to prop up veterans at their own expense seems like a misguided approach.
- I think you could make the same argument for other things. Why do you tip servers in America? Aren’t you just propping up a system that screws them over? Why are you forgiving student loans? Aren’t you just propping up a system that put them into debt in the first place?
  I’m also mostly speaking from my first hand experience with a vet with PTSD. But it’s very possible that experience isn’t representative of your average vet. But I’m trying to approach the situation with empathy for those fucked over by the government.
None of this entitles them to a discount.
makes it a crime to disobey orders
That's the opposite of the truth, if the orders are unlawful.

You can’t get your discount without going through the ID me website anywhere corporate nowadays anyway… it doesn’t work nor have human contact points, it’s impossible for older veterans to use and it says half of us don’t even exist so basically military discounts have become enshitified as well . It does however take millions of dollars from the government in subsidies to ID me to obstruct Our discounts and your unemployment and disability benefits. We’re both working class and in this together whether you give me my 10% off on hardware or not.

Ah, the good ol' crab bucket. Fuck X group because they got some scraps.

More like fuck X group because they are paid murderers that invade other countries and makes every life they interact with worse.
- The military is majority support roles like mechanic, cook, medic, signaler, padre, admin, logistics. There's combat roles like infantry, artillery, combat engineer and armored and then the rest are people supporting them. Even in the combat roles it's still pretty rare to be "murdering". Americans are a bit different but a lot of militaries have rules of engagement. It's not indiscriminate killing. It's defending your fellow soldier, it's protecting your base. They're just people trying to do a job like any other.
It's not about someone getting a discount. It's about businesses incentivizing American military that is prone of causing misery around the globe. It is immoral and insane.
- You're just a hater because you didn't think to mow down a village so you could get $1 off your burger

Idea for any leftist bakeries out there: charge military members even more, veterans even more still. Refuse to make them cake! Make a big deal about it. Enjoy your free national media attention. Send me a little cut.

A little cut, as in a slice of cake?

Fuck Reddit and Fuck Spez.

Fuck Reddit and its suppression of non-western narratives.
- Fuck Reddit and its suppression of my freedom to say removed
do you feel better after saying that now?

When I worked in a commissioned sales job (read: professional capitalist thief) a coworker told me how he loved to have hot chicks as customers and he would always give them a discount.

I was like man “these girls get everything for free and discounts everywhere they go. Ipso facto they have more money to spend. Stop giving them discounts. Charge them more “

The weird thing ; they respected him for it.

Not sure where I’m going with this.

Who respected him more?

Fuck military discounts.

Y'know, I understand where you're coming from, but my dad did his time in the military, including a stint in Vietnam. He's 81 now, and I don't see the harm in giving him a little bit off of a bill for his service. He's not obnoxious about it, but will sometimes ask, and take it if it's available. If not, no big deal.
- Tell me why your father should be rewarded for when they performed the most horrible actions on other humans that anyone can think of?
  If anything, they should pay more, and the money should go to all the families they have destroyed.
- This has more to do with propaganda. Where are the discounts for all other contributors to our functional society? Do the garbage people or the electrical worker or sewer worker get discounts?
  Its all part of a much larger scale propaganda across our countries history.
- He should ask just like all Veterans. No big deal if they do not offer discount but nice when they do. It is just a small gesture of support.
  People think Military/Service members are bootlickers on Reddit and here I guess. Reality is people join for various reasons a big reason is to support family. The government owns you during that time. You miss celebrations with family like; birthdays, holidays, marriages, and funerals. I know someone will say “well they volunteered.” That is right they did and you didn’t have to volunteer.
  This meme is pretty bad to be real. People out here risking/giving their life for you. Man humanity is sliding into the abyss everyday.
- I thought it was a joke, but people really are butthurt about vets.
  History just loves to repeat itself.

Serious question - in places where they offer military or veteran discount how do you check? Do you ask them to show some relevant id?

My partner shows a VA card when asked.
- Did your partner eat Iraqi children or Afghan children? Which one tasted his favorite?
Pretty much, yeah. Every veteran and their spouse (and kids under 21) has military ID.
- No they don't. People who separated and didn't retire are veterans, but don't get military IDs. They can get a VA ID or some states will add veteran to their license.
The big box hardware stores, Home Depot and Lowe’s have sort of set the standard. There are a few ID cards that they accept as proof.
At the end of the day it is up to each store how they handle it.
My dad is a veteran, and he will sometimes ask, and sometimes they will ask him. Almost always, especially in restaurants, he just says that he is, and they give him the discount.

This seems unnecessarily petty

I never even think to ask for a discount unless it's a large purchase. Then I'm just looking for any discount I can get. Or if it's a right leaning, boot licking type of place.

I only ever ask at corporate box stores, small business, and especially veteran owned business, I'll actually refuse a discount if offered.

Upvote for theft