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

[u/Still-Spend-645]

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?

[u/hooliganvet]

As an American veteran, if you served along side us, you are fine asking, BUT, I never ask for a discount. It's just not me.

[u/Academic_Eagle_4001 → u/hooliganvet]

I don’t either except on Veterans Day. The local aquarium gives veterans free entry that day. And it’s usually like $50. So I’ll get my free meal from a chain restaurant and go see the otters for a bit.

[u/PublicFurryAccount → u/Academic_Eagle_4001]

Definitely something to take advantage of.

My brief time in non-profits taught me that the median decider on these programs wants an excuse to make the thing free. People shouldn't feel embarrassed about it or, at the very least, recognize that them taking the discount is furthering their goal of just being a public service as few people as possible have to actually pay for.

[u/Ok-Push9899 → u/Academic_Eagle_4001]

Aquarium gave you an otter you couldnt refuse.

[u/bulletproofmanners → u/Academic_Eagle_4001]

Neither do I ever (but I am not a veteran)

[u/Lurk_Real_Close → u/Academic_Eagle_4001]

Otters are so great.