Originally Posted by
paulwuk
I usually buy a tub of fruit (I find it hard to eat healthily on a plane), and grab a bottle of water too. If I haven't had time to go to GF I may grab some food for breakfast too on morning flights. Later in the day I may have a coffee.
Usually under £8, and I always get the pressure sell to bump it up to £15. Do the staff get commission?
Of course they don't, they're glorified waitresses!
The obvious reasoning is that, like virtually everyone in their socio-economic group, they believe you should take anything you can from "greedy" (in quotes because making money is of course the sole point of a business!) multinationals. The same reason why, for example, cashiers in the US pharmacy chains will swipe a courtesy member card if I buy anything with member exclusive offers on it - they'd rather see the money in your hands than in the multinationals.
I know I find it utterly ridiculous. Unless you find all non-perishable food in Starbucks disgusting, and won't see anyone else who likes any of it within the next few days, you are basically just throwing money away.