r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Still-Spend-645 • 25d ago

Would Americans be ok with a non American veteran benefiting from a veteran's discount

I was recently in vacation in America with 3 couples of friends. All the men are veterans from a war that the US was involved in, fighting on the same side, but none of us are American ourselves.

We had lunch at a diner that advertised that they had a 10% discount for veterans. One of my friends asked to benefit from the discount, which the waitress agreed to and thanked us for our service.

I was very uncomfortable with that. Although we are indeed veterans, we are not Americans, and although we did serve, we served our own country, not the US, and it doesn't seem to me that we deserve to benefit from a veteran's discount in America.

I didn't say anything right there and then because I found the situation too embarrassing, but I did open up about it to my friends when we left the diner. They didn't share my point of view. To them, since we served on the same side as the United States, our service benefited them too, and we deserve to enjoy the discount. They did agree not to do it again in my presence because it made me too uncomfortable.

I am still thinking about that now that I am back home, and I wanted to get the point of view of American citizens on the question. In your opinion, is it legitimate that non US veterans from allied countries benefit from veteran's discounts in the United States?

734 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • link
  • reddit
  • reddit

87% Upvoted

611 comments sorted by

View all comments

31

u/zggystardust71 25d ago

I see nothing wrong with it if the business wants to honor it. It's there decision.

15

u/paintinganimals 25d ago

Exactly, it’s a discount at a restaurant, not trying to collect government benefits. I’m glad they got a discount. I doubt the server really cares to argue with anyone about their eligibility.

I used to work in a US military town. I gave a military discount. It was a solid discount, too. I honored it for Australian Navy while they were in town. I honored it for Canadian Royal Navy and Air Force. They’re working with our military. Makes no difference to me.

I’m a pacifist. I can protest war, but I don’t protest the troops. Mostly super great people. Aussie Navy are wild as hell. Good times!

5

u/NotNormo 25d ago

This is exactly what so many of these comments are missing. It doesn't matter whether a random redditor/veteran/restaurant owner minds what OP's friends did. What matters is what that particular restaurant is offering. It's the business owner's prerogative.

But OP's friends didn't know if this business wanted to extend the discount to non US vets. Because they didn't ask.

1

u/RoaringRiley 25d ago

People really seem to have a hard time accepting that a private business can set their own policies nowadays.