The Blue-Green Light Special

While scrolling my feed recently, I came across this news I can’t use: “Moldy Foods You Can Still Eat (and Some You Can).”

I skipped it.

I suppose someone might find that useful.

But I can’t imagine pulling some veggies from the fridge, spotting mold on them, and saying, “Reader’s Digest said this is edible mold. Bon appetit!”

Melissa is with me on this.

Exhibit A: Our meal this morning at the breakfast joint near Gate C2 at Lambert St. Louis International Airport.

Melissa ordered the whole-grain toast with her bacon and eggs, but she got, instead, a one-inch thick piece of white-bread. Texas toast, they call it.

“Sorry. It’s all we have,” the server said.

Melissa could have lived with that. But the pea-sized bit of fuzzy, blue-green mold on the crust? Not a chance.

“Excuse me,” Melissa said, as she waved the server over. “I just wanted to point out that there’s mold on this bread. You might want to mention this to the cook before they serve any more of it.”

The server looked suitably horrified, grabbed the moldy bread, and marched back to the kitchen.

Minutes later, she returned to our table with TWO pieces of (apparently) mold-free Texas toast.

“No thanks,” Melissa said. “Maybe you could comp my meal though.”

The server looked puzzled by that suggestion. She didn’t say a word before marching off again.

We figured we were going to pay full freight — $29.58 for two “Classic Breakfast Combos,” plus $9.48 for two coffees.

And then the server returned.

“Sorry for your inconvenience,” she mumbled, as she handed me the bill:

…Two “Coffee Services” for $4.74 each…

…and…

…that’s it. No “Classic Breakfast Combos.”

She’d comped us, after all.

I love it when a business sets things straight. Sure it “cost” them $29.58, but that’s well worth it to ensure a customer leaves more delighted than disgusted.

Delight more → Sell more.

Owning up to your mistakes is just one way to delight.

Here are 52 more ways.