Lunch at Harvest
Right when I was leaving the restaurant after dinner, I saw a small sign for the opportunity to win a free group dinner, courtesy of Ameriprise, if you drop your business card in the bowl. I have seen these offers in many restaurants in the past, and my brother had actually won once for Nancy Chang’s in Worcester. Apparently, on many occassions, they just choose every business card that is dropped. Unfortunately, they did not have a bowl next to the business card, but not wanting to pass on the chance, I placed my card right by the sign.
Early the following week, I got a call from an Ameriprise financial adviser. I had won a lunch for upto 6 people. The only catch, as with all their free lunches, is that the FA gives a short introduction where he discusses his area of expertise and how financial planning could benifit us. Naturally I was thrilled, since Harvest is a nice restaurant.
Since it was lunch time, I could not get more than 4 people in total. The group was comprised of my brother and me, as well as one of my high school friends who lives in Boston, and an MIT graduate student who I’d recently met.
The menu was limited, as expected (i.e. no lobster…) but still pretty decent. We had a choice of one of two appetizers, and one of two entrees. I chose a mixed green salad with balsamic vinagrette for my starter and cold poached salmon with red bliss potatoes for my entree. We also could order a non-alcholic beverage, but we all just went with water. Franco, my high school friend, chose the same dishes as me. My brother and Kenny, the MIT grad student, chose the eggplant soup for their appetizer, and chicken pot pie for their entrees. Overall it worked out to about a $30 value for each of us, all for free. On my way out, I checked out the menu, and the appetizers were priced at $9 and the entrees at $15, so with tip and everything it would have been about $30 per person, but thankfully it was all on Ameriprise’s tab.
