In Pusuit of Free Food

Why did cub scouts get so many members there in the 50's? We all took turns bringing the treats. Free food. We, as members looked forward to the variety of treats as they came. Ask kids today about which holiday they like the most. You would be surprised to discover it is Halloween.. free candy. It is more important than Christmas, or Easter or even their birthdays. Why.. the other holidays have politics or meaning ascribed to them. Halloween is free of social cost.

The popularity of buffets offer the promise of free food. Dad always thought that taking me to a buffet was a good deal because they wouldn't make money on me.. I think that they do make money on their customers if they can get them to come back. The first time someone is at a Hometown Buffet they think they have to eat a whole lot of everything. Then returnees know how to "spend" their appetites and choose portions that confirm business profit. The big issue in these establishments is the management of the personnel. Can you preserve your training investment before it goes somewhere else or deteriorates in quality. To make it work your employees must be happy in their work.

At what level does free food play in the heart of professionals? It can bring the faculty together if it is not viewed as a purchase of their loyalty. How can this be done? When the food supports the already supported program. It cannot be the only thing on the agenda. Yesterday we had a "welcome to the new principal" luncheon. As usual at Merced High, excellent tri tip sandwhiches, chips and a soda were provided as well as a roaring peer karioki time machine romp through the history of Merced High.. Guest performers where Frank Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, Micheal Jackson, Brittany Spears, and Justin Timberlake. All 150 faculty gave up some of their classroom set up time to free food and entertainment. The result.. we all became closer. What you want to do in schools.

Free food was part of it. It was what was the draw.. the appropriate program with our peers was what it really was about. It could not happen without free food.